<h3>Which company from Startup Weekend Phoenix will be on the main stage at AZEC a few years from now?</h3>It's a simple fact of life.&nbsp; Every journey starts somewhere.&nbsp; And the entrepreneurial journey is no exception to the rule.&nbsp; Here in Arizona, many of our investors, technology<br>companies, entrepreneurs, and community organizations understand that journey, that is why they support <a href="http://phoenix.startupweekend.org/" target="_blank">Startup Weekend</a>.&nbsp; <p><b>What it is Startup Weekend?</b></p> <p><a href="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/swphx-logo-10.png"><img style="border-width:0;margin:5px 5px 5px 10px;" border="0" alt="SWPHX-Logo-'10" align="right" src="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/swphx-logo-10_thumb.png" width="271" height="204"></a>An international non-profit that's hosted in over 100 cities worldwide. The 3 day event brings together Developers, UX designers, SEO marketers, Entrepreneurs, Graphic Designers, Lawyers and anyone necessary to build a company. The participants pitch their ideas and form teams around the best concepts. These teams have 54 hours to build a prototype and present it on the final day. The best team winning prizes and potential funding.</p> <p><strong>Why Phoenix?</strong></p> <p>This year’s Startup Weekend Phoenix is the first in Downtown Phoenix and is designed to tap into the incredible creativity that is developing. Hosted in the <a href="http://www.incohoots.com" target="_blank">CO-HOOTS</a> co-working space at 825 North 7th Street (in the newly renovated Bayless Grocery Building), attendees will be working in the heart of Phoenix’s art district, which will add a unique dimension to this event.&nbsp; (The valley's highly successful 2008 Startup Weekend was hosted at <a href="http://www.gangplankhq.com" target="_blank">Gangplank</a> in Chandler, Arizona.) </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b><a href="http://phoenix.startupweekend.org/files/2009/08/4.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin:5px 5px 5px 10px;" alt="Photo courtesy of Start Up Weekend Phoenix" align="right" src="http://phoenix.startupweekend.org/files/2009/08/4.jpg" width="282" height="212"></a>When it is:</b> October 22nd - 24th 2010...&nbsp; <ul> <li>Fri. 6pm-10pm  <li>Sat. 9am-12am  <li>Sun. 9am-10pm </li></ul> <p><b>How much:</b> $75 for the weekend, $20 to attend the Sunday Pitch Night.&nbsp; Tickets are going fast - get them while you can.&nbsp; If they are still available by the time you read this, <a href="http://bit.ly/swphx20" target="_blank">click here</a> to take advantage of a 20% discount.  <p><b>What to expect if you come to Startup Weekend Phoenix: (swphx)</b>  <ul> <li>Food and beverages for 3 days (including beer for participants 21+)&nbsp; <li>The ability to test your ideas and potentially bring them to life  <li>Guidance and support from experienced mentors from various backgrounds  <li>Networking and team building with like minded participants  <li>Exposure for teams with exceptional market potential&nbsp; <li>Access to Angels and VCs  <li>An opportunity to become an entrepreneur </li></ul> <p><b>What's unique about swphx compared to other SW events:</b></p> <p><a href="http://phoenix.startupweekend.org/files/2009/08/5.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin:5px 5px 5px 15px;" alt="Startup Weekend 2008 was hosted at Gankplank in Chandler, AZ" align="right" src="http://phoenix.startupweekend.org/files/2009/08/5.jpg" width="280" height="210"></a>The focus of swphx is on building viable business models. The judging criteria requires that the products or services being pitched have a primary focus on generating revenue, specifically with the goal of being profitable. Many startups focus on building "neat" ideas that generate a large number of users or impressions because people will use their service for free. Instead of focusing on "monetizing" at a later date, <strong>swphx</strong> is focused on entrepreneurship today. </p> <p><strong>"Profitability, is in essence, sustainability."</strong></p> <p><strong>The organizers and volunteers at swphx</strong> want to foster the creation of sustainable companies and believe that "If customers are willing to pay you for something it means you've created something of true value." It's not to say that services like Twitter are not useful. They are great tools, but that's very different from being a great business. At <strong>swphx</strong> expect to be reminded that profitability, is in essence, sustainability.&nbsp; <p><strong>Growth comes through collaboration</strong>  <p><b>Walking the halls of Co-Hoots this coming weekend will be e</b>ntrepreneurs, developers, graphic designers, SEO experts, UX Designers, marketing experts, inventors, lawyers, investors and anyone who has a desire to help build a profitable business.&nbsp; (They are even letting me pop in.)  <p>AT OTEF and AZEC10, we recognize that this year's Startup Weekend Phoenix companies may well be the next big success to share there experiences with our entrepreneurial community in the years to come. That is why we have donated an <a href="http://www.azec10.com/" target="_blank">AZEC10</a> ticket to be awarded to one of the lucky attendees.&nbsp; After all - every entrepreneur can use a little luck.  <p>Programs like <a href="http://phoenix.startupweekend.org/" target="_blank">Startup Weekend Phoenix</a> and <a href="http://azec10.com/" target="_blank">AZEC</a> are components of what makes our Arizona entrepreneurial community strong and vibrant.&nbsp; Don't miss your opportunity to attend<strong> </strong><a href="http://phoenix.startupweekend.org/" target="_blank"><strong>swphx</strong></a> (October 22-24) OR <strong></strong><a href="http://www.azec10.com/"><strong>AZEC10</strong></a> on November 17th.&nbsp; <p>Thanks for stopping by.&nbsp; Stay tuned...&nbsp; There will be more entrepreneurial profiles and AZEC10 behind the scenes glimpses between now and AZEC10.  <blockquote> <p>Joan Koerber-Walker  <p>&nbsp;</p></blockquote> <p><strong></strong> <p><em>Note:&nbsp; Joan Koerber Walker serves as Chairman of the Board of The Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship foundation,which is the host organization and sole beneficiary of AZEC10.&nbsp; To learn more about OTEF, visit </em><a href="http://www.otef.org/"><em>www.otef.org</em></a><em>. </em></p> <div style="display:inline;margin:0;padding:0;" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:bade9192-d063-438a-a453-ea6c5f9779c6" class="wlWriterSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/AZEC10" rel="tag">AZEC10</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Arizona%20Entrepreneurship%20Conference" rel="tag">Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/SWPHX" rel="tag">SWPHX</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Startup%20Weekend" rel="tag">Startup Weekend</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Startup%20Weekend%20Phoenix" rel="tag">Startup Weekend Phoenix</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Joan%20Koerber-Walker" rel="tag">Joan Koerber-Walker</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/OTEF" rel="tag">OTEF</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Opportunity%20Through%20Entrepreneurship%20Foundation" rel="tag">Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation</a></div> <p>"<a href="http://startupweekend.org/about" target="_blank">Startup Weekend</a>" is a trademark of Cooley Godward Kronish, LLP  <p><a href="http://startupweekend.org/about" target="_blank">Startup Weekend Phoenix</a> logo and photos courtesy of Startup Weekend Phoenix  <p>All rights reserved.  