For the very first time, the globally renowned Techstars Start-up Weekend is coming to the island next month.

The inaugural event of its kind in the Crown Dependencies, takes place at the Launchpad (Hillary House) in Douglas between July 10-12 and will bring together more than 50 innovators, developers, designers and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Speaking about the event, which aims to show people how to build a company from scratch, lead organiser Chamara Peiris said: ‘The Isle of Man is home to an incredible pool of untapped talent, innovators and creators.

‘For the first time ever, we are bringing the globally recognised Techstars Startup Weekend to Douglas, and this is the first time a Techstars Startup Weekend is happening in the Crown Dependencies.

‘Our vision is to provide a high-speed, 54-hour environment where anyone - from developers and students to seasoned business professionals - can come together, build a prototype, and turn their ideas into reality.

‘This isn’t just an event; it’s the spark to ignite a stronger, more connected local start-up ecosystem.’

Leading the weekend’s programme will be Katerina Chantzi, a Techstars-certified facilitator based in London.

A facilitator at the London School of Economics Students’ Union (LSESU) and currently completing her MSc in Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship at LSE, Katerina was named in the Top 100 Women in Social Entrepreneurship by Euclid Network in 2022.

She brings extensive international facilitation experience from events including ‘ChangeNow Paris’, Web Summit Lisbon, and Krakow Tech Summit, and is the founder of two ventures: BinFree (2020) and Lysistrate NGO (2023).

She said: ‘I’d like to thank Chamara and the entire organising team for choosing me to facilitate this landmark event.

‘What makes a Start-up Weekend special isn’t just the ideas that get pitched - it’s what happens when strangers become teammates, uncertainty becomes momentum, and people discover they can build something real in 54 hours.

‘My role as facilitator is to hold the space for that to happen: a space grounded in trust, where everyone feels empowered to take meaningful action. I’m honoured to be leading the very first Techstars Startup Weekend in the Crown Dependencies, and I’m excited to see what the Isle of Man community will create together.’

The event is backed by Techstars Global Partners Google for Start-ups, Brex, and Deel, alongside local sponsors London Institute of Business and Technology (LIBT) and Launchpad.

Other support has also been secured from community partners including the Chamber of Commerce, Isle of Man Code Club, UCM, British Computer Society Isle of Man Section, AngelNetwork.im and TEKEX.

To ensure the success of this grassroots initiative, the organising team which, also comprises Chris Kissack, Kerry Birchall, Sarah Ennett, Nick Preskey, Luis Villalón, Lily-Joy Lancashire and Anthony Villa, is actively seeking additional sponsors and industry experts to serve as mentors and judges.

Pre-register to attend online at: https://form.typeform.com/to/GXbWIOIs

Since its inception, similar startup weekends have been hosted in more than 150 countries.