ODU’s Strome Center to host tech entrepreneur weekend

Old Dominion University’s Strome Entrepreneurial Center will hold its 3 Day Startup weekend entrepreneurship program, where participants develop and pitch a product, from Feb. 4 to Feb. 6.

ODU previously held the program in 2018, 2019 and 2021. This year’s event is focused on technology solutions.

Attendees form groups on Friday afternoon and begin to develop their ideas. On the second day, they work on developing their business models.

For Jessica Gurley, a fall 2021 participant and Strome graduate assistant and ambassador, that included walking around campus asking people marketing questions.

“That was one of my favorite parts because it was something that I assumed going into the weekend that I would be uncomfortable with, but I kind of felt like the way they work with us and talk through it…it was easy for me to just go out and do what I needed to do,” Gurley said.

On Sunday, the final day, the groups present their businesses to a panel of mentors who provide feedback.

For Gurley, the program gave her a speed run of the process of building a business. She is now using that experience as her guide to creating her own business, a mobile arts studio that would provide materials and space to create art to the community and would move from neighborhood to neighborhood.

“It is so beneficial to anybody that’s trying to start a business or people that just have an idea…it’s a quick way to see how it really can happen for anybody,” she said.

The deadline to register for the upcoming program. is Jan. 30. Participants are not required to be enrolled in the university.