Start them up

Fort Myers is about to join the global startup movement.

Its entry there is Startup Weekend, an entrepreneurial program previously held in 700 cities worldwide, where would-be business owners build real companies from scratch. The inaugural Southwest Florida Startup Weekend is scheduled for Oct. 6-8 at Endeavor Innovative Workspaces, a cowork office hub at 8831 Business Park Drive, Fort Myers.

Startup Weekends are 54-hour events for technical and non-technical entrepreneurs. Startup Weekends begin with Friday night pitches and continue through brainstorming, business plan development and basic prototype creation, according to a statement. The weekends culminate in Sunday night demos and presentations to a seasoned panel of investors and entrepreneurs.