admin | March 8th, 2013
Yes, we’ll be in Austin. No, you don’t want to miss #StartwithFD: A Special Event for Entrepreneurs. Yes, You’re invited. But you do need to RSVP.
#StartWithFD: A FounderDating Surprise with Special Guests
When: Saturday, March 9th at 12:15 PM – be on time, we will leave without you!
Where: Hilton Downtown Austin Lobby, 500 E 4th St Austin, TX 78701
RSVP: http://bit.ly/startwithfd
Details: It’s a special event. It’s not a panel. To take part, you need to arrive on time. No Questions. No Regrets.
We’re keeping track of our conversations with entrepreneurs and our adventures around Austin with the hashtag #StartWithFD. We’ll be tweeting from around SxSW and sharing Vine videos of what entrepreneurs are starting – whether it be a side project, a full-time gig, or anything else that helps move that idea forward and make for no regrets. Tweet to us if you want to meet up.
Make sure to keep up with us on Twitter and tweet with the hashtag #StartWithFD whether you’re in Austin or just following along at home.
We can’t wait to see you on Saturday and around SxSW!
P.S. – Our FD member event is on Sunday. RSVP here: http://startwithfd.splashthat.com. If you are a member and didn’t get the invite, please e-mail jen[at]founderdating[dot]com.
Continue reading...
Jessica Alter | January 1st, 2013
I would categorize most New Year’s resolutions as run of the mill: “Eat healthier!”; “Learn a new language!”; “Do more yoga!” And nothing is technically wrong with them. But are they what you daydream about while sitting in your cube/office? If you were asked, “What have you always wanted to start? What have you always wanted to create?” would these be your answers? A year from now, will you truly regret not having practiced more yoga? We didn’t think so. So, today we’re encouraging you to resolve to have #NoRegrets2013 by helping you get started on what you really want to do.
The concept is simple – we know that getting started is one of the hardest steps for any entrepreneur (Jack Dorsey agrees). The #NoRegrets2013 initiative aims to make it a little bit easier for current and aspiring entrepreneurs who are ready to start moving on that idea that’s been gnawing at them for years (or weeks). How? We’re asking, “What have you always wanted to start?” Enter in the idea to declare getting started on it as one of your 2013 New Year’s Resolutions. We’ll help with the next steps – namely, getting started with the right people, which it’s no secret we believe is the smartest first step and have built an amazing network around. But it’s more than that. It’s about sharing what you’re thinking about with friends and family, letting them know that you’re serious about doing something different. It’s about getting feedback. It’s about thinking bigger for 2013.
Your idea doesn’t have to be the next Facebook – it doesn’t even need to be technology-related – just the next side-project or company that you’ve been telling your friends about (or keeping to yourself) forever. Once you submit, you can view the wide-range of submissions in our #NoRegrets2013 gallery.
We started FounderDating not just to put people together, but to help people do the things they really want to do in life – the things they are passionate about, the things they’ve always wanted to start. Here’s an easy way to get started and have #NoRegrets2013: http://members.founderdating.com/noregrets.
Happy New Year.
Continue reading...
Jessica Alter | August 1st, 2012
Back in March we started noticing a large percentage of applicants writing in an interest area that we didn’t have on the site – Education. We had made no attempt to reach out to entrepreneurs interested in education and learning, so the only logical conclusion we could come to was that Education was/is a huge area of interest for entrepreneurs and one where we can add a lot of value. Then we met with Teach for America’s Social Entrepreneurship team and they literally told us that, “How and where to find complimentary cofounders is one of the most frequently asked questions from our alumni entrepreneurs.” So, today we’re thrilled to announce the launch of FounderDating Education in partnership with Teach for America.
FounderDating Education will help the growing number of innovative education-focused entrepreneurs by connecting them with one another to find cofounders. It’s a direct expansion of the FounderDating platform (members will be a part of the same online network) and our first vertical-specific initiative. We decided to launch this not only because education one of the biggest challenges of our time, but also because:
- Bottom Up Demand – our applicants/members are demanding it as are the Teach for America alumni entrepreneurs
- Education/Industry crossover – education/learning is an area where individuals with subject matter experience and those with industry experience don’t naturally cross paths. Bringing them together to form strong teams is a key component to innovation. Working with Teach for America’s Social Entrepreneurship Initiative means we can truly help bridge this gap.
But don’t be confused by the name, the rest is the same FounderDating Network. Here’s what you need to know:
- Anyone can apply – from anywhere
- High quality and balance – and the same rigorous evaluation process will be used by its education initiative to ensure high quality and balance by skill sets. Teach for America’s Social Entrepreneurship Initiative will be lending their education expertise to the screening process.
- Interact online – once accepted, members will be part of the larger FounderDating Network, able to search (by interest area, skills, location, etc.) and interact with one another online.
- Not just tech – we love tech, and believe it’s a key component to improving education from K-12 to lifelong learning. But we know education and learning isn’t just about technology and we welcome entrepreneurs who want to build schools, community initiatives, etc.
- No idea necessary – as you know, we believe ideas change, people don’t so you don’t need to have THE idea, just be ready to at least work on a serious side-project.
- FounderDating Education entrepreneurs will also be invited to an offline kickoff on September 20th in San Francisco (not mandatory, but certainly awesome).
There’s an immense amount of interest and excitement around Edtech and education entrepreneurship in general, and we’re excited to help individuals at the earliest stage find the right people to get started.
So, if you’re ready, actually if you’re even thinking about how to change education and learning apply now to join the network or just spread the word and pay it forward to other entrepreneurs.
Continue reading...
