Last weekend, from the 22nd to the 24th, I attended Startup Weekend Education in Florianópolis. It was one of the most exceptional experiences I have ever had in my entrepreneurial career, which is still in its early stages.
My first meeting was on Friday, the 22nd. I knew no one and had no idea what to expect or how the event would unfold. You know that weird feeling of being lost in a crowd? That’s exactly how I felt. By the end of the first day, we had developed a clear idea of what we were going to work on and had formed a dedicated team.
On Saturday morning, our newly formed team gathered for a still-quiet breakfast. Then the rush began, an activity the organizers referred to as “From Zero” — continuous brainstorming sessions focused on identifying and solving problems. There were numerous ideas and a fair amount of disagreement until we finally reached a consensus.
In the afternoon, it was time to validate our idea. This involved testing and confirming our concept. As an entrepreneur, this is probably the part I’ve always missed: going out into the real world, engaging with potential clients, and asking them if our idea resonated with their needs. It was time to face the facts—were we ready, or were we merely chasing an illusion?
Faced with uncertainty, we had to decide whether to redo the brainstorming from scratch. The clock was ticking relentlessly at 3:00 pm on Saturday, so we returned to another brainstorming session, though not entirely from scratch. After conducting research on the streets and through social networks, we felt confident that our solution was validated. With that assurance, it was time to dive into coding, working late into the night from home.
Sunday arrived, marking the final day of the event. Interestingly, breakfast was lively and fun, a stark contrast to the quietness of Saturday morning. After breakfast, it was time to reach out to customers and begin selling our product. It may sound crazy, but 48 hours is a short time. While this is obvious, witnessing our product in the hands of the first users—even during the “free” period—was incredibly rewarding.
Our product started gaining traction; people were actively using it, asking questions, and showing curiosity—all on Sunday. Finally, at 4:00 pm, we finished our 3-minute pitch and presented it at 5:00 pm.
Did we win? While we didn’t climb the podium, we gained invaluable experience and learning that words can’t fully capture. Our product was moving and garnered some traction. It might not be enough for immediate sales, but it certainly made us proud and motivated us to continue our entrepreneurial journey.