What is Startup Weekend?

Lead Organizer Frank is a business development and corporate development consultant for web based businesses. He co-founded Perpetual Online Film Festival, is the former CEO of LocoGopher.com, and helped start InsightsNow.com, which was ranked among the 100 fastest growing Oregon companies for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Frank is currently VP of Business Development for SpaceView. Frank has taken part in six startup weekends as mentor or participant. This the first startup weekend that he has helped organize.

Operations and Marketing Lead John Hadden is currently finishing his degree at Oregon State University. He was the lead developer and organizer of the Japan Relief fundraiser which involved managing over 400 people, creating and implementing a city wide marketing campaign, and developing relationships with over 13 local businesses.
He is highly active on campus acting as adviser and mentor to several clubs, while juggling an operations management role at Coelo Company of Design.
He is graduating in March 2013, and is completely open to any new opportunities in which he can further his knowledge and experience.
Personal Website: www.John-Hadden.com

Community Outreach Organizer Dan Whitaker is a serial entrepreneur and has been involved in many hi-tech startups. Dan is currently working with OSU and its efforts with new business creation. Dan is also active in helping angel investment groups and being an angel investor. He is also active in mentoring several local startups and is involved in assisted living facilities, soccer parks, and many real-estate ventures.

Before working with OSU, Dan was a founder and President of HotData, Inc., an internet data company which has raised 3 rounds of Venture Capital. Dan was an initial partner and a director of Rogue Wave Software, Inc. from January 1991 to July 1997, where he was instrumental in raising two rounds of Venture Capital and helping Rogue Wave go public. Dan also help found Centralia Sawmill Company, a new $45 million sawmill in Washington. He was one of the founders of the Software Association of Oregon and served as its first Executive Director and from 1982 to 1989 he served as President of Software Support Services, Inc., a software company serving the oil industry.

Dan received his business degree from Oregon State University and was named as one of the top 100 alumni of the OSU business school. Dan was on the board of advisors for Oregon Angel Network, is currently on the board of directors for several companies, and continues to be a member of Oregon Angel Fund, Portland Angel Network and an organizer of Willamette Angel Conference.

Director of Entrepreneurial Development Bio Coming Soon

Community Outreach and Operations Akili is originally from Jackson, Mississippi where he graduated from St. Andrew’s Episcopal High School. Since leaving Mississippi, he spent 3 years at the United States Military Academy prior to transferring to Oregon State University, where he was the 1996 MVP and played in two all star bowl games. Following a stint with the San Francisco 49er’s, Akili enlisted in the military. He has conducted combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Akili currently works with Oregon State University Athletic Department’s Leadership Institute, where he combines Business Model Thinking, The Start-up of You mindset, and Actionable Workshops with his 20 years of leadership experience to help Oregon State Athletes achieve success on and off the fields of friendly strife. Akili’s energy, enthusiasm, and naturally tendency towards taking action are infectious. Akili is most proud of the fact that his grandmother received her Bachelor’s Degree in Mississippi in 1941 and having worked with a fellow soldier who earned the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Student and Organizing Assistant KaLynn is a co-founder and organizer for Startup Weekend Eugene. She is currently earning her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oregon School of Law with a focus in entrepreneurship and intellectual property. In addition to her law studies, KaLynn is active in the Venture Launch and Technology Entrepreneurship Fellowship programs at the UO Lundquist College of Business.

Advisor, Previous SW Lead Organizer Gavin has participated in and lead previous Startup Weekend events in Oregon. Gavin's background is in intellectual property licensing and business development. He works with technology companies to speed their innovation cycles. His magazine aggregation startup, The Magazine Channel, will launch this summer on iOS.