The UP Summit is the largest grassroots gathering of startup Community Leaders from across the planet. In its fourth year, the UP Summit will bring together community leaders from around the world across a variety of programs.
Imagine a place that showcases the ideal community that empowers entrepreneurs - it's Downtown Las Vegas. A place dreamed up by Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, the Downtown Project is a group of passionate people committed to helping transform Downtown Las Vegas into the most community-focused large city in the world. By bringing the UP Summit to Downtown Las Vegas, you will be able to feel and touch the power that a physical space has in a thriving community.
all events marked with an * are mandatory for attendees
For all of our early birds, please join us at Mob Bar, on the first level of the Downtown Grand!
Join us during free time at our lounge at the Downtown Grand, located on the first level behind check-in. Drinks on hand thanks to Coca-Cola, come to refresh and re-energize! For registration please bring a form of identification with you. Make sure you come prepared ready to select your experiences for the next three days as you will be planning out and selecting your track. See you there!
Sure, you'll get PLENTY of swag during the summit for FREE, but we've got some stuff for purchase too. Head to the Swag Shop to purchase (heavily discounted) Program T-shirts, Hoodies, and other goodies. Bring your credit card or cash.
Join us for a tour at the fabulous new corporate headquarters of Zappos in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada to learn about the Zappos Family culture. Meet in the Lobby at Zappos. Sign up by May 20 - Limited Spots Available.
Switch SUPERNAP is the recognized world leader in data center ecosystem design, development and mission critical operations. SUPERNAP houses servers such as eBay, Zappos, intuit, and many more. Join us on an exclusive tour of this massive facility. After the tour, head over to the Switch InNEVation center, home to all of our Las Vegas Startup Weekends, for Communitycation lunch! Note: You'll recognize the keynote speaker at the lunch! Meet outside to board the shuttles at 9:30am. Sign up by May 20 - Limited Spots Available.
See what is going on around you while you're here! Tours last just about an hour and are the most up-to-date download on what we are working on at Downtown Project. Meet in the Lobby of The Ogden. Sign up by May 20 - Limited Spots Available.
See what is going on around you while you're here! Tours last just about an hour and are the most up-to-date download on what we are working on at Downtown Project. Meet in the Lobby of the Ogden. Sign up by May 20 - Limited Spots Available.
Join us for a tour at the fabulous new corporate headquarters of Zappos in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada to learn about the Zappos Family culture. Meet in the Lobby at Zappos. Sign up by May 20 - Limited Spots Available.
See what is going on around you while you're here! Tours last just about an hour and are the most up-to-date download on what we are working on at Downtown Project. Meet in the Lobby of The Ogden. Sign up by May 20 - Limited Spots Available.
Welcome to UP Summit 2014 in Downtown Las Vegas! Join us in the Container Park at the stage. Wear comfy shoes - we're going to explore where we are after we are welcomed!
Get to know where we are - join us on a hunt of the Downtown Project, with lots of prizes, rewards, and fast facts about the places you'll see.
Food trucks will be serving us from a variety of cuisines! Pick up your favorite food and join your region under the umbrellas for dinner with Community Leaders from your region.
Presented by Free Lunch Friday, let's get together and tell some fireside stories about our communities and our successes, failures, celebrations and more! Stick with your region, find your learning village trailer, and gather by the "fire." There will be cards at your campfire that direct your conversation.
For our late arrivals, we'll open up registration during the Opening Party so you can hop on over to quickly pick up your information. The Gold Spike is just a block away, so it will only take you a few minutes! For registration please bring a form of identification with you. Make sure you come prepared ready to select your experiences for the next three days as you will be planning out and selecting your track. See you there!
Welcome to the UP Summit! Join us to kick off our first evening outside at Gold Spike thanks to Bigcommerce. Complete with backyard games, a band, and lots more entertainment, we'll see you there! Make sure you #dreambig - there's lots to come!
Join us during free time at our lounge at the Downtown Grand, located on the first level behind check-in. Take a load off, hang out in some Turnstone furniture or bean bags, and enjoy the Air Conditioning! Coca-Cola products on hand the entire time!
Join us for some hot breakfast and plenty of coffee, available from 7am - 9:30am at Gold Spike. Grab and go, or relax, learn, and meet new friends.
Sweat it out on a morning run! Lead by Seijen Takamura, we'll jog it out on a 5k around sin city before it awakes. Meet in the lounge of the Downtown Grand and look for Seijen's bright neon Nike's.
Namaste! Good morning - join us for a fresh start at the Picnic Pool Deck green (at the Downtown Grand) for some good down dogs and tree poses. Hang out afterwards and grab a cup of coffee or tea at Gold Spike to brighten your morning.
Want to learn more about fundraising, recruiting mentors, event marketing, financials, and everything else that pertains to Startup Weekends? Join our team of Regional Managers as we host a "Best Practice Breakfast." Come share tips and tricks and what you have learned and learn from others.
What's a summit without Barcamp? Join Barcamp instructor Steve Chau as he facilitates one of the famous sessions. Looking to discuss something you didn't see on the schedule during Learning Experiences? This is your place to do it! Grab some breakfast outside at Gold Spike and head on into the cool air by the bar and find the Post-its.
Goal: Hear about what happened at the Corporate Innovator's Track which took place right before UP Summit. Learn a little about how Corporations internalize innovation and how you can get engaged with them in your community. You Should Attend This Session If......you have corporations in your community that want to step up their involvement with startup weekend or innovation.
Goal: Explore the idea of anti-fragility applied to entrepreneurship education. You Should Attend This Session If...you want to help entrepreneurs become stronger in the face of adversity.
Goal: Learn what the most effective entrepreneurs do differently. You Should Attend This Session If...you want to double your productivity.
Goal: Learn from the best and come out with an actionable, cutting edge gameplan to grow your startup community. You Should Attend This Session If......you are obsessed with ecosystem building and turning your community, city or country into a startup hub!
1 Sentence Goal: To learn a framework for developing a powerful personal story and to leave the workshop with a first draft you can use when you get home. You Should Attend This Session If...you have an interest in developing your personal story to help you become an even more powerful leader.
Goal: Strengthen your core community muscles and learn how Startup Grind went from 1 to 100 cities in 24 months. You Should Attend This Session If...you're looking for new ways to create a greater local identity and impactful community. Also understanding how Startup Grind works.
Goal: Strengthen your next SW with a theme by taking full advantage of best practice from around the world. You Should Attend This Session If...you want to create awesome Startup Weekends with a theme, you want to take advantage of the special sponsor-opportunities that at verticals offers, you want knowhow on how to cultivate the business potentials of specialists attracted to a Startup Weekend theme, if you want to share the tips and tricks of verticals, if you are curious about fresh experiences from Denmark and Germany (Themes: Health, E-commerce/Lifestyle, Politics and more)
Goal: To learn a framework for developing a powerful personal story and to leave the workshop with a first draft you can use when you get home. You Should Attend This Session If...you have an interest in developing your personal story to help you become an even more powerful leader.
Goal: Help us help you. Tell us what we can do as Cola-Cola to best support you and Startup Weekend participants. You Should Attend This Session If......you want to get more from sponsors.
Goal: To gain immediate feedback and learn about best practices in creating a unique culture for your startup. You Should Attend This Session If..."If you get the culture right, most of the other stuff like delivering great customer service or building a long-term enduring brand will just happen naturally on it's own." - Tony Hsieh - If you're passionate about company culture, interested in creating an enduring brand and want to connect with others like you, be there!
Walk on top of the Hoover Dam and explore all that it has to offer - learn about the history and the significance of the Dam. This experience departs via shuttle at 12:15pm from the Downtown Grand parking lot and returns at 4:45pm. This is the only experience that will shorten your Learning Experience time so please plan ahead. This experience also has lunch included so no need to grab something to eat before. Signup takes place during registration - this experience is free.
Open to all UP Summit attendees, come join the Startup Education team for a lunch and learn! Learn about our newest program, what's already happened, and plans for the future. Come by for the opportunity to learn about Startup Education and find out how you can get involved, and/or tell your community how to get involved.
Join us at the Gold Spike for a BBQ cookout! Come hang out with new friends and grab some good bites.
Fly high in the sky and share a new experience! Join us for Flying Trapeze Lessons from instructors at Trapeze Las Vegas. Trapeze Las Vegas is the ultimate destination for high-flying fun and one-of-a-kind circus adventures right in the heart of the Entertainment Capital of the World. This experience departs via shuttle at 12:30pm from the Downtown Grand parking lot and returns at 4:00pm. Signup takes place during registration - this experience has a cost affiliated which can be paid for upon signup.
Here are just some of the things you'll experience while at Stoney's Rockin Country: Line Dancing Lessons, Mechanical Bull Riding, Southern Cocktails, BBQ, and much more! Join us for a quintessential "Wild West" experience. This experience departs via shuttle at 12:30pm from the Downtown Grand parking lot and returns at 4:00pm. Signup takes place during registration - this experience has a cost affiliated which can be paid for upon signup.
Whether you've never played in your life or are a celebrity poker player, Startup Poker 2.0 is for you. Low stakes, lots of fun, good laughs - lead by Startup Poker 2.0's Bob Crimmins and sponsored by Sendgrid, this event is sure to be a great time. This experience begins at 12:30pm at the Learning Village and ends at 3:30pm. Signup takes place during registration - this experience is free.
Join us on horseback to see the beautiful nature that Nevada offers. From 5,000 ft., the trail offers colorful panoramic views of red sandstone canyons, the majestic Spring Mountains, the multi-colored canyon floor, ancient caves, desert landscape, geological formations and wildlife. This experience departs via shuttle at 1:00pm from the Downtown Grand parking lot and returns at 3:30pm. Signup takes place during registration - this experience has a cost affiliated which can be paid for upon signup.
Haven't you ever wanted to play on a playground...in a bulldozer!? Dig This allows you the chance to operate a state-of-the-art "Caterpillar" D-5 track-type bulldozer or 315CL hydraulic excavator. If you choose to take on the bulldozer, you'll get to dig trenches, ride over tall mounds and push gigantic boulders. This experience departs via shuttle at 12:30pm from the Downtown Grand parking lot and returns at 4:00pm. Signup takes place during registration - this experience has a cost affiliated which can be paid for upon signup.
Achieve the dream of human flight! Joins us at America's first indoor skydiving facility built in 1982. The experience is similar to skydiving with the addition of a mesh trampoline floor and foam padded walls. Guests are able to simulate the freefall aspect of skydiving without the use of an airplane or parachute. This experience departs via shuttle at 12:30pm from the Downtown Grand parking lot and returns at 3:30pm. Signup takes place during registration - this experience has a cost affiliated which can be paid for upon signup.
Check out the famous Las Vegas strip and learn the history of what makes Vegas, well, Vegas! Your open-top bus tour takes you to all of the famous landmarks on the Las Vegas Strip. Along the way, learn about the Las Vegas story through the history and facts provided by the entertaining tour commentary. This experience departs at 1:00pm from the Downtown Grand parking lot and returns at 4:00pm. Signup takes place during registration - this experience is free.
Join us for a tour at the fabulous new corporate headquarters of Zappos in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada to learn about the Zappos Family culture. Meet in the Lobby at Zappos. Sign up by May 20 - Limited Spots Available.
Take in the splendor of the majestic Red Rock Canyon. A vast geological wonder with a 400 million year old history, this marvel of nature far exceeds one's wildest imagination. Follow your guide down the trail as he winds around the towering peaks, encompassed by the colorful desert landscape; all part of the magnificent Spring Mountains. This experience departs via shuttle at 1:00pm from the Downtown Grand parking lot and returns at 4:00pm. Signup takes place during registration - this experience has a cost affiliated which can be paid for upon signup.
Ever wondered what it was like to be a mobster in old Las Vegas? The Mob Museum showcases both sides of the notorious battle between organized crime and law enforcement. With high-tech theater presentations, iconic one-of-a-kind artifacts, and interactive exhibits, you can finally discover the whole truth and nothing but the truth! This experience begins at 1:30pm at the Mob Museum. Signup takes place during registration - this experience is free.
Stitch Factory is a fashion incubator, co-working studio and creative community established to support emerging fashion designers. A game changer for the fashion industry, Stitch Factory's collaborative studio offers designers professional workspace, an inspiring community, and business mentorship. You'll get to make your own tote bag as a keepsake. This experience meets at Stitch Factory at 1:30pm and is finished at 3:30pm. Signup takes place during registration - this experience is free.
Trikke Tech is the world expert in 3-point, standing, carving vehicles - headquartered in DTLV. Test them out, explore the city on them, and have a great time! This experience beings at 1:30pm and meets at Trikke's in the Container Park. The event ends at 2:30pm - this experience is free.
If you think Vegas can't get any more thrilling, think again. Imagine soaring quickly through the air past neon signs and classic hotels under the world’s largest canopy and light show on the Fremont Street Experience while giving air-fives to the pedestrians below. That's what our StartupDigest Curators will be doing! This experience begins at 2:00pm at the base of Slotzilla and ends at 3:00pm. Signup takes place during registration - this experience is for StartupDigest Curators only and is free.
Trikke Tech is the world expert in 3-point, standing, carving vehicles - headquartered in DTLV. Test them out, explore the city on them, and have a great time! This experience beings at 2:30pm and meets at Trikke's in the Container Park. The event ends at 3:30pm - this experience is free.
Decompress, relax, and prepare for a fun-filled afternoon and evening!
Ooommmm! Join us for some midday meditation to reset your mind before the second set of learning sessions kick in.
Goal: Learn about the innovative approach these companies are taking to promote community and build a startup ecosystem. You Should Attend This Session If...you want to learn more about the startup and tech community in Las Vegas.
Goal: Identify 30 high potential cities and get them activated for short term deployment, and get their feedback on the program and areas of improvement so they're bought into the program leaving the session You Should Attend This Session If...you're interested in being one of our first 30 pilot cities
Goal: This session will help you discover tools for driving continuous program improvement, community and financial support and the outcomes that are aligned with your mission. You Should Attend This Session If...you're an UP Global community leader or run program that depends on external funding or sponsorship.
Goal: To learn how to help your startups create better results within a weekend. You Should Attend This Session If...you are interested in the outcome of your Startup Weekend event.
Goal: Hearing from Facilitators who've run Startup Next on teams/cohort progress, value of the program for the community, structure and approach to run Startup Next and why it's different than Startup Weekend. You Should Attend This Session If...you are in a city that has an accelerator and are interested in bringing our pre-accelerator Startup Next program to your community (either as a Facilitator or Mentor) OR you want to get a sense of the background and persona needed to effectively run a Startup Next program.
Goal: Giving hope in troubled times. Using UP to drive forward hope and progress to connect to an international community. You Should Attend This Session If...you're into research, community development and the development of new economies/countries in trouble times.
Goal: To learn how to better mesh multiple cultures and languages in events. You Should Attend This Session If...you deal with multi-cultural, multi-language events.
Goal: Hear how marketers at Google are using imagination to build the future! You'll also learn some of the methods used at Google to market your product or service. You Should Attend This Session If....you want to learn how imagination can create the future, or if you want to hear Google's approach to design and marketing!
Goal: Learn how to learn from entrepreneurship programs. You Should Attend This Session If...you're interested in figuring out how to harvest lessons from your activities and figuring out if you are making an impact.
Goal: A quick, massive experiment to understand the problems we as startup community leaders are having. You Should Attend This Session If...you're trying to help your local startup community get to the next level.
Join us for a dinner with female and male leaders, entrepreneurs, founders and advocates in celebration of women in entrepreneurship and UP Global's latest initiative, "Startup Women." Presented by Blackstone, this dinner features a keynote speech by Ari Horie, founder of Women's Startup Lab, as well as storytelling and guest speakers from the Startup Women advisory board, partners, and more.
Want to learn about B2B and Enterprise verticals, and how companies like Salesforce are helping UP Global with verticals in the industry to create more companies in this realm. Join Ludo Ulrich from Salesforce for dinner and discussion. Sign up by May 25 - Limited Spots Available.
Want to learn more about hosting and managing a Youth event? Eat, learn and discuss with the pros who have done it before! Sign up by May 25 - Limited Spots Available.
No interest in the other vertical dinners? Join us at the Scullery for some delicious food and conversation. Feel free to have a seat or grab and go - this is DTLV's newest venue! It's absolutely gorgeous, you gotta check it out!
We've been sworn to secrecy not to tell you what this is, but we can guarantee you won't want to miss it. #GoogleForEntrep to speculate. TBD!
Join us for some hot breakfast and plenty of coffee, available from 7am - 9:30am at Gold Spike. Grab and go, or relax, learn, and meet new friends.
Join us during free time at our lounge at the Downtown Grand, located on the first level behind check-in. Take a load off, hang out in some Turnstone furniture or bean bags, and enjoy the Air Conditioning! Coca-Cola products on hand the entire time!
Namaste! Good morning - join us for a fresh start at the Picnic Pool Deck green (at the Downtown Grand) for some good down dogs and tree poses. Hang out afterwards and grab a cup of coffee or tea at Gold Spike to brighten your morning.
It's time to get moving! Join our local friends at Wellthily as they get us on our feet and we learn the art of Bollywood! Get your moves ready for the closing party. And feel free to watch from the sidelines - no dancing experience necessary!
Want to learn more about fundraising, recruiting mentors, event marketing, financials, and everything else that pertains to Startup Weekends? Join our team of Regional Managers as we host a "Best Practice Breakfast." Come share tips and tricks and what you have learned and learn from others.
What's a summit without Barcamp? Join Barcamp instructor Steve Chau as he facilitates one of the famous sessions. Looking to discuss something you didn't see on the schedule during Learning Experiences? This is your place to do it! Grab some breakfast outside at Gold Spike and head on into the cool air by the bar and find the Post-its.
Goal: Learn from each other about what works to get your startup ecosystem to take off in smaller countries using Startup Weekend and other UP Programs as a foundation. You Should Attend This Session If...you're from a country with less than 30m population, and you want to know what's worked and what hasn't worked in other smaller countries.
Goal: Learn strategies to build awareness of your local SW brand and community and strengthen it. You Should Attend This Session If...you want to take the your local SW community to the next level and build a striving self sustaining community.
Goal: To learn how to build a collaborative startup ecosystem and to recognize that importance of a collaborative environment is to the success of the overall startup community. You Should Attend This Session If...you are actively involved in a startup community and are looking for ways to create a more cohesive, collaborative, successful, and vibrant community where startups, entrepreneurs, and supporters can build a more successful ecosystem.
Come learn from a variety of Departments and Programs at UP about what is happening. Give feedback, ask questions, and more!
Goal: A serious brainstorm that balances the simplicity of our current model with the learnings we collectively have to make an even more meaningful experience. You Should Attend This Session If...you want to contribute to the conversation on how to make a Startup Weekend a more meaningful experience for attendees and for community overall.
Goal: You cannot afford to stop innovating - learn how Google approaches innovation and how we implement these principles at Campus London. You Should Attend This Session If...you think innovation is a key part of your job/passion.
Goal: To provide a guide for building an effective board that can be a game changer for a Growing Startup. You Should Attend This Session If...you are a founder, CEO, angel or venture investor involved in a startup or an entrepreneurial venture.
Goal: Strategy and examples for how to collaborate and build in a cash->credit->control world. You Should Attend This Session If...you're working to bring more partners to the table to build a stronger startup community together.
Goal: To better understand the techniques and science that can create meaningful experiences at events. You Should Attend This Session If...you want to be a better facilitator of any event or group activity.
Goal: Learn about the challenges and opportunities of building a startup in Las Vegas. You Should Attend This Session If...you want to know more about building a startup in Las Vegas and how to determine the best place to build a startup.
Goal: Draw up action plans for how we can build better local startup ecosystems in smaller countries, sharing experiences and resources. You Should Attend This Session If...you're from a smaller country, want to use Startup Weekend and Other UP Programs as a foundation for developing your next wave of startups and leaders, and are prepared to put in the legwork to make it happen, supported by your amazing worldwide network of UP people.
Bring your Lunch Coupon and use it to grab some lunch on us in the Container Park and around Downtown - grab and go and head to Free Lunch Friday if you're interested, or hang with new friends!
Grab your lunch and join everyone at Free Lunch Friday for a session on "The Importance of PR, storytelling and other Startup Mixology Ingredients" with Tech Cocktail's founder and CEO, Frank Gruber. You should attend this session if you want to learn how media can elevate not just your startup, but the entire startup community.
Come learn from a variety of Departments and Programs at UP about what is happening. Give feedback, ask questions, and more!
Goal: Join us to explore the role space can play in creating a great culture as you grow your business. We'll get our hands dirty - this is an awesome workshop! You Should Attend This Session If...you want to love where and how you work as much as you love why you work.
Goal: Hardware is hard. Let's discuss how we can make startup weekends support makers. You Should Attend This Session If......you want to create hardware startups.
Goal: Learn how to cultivate investors in your startup community and beyond. You Should Attend This Session If......you want more angel investors in your community, and if you want to understand how investors think and how they view the startup landscape.
RECESS aims to help expose the next generation of world changing student entrepreneurs to investors, advisors, and mentors. Come witness the top college pitches compete and if you want to hear and meet some of the brightest ideas coming off of college campuses from across the US.
Goal: Learn from our Chairman of the Board about his past experiences, present endeavors and why he believes in the vision of UP. You Should Attend This Session If...you want to learn about Steve Case, are interested in what we're doing at a Global Scale, and have questions you'd like to ask Steve.
Goal: We will discuss the options around crowd funding and give you actionable insights and a checklist to lead you to success on your first campaign and assist with those around you who are looking to get started. You Should Attend This Session If...you have a business idea, you're interested in crowdfunding, or you are a Community Leader looking to help attendees get onto crowdfunding platforms after a program.
Goal: Understand how our startup communities influence policy decisions, force the hands of diplomats and dictators, and shape futures around the world. You Should Attend This Session If...you’re interested in learning how to interact with governments and NGO’s as an entrepreneur, and how to better leverage your Startup Weekend organizer role as a form of diplomacy.
Goal: Learn how to bring your local community to the next level through global exposure. You Should Attend This Session If...you into research, writing and are passionate about building your own successful startup community.
Goal: To learn about scalable ways to grow, engage and promote your community. You Should Attend This Session If...you're a community and/or event organizer.
Ignite comes to UP Summit! Join Andrew Hyde and a variety of amazing 5 minute talks on stage at Inspire Theater. All are welcome, feel free to pop in among the other activities going on!
Join us on the rooftop of Inspire for an extraordinary view of Las Vegas complete with the games we love, including checkers, jenga, card games, and much more! Enjoy some sunshine and relaxation over a game that's sure to be full of laughs.
While you’re enjoying some board games, indulge in some organic smoothies from our local friends at Wellthily. Provided by .CO, these smoothies are stocked with fruits and veggies coming straight from the local farmers market!
Local Motors is a place that operates an efficient, multinational Microfactory network in order to build game-changing products and deliver a world of vehicle innovations. Jam packed with the coolest innovations in vehicles worldwide, the Local Motors custom tour for UP Summit will be something you don't want to miss! This experience begins at 3:30pm at Local Motors and ends at 4:30pm. There is no signup required for this event.
Excite your nose with all sorts of elixirs and oils! Learn about how certain scents help with stress, confidence, and much more! 20 minute sessions rotating back and forth, so stop by for some relaxation!
Local Motors is a place that operates an efficient, multinational Microfactory network in order to build game-changing products and deliver a world of vehicle innovations. Jam packed with the coolest innovations in vehicles worldwide, the Local Motors custom tour for UP Summit will be something you don't want to miss! This experience begins at 4:30pm at Local Motors and ends at 5:30pm. There is no signup required for this event.
Decompress, relax, and prepare for a fun-filled evening!
Ooommmm! Join us for some midday meditation to reset your mind before the family dinner.
Make sure you arrive on time! We're going to take a big group picture before we sit down for our Family Dinner. Wear your UP Summit T-shirt if you want!
A feast with friends! Join us for a family-style dinner as we unite once again. Remarks to be given, great food to be enjoyed, and one HUGE group picture to remember it all.
It's time to say goodbye! Join the whole group for a bash that is sure to be remembered.
Join us during free time at our lounge at the Downtown Grand, located on the first level behind check-in. Leave your luggage and hang out before your flight. Coca-Cola products on hand the entire time!
