I created a startup in 54 hours. What did you do this weekend?

Did it meet my expectations?

On November 15th, 2024, I participated throughout the entire weekend in Techstars Startup Weekend Lisbon.

That feeling you experience at university while working in a team, or during hackathons where you’re racing against the clock, pouring in countless hours, feeling excited, brainstorming solutions, and completely isolating yourself from your daily routine without paying attention to anything else… That indescribable spark—if you’ve experienced it, you’ll know exactly what I mean—is what I felt while participating in TechStars Weekend Lisbon.

I 100% recommend it, whether you’re ready to start your own startup now or just exploring the idea for the future.

What did I learn?

Startup Atmosphere: Experiencing the startup environment where everyone does whatever the startup needs—whether it’s creating content or hitting the streets to gather feedback and validate your idea. The focus is clear: get the startup off the ground, no matter what.

Multidisciplinary Collaboration and Diversity: Learning how to work with people from different backgrounds, nationalities, and ways of thinking.

Presentation and Communication: Improving how to speak in public and convey your message effectively.

Versatility: Stepping outside the comfort zone of my daily professional skills, adapting to a team with diverse profiles, and contributing as much value as possible. The entire team adapted quickly to rapid changes and tight deadlines, which was an invaluable experience.

Community: Connecting with inspiring people from different industries and markets, many of whom I wouldn’t usually have the chance to collaborate with in my daily life.

Gratitude: Paying attention to the little details. From the volunteers and organizers who made it all possible, to the facilities, and to those who, as mentors, collaborators, or judges, chose to spend their free time contributing to the event. And, of course, to everyone who, like me, decided to take part in this journey.

It’s an experience that resonates far beyond the weekend itself.

Why did I participate?

First of all, I enjoy doing and learning new things. I’m naturally curious, I love experimenting, and I didn’t want to spend another weekend doing the same old routine.

Secondly, this program had been on my radar because some friends had shared their experiences participating in other countries. By chance—or maybe not—I realized it was happening in Lisbon during the same week I was attending WebSummit (here is my experience in which I was an attendee and volunteer as well). So, I thought, why not make the most of the trip?

My experience

I joined a project aimed at preventing burnout in organizations through the use of an app. Winning the competition? Yes, we were fortunate to win, but to me, that’s just an anecdote. What truly matters are all the other aspects I share in this article. In my opinion, this experience should be approached with an open mind and seen from multiple perspectives—it will enrich you in so many ways. Plus, you don’t need to win to take your idea forward.

The First Encounter

It all kicks off on a Friday evening with a networking session where you don’t know anyone. In my case, I think I was the only Spanish participant out of approximately 80 people. So, I would have an interesting and challenging weekend speaking English.

This wasn’t a hackathon or a purely tech-oriented event, so you encounter a wide range of profiles: real estate experts, coaches, public speakers, software developers, managers from various industries, designers, HR professionals, entrepreneurs—basically, a bit of everything.

Ideas

Those who want to present an idea take the stage. If you have one, you pitch it; if not, you listen to the others and take notes. Afterward, participants vote on their three favorite ideas.

Team Formation

Next comes the moment to dive deeper into the selected ideas. You discuss them with the presenter and pitch yourself to join the team you’d like to work with for the weekend.

Once the teams are formed, the organizers provide a structure, schedule, and support throughout the weekend. There are mentoring sessions, guidance on how to shape your product and its phases, tips for pitching, and more. And then, the real work begins.

What do you gain in Techstars Startup weekend?

Friendships, connections, and an unforgettable experience. You enjoy fun moments, new opportunities, and increased visibility. You also take with you the dedication of the organizers (351 Portuguese Startup Association in this case), who provide excellent support with facilities, food, drinks, countless stories, and advice, as well as the motivation and inspiration that come from hearing real success stories.

In our case, as weekend winners, we gained more than just the experience:

• An online course on GenAI.
• 9 hours of mentoring with startup creators.
• Visibility and the chance to bring our idea to life as entrepreneurs.

Oh, and of course… a T-shirt too! 😄

So, in case you still don’t know what Techstars Startup Weekend is…?

It’s a three-day international event designed to help entrepreneurs develop and validate their business ideas in a collaborative environment. Over the course of 54 hours, participants experience every stage a startup goes through during its creation.

It’s an intense journey:

• You work with strangers from diverse backgrounds (developers, designers, business experts, and more).
• You tackle challenges alongside people from various industries and markets.
• By the end, your initial idea is transformed into a viable early-stage project.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or just curious about the process, it’s an inspiring and hands-on experience. You can read more on their website.