Changify at Startup Weekend Women's edition and Angel Hack
Life as a brand new startup is a rollercoaster for sure, but done right, much of it should be about developing and testing your idea, and pitching it to the right people. That way you know if you're Whistling Dixie or on the right track. With this in mind, Changify rolled up at two big startupathons in London this autumn... and boy did we learn a lot.
First up was the Startup Weekend London Women's Edition on 14-16th September at Google Campus. With two women on our core team, getting a level playing field for women in digital matters a lot. Plus we're already active supporters of networks such as Women 2.0. SheSays and Girl Geeks, so it logically follows... and guys were welcome too :-)
At Startup Weekend London, D4SC (with the Changify brand still a far-off twinkle in one team member's eye) was selected from the initial pitches to go forward to the final. Over a weekend of user journey mapping, business planning, market scoping and pitch refining we also met, worked and bonded with some great people - including @Nakkeeran25 and @Claus1860 - and got some valuable advice from @MailaReeves @jemimah_knight @nickholzherr and many others en route. We were thrilled to get to the finals, but it was the process of taking part that had a lasting impact.
Then, on November 10-11th, Angel Hack descended on London for the first time at Bloomberg's UK offices in Finsbury Square (with support from a huge array of sponsors), and we in turn got a protoype of the forthcoming Changify app in place, and collaborated to craft a pitch that made sense to the judges and 250-strong hackathon attendees.
Here we met @shavindra and @ilyan who joined the D4SC Changify team and helped clarify our vision and approach. Their input, and the feedback we received from the Angel Hack judges - @markpearson @simonw and @simonmenashy - combined to get Design for Social Change's mission to launch Changify off the starting blocks.
Massive thanks to all the organisers of both Startup Weekend London Women's Edition and Angel Hack London - two intense weekends at the start of our startup journey very well spent!
You can find the full set of photos from our #AngelHack London weekend here on Flickr. Follow Changify on Twitter. Be notified of the Changify launch.
