Who founded Startup Weekend in 2007?

Andrew Hyde founded Startup Weekend in 2007. The event was created as an intensive gathering where participants could form teams, develop business ideas and present working concepts over a short period.

Startup Weekend became part of the global entrepreneurship-event movement. Its format typically brought together designers, developers, marketers and aspiring founders, emphasizing rapid experimentation and collaboration rather than lengthy planning. Participants often began with only an idea and ended the weekend with a prototype or pitch.

The organization later expanded internationally and became associated with Techstars. This connection can cause confusion because Techstars is a startup accelerator, while Startup Weekend is an event format and community program. Andrew Hyde is specifically credited with creating Startup Weekend before its later growth under broader organizational management.