hackout: thE world's LARGEST LGBTQIA-themed STARTUP HACKATHON

HackOut is the world's largest LGBTQIA-themed startup hackathon.

The hardest part of starting up is starting out, and the purpose of this event is to inspire potential entrepreneurs in the LGBTQIA community to learn the ropes of validating an idea for a startup or lifestyle business and turn that idea into a business venture.

Over an extended weekend, you'll meet and work with 100+ other LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs, validate your ideas, and learn how to create a real company.

Throughout the weekend you'll meet industry expert mentors, be exposed to sponsors from industry technology companies, and potential investors and successful founders — all of who will support you start out and start-up. Regardless of your professional background or experience, your community is here to support you! It'll be a weekend you'll never forget.

The weekend is also being organized in partnership with StartOut, the national nonprofit supporting LGBTQIA entrepreneurs.

#SWHackOut will be hosted online in 2020!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

• 10:00AM CST - Pre-Event Seminar | Idea validation, startup team building & online collaboration tools

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

• 12:00PM CST - Online pitching begins - you'll be able to submit your idea for a startup via a form until Friday at 12:00PM CST.
• 6:00PM CST - Pre-Event Registration and Happy Hour (TBD location)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

• 12:00PM CST - Pitch submission deadline. Online voting begins - you'll be able to vote for your 3 favorite pitch submissions until 6:00PM CST.
• 6:00PM CST - Voting deadline; kickoff livestream begins
• 8:00PM CST - Form teams & begin work
• 8:30PM - Facilitator Assignments - each team will be assigned a dedicated facilitator to ask questions and lean on during the process

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

• 10:00AM CST - Social Breakfast - You'll be paired with a a random selection of attendees from the event and given a prompt to chat about!
• 10:30AM CST - Morning Check-In with Facilitators
• 11:00AM CST - Teams working & mentor meetings as needed
• 2:00PM CST - Workshop Session 1 (TBD)
• 3:30PM CST - Workshop Session 2 (TBD)
• 6:00PM CST - Social Happy Hour - You'll be paired with a a random selection of attendees from the event and given a prompt to chat about!
• 8:00PM CST - Special talk or performance (TBD)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

• 10:00AM CST - Social Breakfast - You'll be paired with a a random selection of attendees from the event and given a prompt to chat about!
• 10:30AM CST - Morning Check-In with Facilitators
• 12:00PM CST - Pitch Practice Starts
• 2:00PM CST - Pitch Practice Ends
• 4:00PM CST - Project Submission Due for 1st Round of Judging
• 4:30PM CST - 1st Round of Judging Begins
• 5:30PM CST - 1st Round of Judging Ends
• 6:00PM CST - Top 5 Teams Announced; Tech Check for Top 5 Teams
• 7:00PM CST - Judging & awards
• 8:30PM CST - Wrap-up
• 9:00PM CST -  Special talk or performance (TBD)