Startup Weekend Houston

Group shot of Founders of TipDish. Created during the last weekend of September in Houston, Texas.

Quick update:

Some code is being re-written, we’re have a registration form, about page and explanation of the company up at tipdish and you can sign up for updates for our full launch, anticipated during October. We are now building our user base and launching the full application in October. Look for updates from a core team soon.

Thank you to all who showed up, put in tons of energy and pushed through to Sunday! Thanks also to bloggers, podcasters, interviewers and friends/loved ones that supported us. Rock on!

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Gwen asks the stragglers (/single guys?) one sentence. How was it for you?

Chris: Crazy, sexy cool!

Greg: It was…dishalishious…

Marcus: Exhilirating! First of all I couldn’t sleep, then I DIDN’T sleep….

Matthew: It was uh…it was overwhelming in…information and um…awe-inspiring in its motivation, science camp’s coming in November!

Andrew: Incredulously inspiring!

Wow - StartupWeekend Houston has been an AMAZING adventure.  The Good News - we’re going to be launching something tonight.  The Bad News - dev still has a lot of work to do.  In our final hours we decided to switch to “Plan B” - this idea was just so good that we wanted to launch tonight.

From this point forward TipDish is in the hands of the Development & Social Media/PR Teams.  We’re continuing on as a Nights & Weekends Startup with about 15 Key People.

We’d like to give a HUGE thanks to Andrew Hyde and Gwen Bell for joining us from the original StartupWeekend in Boulder.  It was just like a mini reunion

[Guest post by Chris Doelle of Metroblogging!]
The latest episode of “Riding with the window down…” is up at http://www.ridingwiththewindowdown.com

The weekend totally rocked and not only did I get to meet a boatload of energetic and talented people, but we created a product that fills a big need. Look for big things from tipdish! - Chris Doelle

Things are heating up in the Dev loft. Someone just called gradients “bullshit.” I think most designers would keel over if they knew what developers thought about their designs. Somehow, I get a small thrill out of hearing them (Dev team-Rails guys) tell nerdy jokes.

When asked what they’d have for the 5pm meeting the Dev team said, “something.” So, that’s progress! See you guys at 5. Wish us luck.

*PS, that logo & tagline is what we’re rolling with. Thanks for all your feedback!!

Dev Team Rails Gurus

Originally uploaded by gwen bell

We’re down to the wire now here at StartupWeekend Houston and we’ve called on a couple of ringers to help our Dev Team push through. Joining us from Boston is Jake Stester who heads up the development team for the ever popular Zaadz.com - also joining us is former Boulder StartupWeekend founder and Rails Guru Brian Dewitt.

We caught a screenshot of our current devs Robert & Chris, chatting live with our new team additions.

Oh - and lunch finally came - thanks to the lovely Monica Danna and dapper Matthew Wettergreen!

We’ve been sending out emails to all of our contacts announcing the
launch of tipdish.com. In case you haven’t received one, copy and
paste ours and send it along:

Hello Beloved,

Compliment of the season.

Longest time, I hope all is well together with you and your
family.Well I know you will surprise to hear this news bearing in mind
that the fault is not from me. At last I succeded in having
those funds transferred out of here; setting up tipdish.com
with the cooperation of a new partner from Paraguay.Presently I’m in
London Houston for investment projects.

Meanwhile, I didn’t forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me
in transferring this funds despite the fact that it failed
some how http://www.startupweakend.comStartup
Weekend. As for my appreciation I invite you to visit tipdish.com
and sign up for our Beta Preview. I have instructed a
fiduciary firm{Inland Finance and Securities}to pay to you the sum of
Two Million United States Dollars {$2,000.000.00}. This amount I know
is not up to the 40% share of yours but remember that another
foriegner is involved to make it a sucess. Please accept this
[insert]emoticon :)[/insert] as a token for all the past efforts and
attempts to assist me in this matter. I appreciated your efforts at
that time very much.

Please feel free to get in touch with the firm {Inland Finance
and Securities} for the money services. As
well direct them on where to send the money to you.
Their contact is as stated below.

Inland Finance and Securities.
5,Idowu Taylor Street.
Victoria-Island.
Lagos.
Nigeria.
nlandfs@mail15.com
Attn:Mr.Bello Krifi{Company Secretary/Legal Adviser}

Please do let me know once you receive the money see
our website so that so that we can jointly establish in your country
especially in Estate management connecting Tippers
with Dishers.

My regards to your blessesed family.

Eze Uba Esq.
Tipdish - Startup Houston

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Contributed by the Matthew, PB Wiki Go-To Guy

Monica Danna, Events Editor of Houstonist just joined us and will be live-blogging from our offices today. We’re thrilled to have her. The more, the merrier! Especially when they’re sweet, sassy girls in awesome boots!!

It’s a bit after 9am on Sunday morning and people are starting to trickle in.

Did I say trickle?  I meant bound in!  Seriously, people are in good spirits.  The Dev Team has been working hard during the night and we have an index page fully coded!

We’re having a great time.  But don’t take my word for it.  Read updates from other participants of Startup Weekend Houston:

Marcus Mateus from the UI team (this time we spelled your name right, hopefully!) and Robert Gremillion from the Dev Team dish about their experiences thus far.

If you’re wanting pics, check them out at flickr.

Days go so quick at Startup Weekends.  It seems like it was 8am only minutes ago, when we were standing outside a locked door waiting to get in an work a ‘manageable’ 14 hour day on a project, on a weekend.  Energy was really high today, which is a testament to the passion of the Founders.  It is not common to see this type of work ethic, anywhere.  After a 14 hour day, with some members working until 5:30 last night, eyes are lighting up, voices have continued with excitement.

We are about to have our 10pm meeting, and then some will work all night, some will sleep, and some will attempt to find a concert to wipe the stress away.  Today will be another busy day, with the thoughts of launching a compelling product.

For me, today was a huge success, far beyond the idea or project.  Connections were made, complex problems were vigorously  debated and friendships were forged.

Does my focus on community hurt the project in the end?  Perhaps it hurts the launch time of the project, but I strongly feel the longterm continuation of the project hinges on the team, and the memories and feelings of the weekend.