BINGHAMTON, NY – The SUNY Business and Education Cooperative of the Southern Tier (SUNY BEST) will host a presentation, titled “Startup Weekend Southern Tier/Binghamton/Ithaca” at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 2 in room 1324C, Continuing Education and Outreach Office, Library North, located on the University campus. This presentation is free and open to the public.

Mitchell Patterson, managing director for the Emerging Business Portfolio at CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity will host a presentation about the possibility of bringing an established program called ‘Startup Weekend’ to the Southern Tier. The program, a 54-hour event, brings entrepreneurs, would-be entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts together to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups.

The ‘Startup Weekend’ program typically kicks off on a Friday with open mic pitches, where attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. Over the course of the weekend, teams focus on customer development, idea validation, practice lean startup methodologies and build a minimal viable product. On Sunday evening, teams demo their prototypes and receive feedback from a panel of experts.

Patterson manages an IP commercialization fund that has invested over 2 million dollars as well as the investment portfolio of the NY’s Creative Core Emerging Business Competition. In addition, he leads an initiative to attract and develop a network of capital partners from outside the region to support emerging and existing business growth and attraction. Patterson provides support for a multi-county regional growth strategy with a network of business leaders, public officials, economic development organizations, and high education administration.

SUNY BEST is a volunteer group comprised of senior staff members from key economic and educational institutions in the Southern Tier. The group works to forge strong alliances, strengthen industry specific needs and provide information and outreach for business. SUNY BEST also seeks to explore and support the business community workforce needs for traditional and emerging industry clusters such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, energy, photonics, energy conservation and renewal.

Pre-registration is required through the SUNY BEST website at http://ceo.binghamton.edu/bande/.  For additional information email dhulbert@binghamton.edu. Participants attending the meeting will be required to pay a parking fee.