CodeLaunch began in 2012 as a small, local product pitch competition and has since evolved into a traveling startup competition and networking expo that aims to reach 3 additional markets in the United States in 2021. Despite the recent global pandemic, CodeLaunch received over 140 total applications this year, 35 of which came from countries outside of the U.S. The 8th annual CodeLaunch is going to be better than ever as we are introducing more Finalists, more hackathon teams, and more services than ever before.
Despite COVID, we are still proceeding with the event but will be enforcing strict safety precautions and guidelines outlined later in this blog.
Even if you didn’t apply for CodeLaunch, you can still benefit by attending the event. Here are 8 reasons why you should attend CodeLaunch 8.
1. Networking
With 95% of professionals considering face-to-face communication as vital for long-term business, attending CodeLaunch is the perfect way to network with aligned businesses, sponsors, and investors that you could potentially collaborate with. It’s a networking event unlike any other where startups, entrepreneurs, and investors collide.
2. Pitch Competition
After much deliberation from our CodeLaunch selection committee, 7 Finalists and 1 Alternate were selected out of the 140+ applicants. These finalists are competing for invaluable seed services, such as a professional product development hackathon team, our continued startup development program (Afterburner), digital marketing campaigns, legal services, and much, much more!
Each Finalist has only 5 minutes to go over not only their background and goals but also how their concept or product works. In this brief period, they will explain how their product is unique and marketable and why they should win CodeLaunch.
3. Startup Expo
Take to the CodeLaunch expo floor and learn all about our CodeLaunch sponsors and startups in this is a one-of-a-kind networking opportunity. After the Pitch Competition, the Finalists, some Semi-Finalists, and 50+ local businesses and sponsors crowd the Expo floor to network.
4. Vote for Winner
As an attendee, you have a huge part in the outcome of CodeLaunch because you get to vote for the Overall Winner! After listening to the pitches, you get to decide which startup you think has the most potential to succeed.
After the last Finalist pitch, the audience is prompted to vote for their overall winner using ProTexting’s SMS voting platform. Each Finalist will have a unique code for you to cast your vote. On top of winning CodeLaunch, the Overall Winner will receive additional seed services.
5. Support Startup Ecosystem
Starting in Q1 of 2021, CodeLaunch will be expanding into new markets. Each quarter, CodeLaunch will be visiting an Improving market: Atlanta, Columbus, Minneapolis, and North Texas. Attending demonstrates your support for the growing entrepreneurial and startup ecosystem, as well as our core ideals of conscious capitalism.
6. Tech Demonstration
A select number of Finalists will receive a professional development hackathon team that will build out an MVP solution for their startup. The four current hackathon teams are provided by Code Authority, Improving, UNT at Frisco, and iTexico. Each hackathon recipient will receive a 3 to 5-person team of developers, designers, and quality assurance engineers to build out an MVP-level product within 72 hours.
This product from the hackathon team is then demoed during the Pitch Competition live, on stage, and for the first time in front of an audience. You’ll get to see cutting-edge technology created by the hackathon teams.
7. Safe Event
CodeLaunch and its sponsors have made many efforts to make the event safe for everyone to attend. Some of our health and safety initiatives include:
- Limiting the event to 500 attendees
- Maintain social distancing
- Distribution of masks
- Sanitizing stations
- Individually wrapped hors d’oeuvres
- Temperature reading at check in
- One-way exhibit hall traffic
8. Re-Open America!
We are doing everything we can be conscientious of COVID. Our health and safety measures were put into place to make sure CodeLaunch is as safe as possible. With that being said, we are ready to bring some normalcy back into our lives. CodeLaunch will do just that!
Join us at CodeLaunch 8!
CodeLaunch 8 is going to be better than ever! The event takes place on November 5th at the Comerica Center in Frisco, TX. Save your spot as an attendee and register today!