Pitch ideas. Collaborate. Develop products. Launch companies. Not your average, ordinary weekend.

During 48 Hour Launch entrepreneurs and diverse professionals converge to transform big ideas into solid business models, and build the companies of tomorrow.

Have an innovative idea and an entrepreneurial streak? You have two minutes on Friday night to pitch your concept and inspire the crowd. If successful you’ll get to publicly introduce your new company on Sunday evening.

More interested in applying your professional skills toward a goal that fuels economic development and elevates creative talent? Then vote for your favorite pitch, join a team and dive into development. Just like Fortune 500 organizations, these startups need marketers, lawyers, accountants, graphic designers, developers, and UX specialists. In short, they need you.

On Sunday evening each proud albeit exhausted team will present its business to the greater Memphis community. The number of companies launched- and size of the celebration that ensues- depends largely on you. For every 20 attendees we create opportunity for another startup to be built. And the more entrepreneurs we recruit, the higher the chances of discovering bold, audacious ideas with high growth potential.

More than community engagement, this event fosters true community investment.   Where else for only 48 hours and $50 can you:

• Launch brand new tech-supported companies, contributing toward our local innovation economy and creating jobs;
• Learn by doing, experiencing firsthand entrepreneurial principles that can be applied to any endeavor or work environment;
• Connect with like-minded and talented professionals, expanding your network;
• Play an active role in Memphis’ entrepreneurial community, volunteering your current skills while learning new ones;
• Eat and drink well, including all meals and copious amounts of coffee and Red Bull; and
• Be a part of something this collaborative, creative and cool?!

So what are you waiting for? Register today for the one and only 48 Hour Launch, and spend your weekend doing something extraordinary- building both companies and community.

WordPress is a free and open source blogging tool and content management system, created in 2003 to fulfill “a desire for an elegant, well-architectured personal publishing system built on PHP and MySQL.” Due largely to its ease of use and incredibly robust functionality it has grown to become the largest self-hosted blogging tool in the world. In fact, our own LaunchMemphis, Seed Hatchery and LaunchYourCity sites are powered by WP, as are local favorites I Love Memphis, Startup Memphis, Smart City Memphis and MemphisConnect. Even Mayor AC Wharton uses WP for From the Mayor’s Desk!

Audrey Capital is an angel investment and research company launched by WP’s own co-creator Matt Mullenweg to “help innovative ideas grow.” And the Audrey team loves Memphis- and our BBQ! While they’re in town for Memphis in May BBQ Fest they have graciously agreed to come to the Launchpad for a WP Community Meetup and rooftop party! You definitely won’t want to miss this opportunity- bring your questions, and get ready to raise a glass (cup?) of Ghost River!

What:
WordPress party, (Launch)Memphis-style
Who:
Matt Mullenweg, founder of Audrey Capital, co-creator of WordPress and founder of Automattic
Andrew Nacin, tech ninja at Audrey Capital and core developer at WordPress
Scott Reilly, tech ninja at Audrey Capital and core developer at WordPress
Samuel “Otto” Wood, tech ninja at Audrey Capital and core developer at WordPress
When and where:
5:30pm meetup in the Launchpad (suite 127), 6:30pm party on the EmergeMemphis rooftop (516 Tennessee St.)
How Much:
FREE!

Many, many thanks to Beth Sanders and Otto Wood of the Memphis WP User Group for making this opportunity possible!

We are proud to announce that Huey’s is our first official restaurant partner!

Giving back to the community has always been important to Huey’s and its employees. Founder Thomas Boggs always had a knack for the hospitality industry, starting when he was 14 years old working at Rexall Drugstore as a soda jerk. In 1975 he became a bartender at Huey’s Midtown, which at that time was just a bar. After only two years Boggs became partner and set out to turn Huey’s into a great restaurant. Like all great entrepreneurs, Boggs found a gap in the marketplace and turned it into an opportunity.

The Boggs Family

In addition to e-cycling and other eco efforts, Huey's Midtown is also PGF certified.

Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Boggs was an active member of many boards and committees in Memphis and was always dedicated to civic and social causes. He received numerous awards including the Jefferson Award in 2002, which is given by the American Institute for Public Service, 2002 College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Alumnus Award from the University of Memphis, 2005, the Memphis Restaurant Association’s Civic and Community Leadership Award in 2007, and True Blue Tiger Award given by the University of Memphis Alumni Association in 2007. Mr. Boggs was inducted into the Society of Entrepreneurs, and in 2006, into the Memphis City Schools Hall of Fame.

Today the Boggs family and the rest of the Huey’s team continue in their founder’s footsteps by offering customers great food and service, and through charitable support in the community. Learn more about their giving here, and join us in supporting them as they fuel Memphis entrepreneurship!

The symposium is free and open to the public; online registration may be found at www.SGIS.org

The schedule and panelists are as follows:

• REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 8:30 AM

• OPENING SESSION – 9:30-10:00 AM Speaker TBA

• SESSION 1 – 10:10-11:10 AM Business/Entrepreneurship Panel Panelists: Steven J. Bares, President & Executive Director, Memphis Bioworks Foundation; Demarcus Love, Co- Founder & President, ChooMoGo; Cameron Mann, Director, Memphis Music Resource Center; Gayle S. Rose, Principal Owner & CEO, Electronic Vaulting Services

• SESSION 2 – 11:20 AM-12:20 PM Eco-preneurship/Environmental Panel Panelists: Josh Bell, Founder & President, IntoOutdoors Magazine; Matt Farr, Founder, EcoLaborate; Amelia Mayahi, Sustainability Coordinator, University of Memphis; Peter Schutt, Founder, Tennesee Wildlife Federation’s Great Outdoors University and National Wildlife Federation Volunteer of The Year

• LUNCH Pre-purchased box lunches available

• SESSION 3 – 1:15-2:15 PM Edu-preneurship/Education Panel Panelists: Tomeka Hart, President & CEO, Memphis Urban League; Jamal McCall, Executive Director, KIPP Memphis Collegiate Schools; Ken Steorts, President, Visible Music College; Bill Taylor, President, St. George’s Independent School

• SESSION 4 – 2:25-3:25 PM Civic Entrepreneurship/Political Panel Panelists: Andre K. Fowlkes, Co-President, LaunchYourCity Inc.; Kerry J. Hayes, Special Assistant for Research and Innovation, City of Memphis; Kevin J. Mireles, Found- er, MyRepresentatives.com

• CLOSING

We are beyond excited to announce that both Boxee and Trep Trip are stopping through Memphis on their way to South by Southwest Interactive- and we invite you to join us as we host them at Emerge! We’ll fill in more details as they arise, but here’s what you need to know:

Boxee Meetup and Mixer
Wednesday, March 7
6:00pm
Sponsored by ChooMoGo

Boxee is heading to South by Southwest Interactive, with a few stops along the way. On March 7 they’ll be in Memphis and we’re hosting a Meetup and Mixer at 6:00pm on the Emerge rooftop! Join us for the unique opportunity to meet the team behind this hot young company- they’re looking for entrepreneurs, developers, and tech enthusiasts who want to chat about movies, TV, art, beer, or startup culture. And Boxee.

Did we mention that there will be demos? And a Ghost River keg? And a giveaway of a Boxee Slingshot HD?!

**Note that this is a revised schedule. Boxee was originally scheduled to be at the Fox & Hound at 7pm but have moved the event downtown with us at Emerge. But please still RSVP here.

Boxee is the one box your TV needs to watch web content- once you pay for the box, you have access to thousands of TV episodes, a massive movie rental library, apps to access your services like Netflix or Hulu, and the capability to display anything else your computer can (including personal videos or music playlists). And there are no recurring monthly fees!

Trep Trip
Monday, March 12
4:30pm Community Forum
5:30pm Rooftop Reception

Evolve Concepts, Inc. and Tweetsicles have come together to develop a four-city tour labeled Trep Trip en route to SXSW. These young entrepreneurs will make stops in Nashville, Memphis, Dallas, and finally at the marquee event in Austin.

“We really wanted to design this as a creative think tank road trip for young entrepreneurs”, Brad Kossow of Evolve Concepts stated. “Every startup has a unique story behind how they got to where they are today, and we’re aiming to highlight these as we make the trek to SXSW”, Kris Eul of Tweetsicles added.

They’ll spend the afternoon in Memphis, speaking with local early stage entrepreneurs and innovators in Evolve’s Airstream Skydeck complete with a second floor deck, four zones with flat screens displays of real-time interactive content and a social media rear lounge.

Then we invite the broader community of innovators, creators, developers, technophiles and general movers and shakers to join us at 4:30pm at Emerge Memphis for a public forum with the Trep Trip crew, followed by a 5:30pm rooftop reception!

Check in with Trep Trip on their journey by following @heytreptrip on Twitter or liking Trep Trip on Facebook.

Tweetsicles is a small business in Green Bay with BIG ideas and a passion for people. They manage social media accounts, create Facebook and Twitter treats to promote brand consistency, and discuss concepts and best practices.

Evolve Concepts, Inc. designs and provides innovative, creative and solution driven custom hospitality vehicles and products that meet and exceed client needs and expectations.

A member of The U of M Entrepreneurial Journalism/Media Management class, graduate student Chandra Towler not only attended, but also contributed a wonderful piece to her entrepreneur class website.

“Tech Cocktails is a Memphis-based technology user and development networking event that encourages conversation about innovation in a casual environment,” Towler noted.

We had a fantastic time and thank everyone who came out to meet and greet. If you couldn’t make it this month, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for details about the March Edition of Tech Cocktails.

Led by Eric Mathews, Business BOOSTcamp walked entrepreneurs through the problems solving process; even giving them the opportunity to present elevator pitches at the end of the session. During the bootcamp, Mathews stressed the importance of applying scientific discipline to the startup process.

“Iteration trumps perfection,” Mathews stated to a room full of entrepreneurs.

By applying scientific methods to the startup process, entrepreneurs are not simply solving a problem–they are funding a business. Breaking into two different teams, entrepreneurs were asked to complete a business model canvas, a concept from the book “Business Model Generation”, written by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur.

LaunchMemphis celebrates our fifth year of providing support to early stage entrepreneurs, and growing Memphis’ innovation economy. A few of our favorite highlights:

• Our highly interactive, hands-on programming includes 48 Hour Launch, Business BOOSTcamp, BarCamp Memphis, Ignite Memphis and MemTech events
• The Launchpad is Memphis’ first entrepreneurial co-working space
• Through programming and ad hoc mentoring we’ve groomed 130+ entrepreneurs
• We’ve delivered 1800+ connections to our entrepreneurial community
• We’re a member of MemphisED/Shelby Growth Alliance, and Startup Tennessee
• We were a local stakeholder in CEOs for Cities’ Opportunity Challenge
• Our principles have been applied in the development of EcoLaborate, Fuel Film, 48 Hour Music Launch, and the U of M’s new Entrepreneurial Journalism course

Now we ask that you help us further develop Memphis’ entrepreneurial community by contributing to our new $5 for 5 campaign: by clicking below, you can set up a recurring monthly donation of only $5 for the next 12 months. As a registered 501(c)(3), your support goes a long way in helping us to empower entrepreneurial action. We thank you in advance, and look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!

Who should attend? Entrepreneurs who are starting a company are strongly encouraged to join us! But our signature focus on entrepreneurial thinking and process is valuable for small business owners, non-profits, or anyone planning to expand into a new customer base or product line.

Date/Time: Saturday, January 28 8:30am- 4:00pm
Cost: $40 per person. (Lunch and materials included)
Location: EmergeMemphis Building. 516 Tennessee St.
Get Tickets: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2617354578