Techstars Startup Weekend Pittsburgh 2025
Ideate, Learn, and Build a Business Over a Weekend!
Learn how to think, work, and build like a startup in 54 thrilling hours. Techstars Startup Weekend is an exciting and immersive foray into the world of startups. Over an action-packed three days, you’ll meet fellow builders, mentors, investors, co-founders and sponsors to show you how to get more done faster -- and, maybe even start that Business.
We welcome anyone in the Pittsburgh region: students, passionate problem-solvers, aspiring entrepreneurs, and more to join us for a fun, insightful, and transformative experience to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey. Have an idea you've been thinking about but need some inspiration to get over that hurdle to get started or looking for a chance to work with others on an idea... come and join us!
Scholarship & Inclusion Tickets Available
Please reach out to the event organizers if you would like to ask for a scholarship and inclusion ticket if you may have difficulty paying for a ticket. We want to make this an accessible event for everyone in our community to participate in the event.
If you require a reimbursement, contact the event organizers, Staci Offutt (offutts@duq.edu) and Steven Guo (steven.c.guo@gmail.com).
Official Program Booklet:
The Program Booklet for Techstars Startup Weekend Pittsburgh 2025 can be found here! This includes the full agenda, sponsors, and all of the people involved in putting together this event.
Event Agenda & Key Activities
Friday, Feb 7th — 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Focus of the Day:
Program Kickoff, Business Idea Pitches, and Team Formation
Keynote Presentation by Anna Li, CEO & Co-Founder of Korion Health
Reflections from a Pittsburgh Startup Weekend 2024 Team by Nolan Sulpizio, CEO & Co-Founder of Clean Plate Innovations
Saturday, Feb 8th — 8:30am to 9:00pm
Focus of the Day:
Working Time: Idea Validation (Morning), Prototyping (Afternoon), Business Model/Plan Development (Evening)
Lunch & Learn Workshop: "How to Validate Your Startup Idea for $19" by Jim Wrubel
One-on-One Mentor Sessions
Team Headshots & T-Shirt Making (optional)
Sunday, Feb 9th — 9:00am to 5:00pm
Focus of the Day:
Working Time: Pitch Practice & Final Presentations
Ecosystem Support Resources Blitz
Final Pitches & Demo Day with Judging Panel
Saisri Akondi, CEO & Co-Founder (D.Sole)
Priya Amin, Entrepreneur-in-Residence (University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship)
Lindsay Fairman, Venture Partner (BlueTree VC)
Leah Lizarondo, Founder & Board Emeritus (Food Rescue Hero); Entrepreneur-in-Residence (Carnegie Mellon University’s Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship)
Awards & Final Announcements
Sponsors & Partners for the 2025 Event
Technical.ly (https://technical.ly/)
Technical.ly is a proud media partner for Techstars Pittsburgh Startup Weekend. Join their free newsletter for quick, weekly updates on everything tech and startup in Pittsburgh!
BlueTree Venture Capital (https://www.bluetreevc.com/)
BlueTree Venture Capital (BTVC) is accelerating the tech revolution happening in the Rust Belt by helping high-growth, capital-efficient companies forge professional corporate infrastructure, and providing Series A capital to tech entrepreneurs to embody the tenacity, ingenuity, and discipline of the Rust Belt region.
Correa Legal, LLC (https://correalegal.co/)
Correa Legal LLC seeks to serve startups in pursuit of purpose. We partner with founders and innovators to navigate the complexities of law, transforming challenges into opportunities and ideas into action whether you’re launching a startup, growing a mission-driven business, or exploring bold new ventures.
Frost Brown Todd Attorneys (https://frostbrowntodd.com/)
Frost Brown Todd is a national law firm with more than 600 lawyers strategically located in key markets across the United States. Dedicated to refining the art of client service, we leverage technical, industry and legal knowledge, and hands-on experience to serve a diverse client base, from leading multinationals to small, entrepreneurial companies spanning the energy, finance, health care innovation, manufacturing, and technology sectors.
InnovatePGH (https://innovatepgh.com/)
InnovatePGH is a next generation public-private partnership built to accelerate Pittsburgh’s status as a global innovation city. The partnership is powered by a coalition of civic leaders representing Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, UPMC, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, and regional philanthropic institutions.
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Dentons (https://www.dentons.com/en/)
The largest law firm in the world, Dentons spans across over 80 countries and helps you to grow, protect, operate, and finance your organization by providing uniquely global and deeply local legal solutions.
Push Product Design (https://www.pushpd.com/)
Push Product Designs (PUSH) is a full service industrial design firm. We are contrarian thinkers, craftsmen, artists, and makers taking on difficult challenges by bending constraints.
Product Development and Management Association (https://www.pdma.org/)
The Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) is a global community of professional members whose skills, expertise, and experience power the most recognized and respected innovative companies in the world. PDMA’s unique triad of members includes product development and management practitioners, academics and service providers in a variety of industries and knowledge areas, including new product process, strategy innovation, market research, tools and metrics, organizational issues and portfolio management.
The CEO Strategy (https://theceostrategy.com/)
The CEO Strategy provides top leaders with the practical tools to be effective, lead in their industry, and have the impact they aspire to create through executive coaching, management training, and leadership development.
Transform Labs (https://www.transformlabs.com/)
Transform Labs helps clients spanning mid-market companies, nonprofits, and select startups in manufacturing, retail, financial services, logistics, healthcare, and more remove friction around engaging and serving customers with product design software solutions. Engage Transform Labs as your go-to technology partner with fractional CTO/CIO services backed by digital production architecture, design, and development.
Tronix3D (https://www.tronix3d.com/)
Tronix3D is a contract based Additive Manufacturer. We specialize in producing low-volume production and prototype parts across the robotics, energy, automotive, medical, and defense industries. Services also include mechanical design and consulting as it relates to additive manufacturing.
Terms of Participation Agreement
It is our job to provide you with an incredible networking and learning experience. Our intention is that you meet some amazing people that you might start a company with, learn from mentors and learn from your peers. The event is intended to be a collaborative forum for sharing, learning, building, and having fun. As such, by registering as a participant, you acknowledge that any ideas shared by you or anyone else over the course of the event are contributions to the overall experience and community. If you’re very concerned, you can limit your pitch to the rough outline of the idea without giving away key information.
As a member of your startup community, you agree to be inclusive of any and all people and their ideas. You agree to act professionally, treat everyone with respect, and treat the event facilities with proper care. You agree that you are responsible in the event of any accidents or damages that you cause. You also agree to not hold Techstars Startup Weekend, your local volunteer team, or any of the event supporters liable for any loss, damage, injury, or any other unforeseeable incident.
By participating in the event, you grant Techstars permission to capture photos/videos of the event and use them for marketing purposes, so we can continue to offer amazing Techstars Startup Weekends around the world.
By purchasing a ticket to a Techstars Startup Weekend event, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you have questions please reach out to privacy@techstars.com.