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Ten Austin tech startups will come together Saturday to compete in an Olympic-style competition to support local charities at the 3rd annual Austin Startup Games. The one-day event hosts 15 participating startups and contributions to local nonprofits are vying to surpass last year’s $60,000 raised.
The Startup Games have become a chance for tech startups to build connections throughout the emerging tech industry at a time when most companies are experiencing hyper-growth, thereby providing important teambuilding and a release from the daily grind for their employees.
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RideScout practicing, Source: Twitter
“Our company is growing -- fast. Opportunities like the Startup Games help us bring our team closer together, and its a chance for our out-of-towners to meet other Austin startups and get a sense for how great the local tech startup community is,” remarked Aileen Edwards, Talent Manager at Civitas Learning.
For new startups, the games provide an introduction to the tech community to those companies that they've yet to meet. Both ring true particularly for RideScout who was just barely two years old when it was acquired by Daimler last September and is participating in the events, with their newly adopted team, for the first time.
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Aside from the obvious fun reasons, TrendKite decided to participate in the Startup Games to better connect with fellow startups in the area. “Austin is becoming bigger and bigger and it's nice to strengthen the startup culture by conditioning and creating new relationships! We are of course always looking for ways to give back to the community, so anything involving charities is a plus,” noted Sarah Pietrowski of Trendkite.
The Games feature quintessential startup "sports," including Ping Pong, Foosball, Beer Pong and more. The team with the highest score across all events will be declared the winner.
One thing that has become increasingly apparent is the competitiveness of the games. Winning is more than a flick of the wrist. Teams now begin practicing months in advance to sharpen their skills and some even hold tryouts for certain feats. Just last week, the RideScout team was spotted playing shuffleboard at afterhours practice as Capital Factory hosted beer-pong tryouts.
“Austin startups are well-known for being fast-paced, hardworking and a lot of fun, which is why I know this is will be the best Games yet,” said Gillian Wilson, president and founder who is expanding the Games to bolster other tech hubs.
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OneSpot's Custom Startup Games Uniform
Each company plays on behalf of a non-profit organization most of which have close ties to their employees. This year charities span across the board, from helping fallen soldiers to funding disease-research. “Our chosen charity is Toast to Cure. With a handful of type one diabetics in our office, the charity helps to find a cure for those who suffer from diabetes. It was a no brainer to choose them, as it hits close to home for many of us, ” said Pietrowski.
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CO-founder of the Startup Games and CEO of Sparefoot noted, "SpareFoot's charity is Kure-It, which focuses on finding a cure for kidney cancer. Through the years, we've been able to donate nearly $40,000 to Kure-It through our Startup Games winnings."
Other participating startups include OneSpot, WP Engine, ATX Seed Ventures, Home Improvement Leads, and BuzzPoints (shown left).
The games begin Jan. 24 at Innovation Station. Admission is $10 and a canned good for spectators. Register here.
