Startup Weekend Oman

Had a great time at Startup Weekend Oman today, met some very enthusiastic entrepreneurs who were looking to launch their own companies.  The teams will be presenting the top ideas to the judging panel on Friday, and no matter the outcome I think everyone learned a lot and made some great connections.  I enjoyed the interaction with the mainly young Omanis who all had great energy and some great ideas, whether they create companies out of the ideas from this startup weekend or use the connections to start companies in the future, it was time well spent. 

I presented the Bizspark program for the technology startups at the weekend and also covered some of the simple tools that any business can use to set up their web presence using the Microsoft web platform and open source applications.  For those that were there or are interested, I’ve included the links and the presentation below.

Bizspark for Technology Startups: Bizspark Overview presentation 

Microsoft.com/web – the place to start for everything web from Microsoft (All the tools, SEO help, Applications, and the WebsiteSpark program …)

including the new WebMatrix –Simple, Easy to use tool for building websites

I saw a lot more non-technology companies presented as well and showed the recently released WebMatrix tool to them for how to set up a simple blog site, ecommerce site or many others based on open source applications in the Web App Gallery and get hosting for those sites.  Even if you’re not creating a web company, like the startup planning to sell Omani dates, you’ll still need a website to promote yourself and you never know when you’ll send up selling dates online :)

Overall a very good event set up by Aziza and company, looking forward to bringing Startup Weekend to Dubai in the near future.

Congratulations to Graphix, the winners of Startup Weekend Oman

 

Update: Adding pictures from the event and the winners

Comments

• Anonymous
  July 30, 2010
  Hi, great to read this, It was really a pleasure meeting you and thanks for your appearance which was wonderful.  I happy to let you know that a project named GRAPHIX won and now in the process of establishing there own business.  Thanks allot for your valuable contribution and we are looking forward to startup weekend Dubai and to be part of it. By the way I am the guy who is sponsoring the event. Sultan OMIFCO, SA  

• Anonymous
  July 30, 2010
  Pooya - it was a pleasure meeting you this weekend! Thanks for coming and sharing your advice and resources with our attendees. We look forward to Startup Weekend Dubai :)

• Anonymous
  July 31, 2010
  Many thanks for you Pooya to come all the way from Dubai to share these wonderful moments with us  and deliver your valuable speech in startup weekend Oman. All participants were fascinating and your valuable advices and speech. We are looking for the Startup weeklend Dubai and I am ready to offer any kind of help in organizing this event .  I am sure it will be a successful event and I wish you all the best.

• Anonymous
  July 31, 2010
  Thank you a lot for your presentation .

• Anonymous
  July 31, 2010
  Thank you a lot for your presentation .

• Anonymous
  August 04, 2010
  @Sultan  It was a pleaure to meet you as well.  Very happy to see OMFICO as a sponsor of Startup Weekend Oman to help the Omani nationals build out their entrepeneurial dreams.

• Anonymous
  August 04, 2010
  @Donald Great to meet you as well and looking forward to working with you and Marc to bring Startup Weekend to Dubai in the near future.

• Anonymous
  August 04, 2010
  @Aziza Thank you so much for inviting me and letting me participate in the event, happy to help in my small part and very glad to hear that the attendees found it valuable.  I will definitely tap your experience in setting up the event in Oman, I was very impressed with everything you were able to arrange.

• Anonymous
  August 04, 2010
  @Abdullah  My pleasure, hope that it helped set the context of what it's like to start a business.  Let me know if you need any help and hope to see your company start and thrive.