Startup Grind + GEW 2018
Startup Grind has partnered with the Global Entrepreneurship Network to hold more than 100 local Startup Grind events around the world during GEW2018. Check out our Q & A with the Global Entrepreneurship Network and learn more about how our missions align and how we help entrepreneurs.
What is Startup Grind?
Startup Grind was founded in Palo Alto, California in 2010 by Derek Andersen. It’s now a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs and is powered by Google for Startups.
Startup Grind hosts monthly offline events in 500 cities spanning 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies.
Startup Grind’s Values:
- We believe in making friends, not contacts.
- We believe in giving, not taking.
- We believe in helping others before helping yourself.
We are truly passionate about helping founders, entrepreneurs and startups succeed. We intend to make the startup journey less lonely, more connected, and more memorable.
How does Startup Grind support entrepreneurs in communities around the world?
Through monthly fireside chats, we help make local connections and establish a community that is built to support its members, from early stage founder to well-known investors.
Through our partners, startups have access to Google for Startup programs and other tools and resources that help startups do everything from setting up offshore entities to cloud systems and discounts to help founders along the path to success.
What is the value of aligning Startup Grind with Global Entrepreneurship Week?
Global Entrepreneurship Week is one week each year where entrepreneurs come together locally and host events and other support initiatives on a global scale. Startup Grind hosts events every month on a global scale, so doing our events within this incredible week gives us the opportunity to help GEW bring more value to the entrepreneurs taking part. With the spotlight on entrepreneurship that week, everyone in the ecosystem is able to get out of their usual routine and give back and support one another.
How many Startup Grind events will be happening during GEW this year?
Startup Grind is pushing to hold more than 100 events globally during GEW. That’s 100 founders sharing their story with audiences between 50 and 300 people.
Anyone could do a fireside chat in their community, what is the value of doing it through Startup Grind?
There are several reasons:
- You get to be part of a global community of directors that connect with each other and help each other creating a global network.
- You are associated with a brand known to help entrepreneurs and, as such, it’s much easier to book speakers at your events.
- You’re seen as a local ecosystem developer and rockstar and eventually get invited to amazing events as you help your ecosystem grow.
- You have friends in over 500 cities around the world (local directors network).
- All directors join each other at the Global Conference and meet face-to-face.
- As one former director said last week, “Thank you Startup Grind, directly because of my involvement with Startup Grind I was hired as CTO of a company backed by Bosch.”
It’s not just you hosting a fireside chat in your city — it’s the global community and all the things we do around it. Fireside chats and events are just a gateway to all the cool things we do as a global (and local) community.
There have been many “copycat events” over the years, but they have quickly faded away. A combination of both the director-attendee community, and the passionate and authentic directors set Startup Grind apart and keep people coming back for more.
As Chapter Director Brian Park from Washington, D.C. says, “I love this community because the people you meet here become your family.”
How has Startup Grind impacted local communities? Have you seen any national or international impact?
Impact in Lagos, Nigeria
“Lagos is the city of dreams and hustle, the entrepreneurial spirit is present in the multinational boardrooms down to the small businesses in the hidden streets. Startup Grind enables us to bring these key players together in a collaborative and synergistic environment to learn, have fun and grow.” — Uwem Uwemakpan
Impact in Hamburg, Germany
“Never stop learning — this is what Startup Grind is for me. Each event I learn new interesting perspectives and amazing stories from awesome entrepreneurs. And so does our community.” — Serhat Kaya
Impact in Wichita, Kansas, United States
“Startup Grind has been a catalyst for positive change in Wichita. It’s the one place where you can find the entire community coming together all in the pursuit of encouraging entrepreneurship in our region.” — Jacob Wayman
Impact in Tbilisi, Georgia
“Startup Grind has allowed us to create a powerful founder-centered community in Tbilisi. We’ve hosted great speakers and brought delegations of startups to Silicon Valley and London events. Government and donors are great as supporters but startups need to be the focus and they need to lead. Our largest event had 450 registrants which was a powerful statement.” — Colin Donohue
Impact in Guadalajara, Mexico
“Many communities existed in Guadalajara prior to Startup Grind; however bringing the values Startup Grind shares, changed the way entrepreneurship is lived in our region. There has been an thrive where more entrepreneurs help each other and many more startups manage to success in their journey.” — Martin Moscosa
If our readers want to learn more about Startup Grind, what should they do?
There are several ways to learn more, but the best would be to join an event near them by finding a chapter here: startupgrind.com/chapters
If there is no event near you, join the movement by filling in an application to start a new chapter in your city: startupgrindapp.com/start
Our Global Conference is coming up in Silicon Valley in Feb. For more details, read here: startupgrind.com/conference
If you are part of a startup and are interested in participating in the Startup Program, check out the details here: startupgrind.com/startup
(Previously published on the Global Entrepreneurship Network blog.)
