Entrepreneurial spirit to be kindled on Saint Martin's campus with 'Startup Weekend'
February 29, 2012
LACEY, WASHINGTON — Saint Martin's University will play host to a community of entrepreneurs who will gather
on the University's Lacey campus March 2-4, 2012, to generate new ideas for local companies and jobs. The intense
54-hour event, known as "Startup Weekend Olympia," brings together software developers, graphic designers,
artists and other professionals interested in transforming creative business concepts into reality.
Startup Weekend Olympia begins the evening of Friday, March 2, when professionals join teams based on their
particular interests and ideas for viable businesses. The teams then work together until Sunday, March 4,
focused on launching new businesses by creating websites, mobile applications, business presentations and product
mock-ups.
The last Startup Weekend Olympia, held in 2010, featured an array of talented individuals including graphic
designers, lawyers, green energy specialists, students, programmers, writers and social marketing consultants.
Working together to bring Startup Weekend to Olympia this year are Heavy Guerrilla, MerchantOS, IRC Print and
Design, The Business Examiner, and Digital Content Creator.
In addition to Saint Martin's University, organizations supporting Startup Weekend Olympia include Thurston
County Economic Development Council, Thurston County Chamber of Commerce, and Thurston County Small Business
Incubator.
The event starts at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 2, at Harned Hall on Saint Martin's Lacey campus and continues
through the weekend, ending on Sunday, March 4. Registration prices vary depending on how participants will
contribute their talents to the event.
To register, visit http://olympia.startupweekend.org/tickets/. Stay up-to-date with Startup Weekend Olympia
by following #SWOlympia on Twitter and liking the "Startup Weekend Olympia" page on Facebook.
For more information, please contact Tiffany Scroggs at 360-754-6320 or tscroggs@thurstonedc.com.
Saint Martin’s University is an independent four-year, coeducational university located on a 380-acre wooded
campus in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one
of 14 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky
Mountains. Saint Martin’s University prepares students for successful lives through its 21 majors and six graduate
programs spanning the liberal arts, business, education and engineering. Saint Martin’s welcomes 1,250 students
from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its main campus, and 650 more to its extension campuses located at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Everett College, Centralia College and Tacoma Community College. Visit the Saint Martin’s
University website at www.stmartin.edu.
For additional information:
Tiffany Scroggs
Business Resource Center Manager
Thurston Economic Development Council
360-754-6320; tscroggs@thurstonedc.com
Sarah Holdener
Director of Community Relations and Event Management
Office of Marketing and Communications
Saint Martin’s University
360-412-6140; sholdener@stmartin.edu