In a week's time, on Friday November 10, the very first Startup24 will get underway: an event held in twelve cities at which small groups of students create a business from scratch at breathtaking speed. In 24 hours they will learn to work together, make a plan and present it. Students from all educational institutions can participate; second-year Bachelor's students are particularly welcome.

Arne den Otter, chairperson of Eindhoven Student Business Club (ESBC), tells that students can register free of charge, individually or in a team, through November 9. There are six themes. As well as the three familiar TU/e strategic areas, these are Temporary Cities, Software and Robotics.

Game of Mario Kart

On Friday at 4 p.m., the ambassador of StartupDelta, Prince Constantijn, will open the location where the first one hundred registrations were received. ESBC expects to follow the opening in TU/e innovation Space by live streaming. “Afterwards everyone will get down to work by doing a workshop on a modeling framework called Business Model Canvas. You have to draw up your business model on a single page of A4.”

The workshops and coaching are being provided by, among others, BitSensor, the Startup of the Year 2017. Den Otter is keen to emphasize that this is a cool event. “It is educational and hard work, but during the 24 hours there will be plenty of time to relax. Participants can do things like play Mario Kart or try laser gaming. We'll eat lunch and dinner together, but everyone goes home to sleep.”

The conclusion of the intensive course will take place Saturday afternoon in the Van Abbe Museum. That's where the students will pitch their plans to jury members from industry. Den Otter: “The prizes will be announced later.”