2014 Creating Impact ForStartup Communities

2014 was another year of tremendous2014 was another year of tremendousgrowth and change for our community growth and change for our community

UP Global expanded again internationally, moved HQ into

Startup Hall, renamed the Education Entrepreneurs program,

and launched the UP Global visual identity. Amidst all these

organizational enhancements—our mission and beliefs have

not changed.

One of our core beliefs is that everyone should be able to

experience entrepreneurship.

It is by all of us working together that we begin to make this

belief a reality. I describe these collective efforts as radical

inclusion, a term borrowed from the Burning Man

Community.

It calls for an expansive perspective and attitude that

includes all groups who may be underserved, unrecognized,

or on the sideline of the global startup movement.

It is through radical inclusion that communities, teams, and

entrepreneurship will grow stronger. You will see examples

of radical inclusion in the stories we’ve highlighted this year—

stories of community leaders and entrepreneurs being

supported by their local startup ecosystem regardless of

ethnicity, gender, age, politics, disability, religion, or socio-

economic standing.

Continued >

From Marc Nager, Co-Founder & CEO

Marc Nager

Co-Founder & CEO, UP Global

Entrepreneurship helps transcend divisions because it

taps an essential human need to create. Our 2014 Impact

Report highlights people overcoming their differences to

organize and attend events in order to challenge the

status quo and solve real problems. This is why

participants write things like, “Don’t let the fire of the

weekend die.” The demand for experiential programming

continues to grow because it unlocks the creative potential

within all of us.

Thank you for including UP Global in your 2014,

now let’s all set our sights even higher for 2015!

UP Global welcomedUP Global welcomed8,000 new community leaders8,000 new community leaders

Into a worldwide family of 16,000Into a worldwide family of 16,000people working to build communitiespeople working to build communities

This powerful family is also drivenThis powerful family is also drivenby over 275,000 alumni and volunteersby over 275,000 alumni and volunteers

from 600 cities, 120 countries, from 600 cities, 120 countries, and 6 continents.and 6 continents.

In June, 530 community leadersIn June, 530 community leadersfrom 75 from 75 countries rallied at the UP Globalcountries rallied at the UP GlobalSummit in Las Vegas to share their storiesSummit in Las Vegas to share their stories

Additional regional summits occurred in Brasil, Spain, Colombia, and the United States.

Turkish Facilitators Ece Idil Kasap and Emin Okutan kicked off the Startup Weekend in Armenia’s capital

of Yerevan. 54 hours later teams pitched in Gyumri. This was the first shared Startup Weekend between

countries that have no diplomatic relations. The distance between these two cities is quite small

compared to the historic, political, and ethnic divides that mark the region. Yet, on Sunday night six

blended teams found themselves united in entrepreneurship and competing to win first prize.

Read More

Stories like this historicStories like this historicStartup Weekend in Turkey/ArmeniaStartup Weekend in Turkey/Armenia

Syria’s economy has shrunk between 15%-20% during the last three years of civil war, and is ranked

among the most difficult national economies in which to do business. This includes difficulties around

important ecosystem ingredients like permits, utilities, property, investment, and personal credit.

Additionally, Startup Weekend organizers faced fundamental challenges of safety, electricity, and internet

access. All of that did not stop 400 young entrepreneurs from attending the first ever Startup Weekend

Damascus. Startup Weekends like these have been a community rallying point across the Arab world for

several years. Prior to Damascus, Startup Weekends have been hosted in Ramallah, Amman, Jeddah and

Beirut, as well as Cairo, Dubai, and Casablanca, and the first startup weekend in Iran.

Read More

Syrian entrepreneurshipSyrian entrepreneurshipthrives against all oddsthrives against all odds

12 year old Brooke Martin attended a Startup Weekend in Spokane, WA. Her pet care concept

won top prize—much to the surprise and delight of the 39 adult participants. Brooke has since

been recognized as an entrepreneur in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Women 2.0

and recently appeared on the television show Shark Tank. Her product, iCPooch, is available on

Amazon and at Bed Bath & Beyond stores.

Read More

Entrepreneur Brook MartinEntrepreneur Brook Martinproves age is a state of mindproves age is a state of mind

Entrepreneurs and community members gathered in Morro da Providencia, the first slum in Brasil to

make a difference in daily lives. “Make Your Own Luck” was the emerging theme of the weekend. The top

three teams developed ideas directed at health care, youth sports education, and support of local crafts-

people through ecommerce. Pedacinho de Mim, an ecommerce bedding products website managed to

sell a thousand dollars of merchandise in their first five hours.

Read More

Solving grassrootsSolving grassrootsproblems in a Brazilian slumproblems in a Brazilian slum

Startup Weekend Access proved that with a few small tweaks, any event-team can encourage a

welcoming and collaborative environment for people with disabilities. Some of the guidelines included:

venue selection access for people with mobility aids

flyers printed in braille

sign-language interpreters for Friday and Sunday nights

microphones with FM transmitting capacity

transcription and large print formatting of presentation decks

Jeff Martens seeksJeff Martens seeksto provide access to allto provide access to all

Learn More

With the help of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, female participation at Startup Weekend

has increased from 17% to 26.5%. This initiative took a broad approach that highlighted successful

women entrepreneurs from across the world, facilitating connections within the community, and

hosting local Startup Weekend Women’s Edition events.

Our Startup Women initiativeOur Startup Women initiativelaunched to increase startup diversitylaunched to increase startup diversity

Read More

Programs continued to flourish inPrograms continued to flourish inunique communities around the worldunique communities around the world

80K80KAttendees

now in more countries than Starbucksnow in more countries than StarbucksStartup WeekendStartup Weekend

905905Startup Weekends

501501Cities

135135Countries

Get Involved | Find an Event

*2014 statistics

588K588KSubscriptions

connecting people, events, and topicsconnecting people, events, and topicsStartup DigestStartup Digest

503503Curators

2828Reading Lists

321321Active CitiesActive Cities

Get Involved | Sign Up Today

*2014 statistics

empowered educators to be entrepreneursempowered educators to be entrepreneursEducation EntrepreneursEducation Entrepreneurs

10001000Educator participants

700700Teams

6161Events

2222Countries

| Get InvolvedFind an Event

*2014 statistics

4141Programs

helping teams take the next big stephelping teams take the next big stepStartup NextStartup Next

3434Teams in accelerators

$10.38M$10.38MAlumni funding raised

85%85%Alumni still operating

*2014 statistics

1414Cities

uniting startup communities in celebrationuniting startup communities in celebrationStartup WeekStartup Week

18K18KAttendees

700700Volunteers

600600Events

Get Involved | Find an Event

*2014 statistics

2014 was a year2014 was a yearof organizational growthof organizational growth

We opened new offices in Brasil, We opened new offices in Brasil, Malaysia, and IndiaMalaysia, and India

Latam

Brasil

Europe

India

United States

Malaysia

UP Global HQ becomesUP Global HQ becomesfounding partner of Startup Hallfounding partner of Startup Hall

Read More

This year, United States Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith met with a group of

founders from Startup Weekend and Startup Next programs to discuss immigration.

Read More

We worked with government leadersWe worked with government leadersto support and inspire innovationto support and inspire innovation

White Paper: A roadmapWhite Paper: A roadmapfor building communityfor building community

In partnership with Google, we put together everything the experts know on how best to foster a

thriving startup ecosystem. The resulting white paper served as a starting point for action in

communities everywhere.

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All in our inclusiveAll in our inclusiveefforts to change the worldefforts to change the world

Supported globally, regionally,Supported globally, regionally,and locally by the world's finest partnersand locally by the world's finest partners

Thanks for being a part of the global familyThanks for being a part of the global familysupporting each other and entrepreneurs in 2014.supporting each other and entrepreneurs in 2014.

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