Jan
14
Why does the weekend cost money?
Posted by Kevin Makice
Every participant will be required to pay a $20 “buy-in” fee in order to be eligible to gain shares in the resulting company. The $20 buy-in fee has several functions:
- To raise some money. If we meet our goals for sponsorships and in-kind donation of food, swag and other materials, the money will be “extra” that we can use to support weekend purchases or pass along to the new company.
- To express commitment. People paying $20 are more likely to show up and stick through the weekend than those who are not asked to invest anything. This will filter the people who are just curious and supportive from those who want to work to build a new company.
- To validate registrations. Since we will rely largely on email addresses to check for distinct entries, fewer mistakes or redundant entries will be made if there is a price to pay.
- To allow people who can’t attend to help those who want to. Not everyone who wants to contribute over the weekend can afford even a modest fee. And not everyone who can afford to pay is able to attend. By incorporating scholarships, we can match up those groups and make the event more inclusive.
We will try to collect as much as we can through PayPal and face-to-face visits. Especially if we have a waitlist, it would be great to be able to get the money commitment in advance of that first day. However, we may wind up taking money at the gate.
Scholarships will be available to some participants. The number will be based on a combination of need and how much money we collect to offset entry fees.
