The fifth annual edition of StartConFest themed “Create The Future” was convincingly a newsworthy event.
This 3-day festival organised by one of the foremost hubs in the Southern Region of Nigeria;The Roothub showcased 15 different eye-catching installations built by vibrant young people at the hub using their initiative to build creative things from scratch.
Before the close of the first day , industry experts like Chinonso Ogbogu,Sifon Udo,Edemnwan Ibiok, Enwongoabasi Bassey took turns to sensitize and engage the attendees in the hall which included sixty(60) senior secondary school students from Goodnews Community High school.
ATTENDANCE: A cumulative total of 1500 people attended the festival over the duration of the event. We estimated 3000 people to attend the festival but this was a great number as it allowed us to achieve the impact we desired.
VENUE: StartConFest2019 which was held at Ibom hall grounds, an environment that is estimated to have a 5,000 seating capacity. The open grounds was well-furnished with over ten(10) installations and had an strategically-situated open stage for the Open Mic activities. There was the market place which had over 30 vendors/exhibition stands, a game zone and a food court.
The highlight at the grounds was the vIntage cars display. The free pass gave attendees access to all the zones at the grounds and while the outdoor activities went on, the festival also featured practical guidance from leading experts in their various industries, workshops and panel discussions in the main hall.
ENTERTAINMENT: The 3-day festival also featured an Open Mic Stage where different activities went on during the evening hours. Activities like spoken word poetry, music performances, dance and comedy.
OTHER ACTIVITIES: One of the highlights for the attendees was the indomie cooking challenge themed “ My Indomie My Style” sponsored by Indomie noodles had ten(10) attendees competing for the ultimate prize.While the cooking challenge went on,a drone racing competition sponsored by Global Air Media Academy went on simultaneously.The winner of the drone racing competition went home with a SYMA X5C-1 Drone.
THE TEAM: StartConFest2019 had a total of ninety-five(95) volunteers who constituted about sixteen(16) teams for the festival. Volunteers who were on the ground during the festival were provided for as regards welfare and other stipends. We are glad to have had a great team who devoted their time to be present at not only the festival but the road show,joined the street to street publicity and also the social media publicity through their numerous social media posts.
The festival was an inspiring experience as we read and received testimonials from the attendees on different platforms on how the festival has impacted them positively.
One of the guests excitedly shared what she took out of one of the sessions. In his words,” I just learnt that nothing is really new so waiting to get that brand new idea might just be a total waste of time,I learnt I can act on already existing ideas but do it my own unique way,I’ve really not understood innovation till now,times have changed and I could be influenced from anything”. He further reiterated that he came out better and ready to take risks,work on his ideas and also put in what he has learnt into his business .
The third day being the final day ushered in several sessions,workshops,interactive sessions and panel sessions during the day. The festival ended with a fashion runway show which had seven(7) different designers showcasing their creative pieces to the teeming crowd seated in the hall. About twenty-two(22) industry players and seasoned experts converged at StartConFest2019 to share their wealth of ideas and create a lasting experience for the festival attendees. At exactly 9:30pm,StartConfest 2019 came to an end but with all attendees looking forward to StartConFest 2020.
To everyone who made StartConFes2019 a success,Thank You may not be enough to show our expression.
To Our Sponsors,Thank You for believing in this vision ,Let’s do it bigger and better next year.
To the amazing team that planned and implemented StartConfest,We never could have pulled it off without your input.
End Result: Success
See You all at StartConFest 2020!!!
About StartConFest
StartconFest is the annual gathering of industry players and leaders who are passionate about the start-up business ecosystem within the Country. The festival was designed to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s reputation as the Startup Capital of Nigeria, due in part to the rising wave of Technology and entrepreneurial activities, the festival promises to provide inspiration to entrepreneurs, enthusiasts, students, Corporate Bodies, and the general public.
