Philly Tech Week · Spring 2026

Start Something Real

in 90 minutes

A facilitated startup sprint where anyone — students, professionals, dreamers — transforms an idea into a structured, pitch-ready concept.

Thu · May 7, 2026 1:00 PM 3675 Market St, Philadelphia

No experience required. Just bring a phone or laptop and an idea.

What you leave with

90 minutes. 4 deliverables. Zero fluff.

Problem Statement

A clear articulation of who you help and why it matters

Business Model

Who you help, what you build, how they find you, how you make money

First Version Plan

What to build first and how to validate it fast

5-Slide Pitch Deck

Ready to present, share, or use for your next conversation

How it works

Mira guides you through 5 checkpoints

00:00
Arrival & Check-In
Scan QR, enter email, get set up
00:05
Welcome & Context
The g/d/n/a story, format explanation, tips for success
00:10
Half 1: Discovery
Problem → Vision → Users → Business Model
00:35
Sync Point
Facilitator regroups, helps anyone stuck
00:38
Half 2: Build
First Version Plan → Pitch Deck generation
00:48
Polish & Export
Final edits, generate your deliverables
00:58
Pitch Prep
Finalize your 2-minute pitch, select speakers
01:05
Pitches, Feedback & Q&A
Showcase pitches, live feedback from judges, and a look at the Mira + AWS architecture behind it all
01:20
Wrap & Next Steps
Prizes, AWS credits info, gD@C community Slack invite
Game time: 50 minutes of focused building, then pitches, live feedback, and a peek behind the curtain
Your AI coach

Meet Mira

Mira is an adaptive AI coach who asks the right questions and helps you organize your thinking. She meets you where you are — no startup jargon, no assumptions.

Asks questions that sharpen your idea
Adapts to your pace and experience level
Won't let you rush past what matters
Generates your pitch deck and deliverables
Why we built this

Most ideas don't fail because they're bad

They fail because they never get structured enough to actually test. People get stuck in their heads. They don't know what questions to ask. They never carve out the time to think it through.

So we built Mira — an AI coach who asks the right questions — and this event to give you 90 minutes to think it through.

This is gD@C in action — our community-first approach to finding and supporting builders.
Prizes

Build something. Win something.

🥇 1st Place
$1,000 AWS Credits
(managed AWS account)
+ 2 hrs GDNA.AI Advisory
🥈 2nd Place
$500 AWS Credits
(managed AWS account)
+ 1 hr g/d/n/a CloudOps Office Hours
🥉 3rd Place
$250 AWS Credits
(managed AWS account)
+ g/d/n/a swag pack
Everyone gets their deliverables (with consent) + a Mira Builder badge & gD@C community Slack invite
Judging

How pitches are scored

3-5 participants pitch for 2 minutes each. A panel of judges scores on four criteria.

25%

Desirability

Do real people want this? Is the problem real?

25%

Feasibility

Can this be built? Is the approach realistic?

25%

Viability

Is there a path to revenue or sustainability?

25%

Presentation

Was the pitch clear, engaging, memorable?

Who is this for

Anyone with an idea. Even barely formed.

Students

You have a class project, a side hustle idea, or just curiosity. Mira helps you structure it.

Professionals

You see a problem at work every day. Now you have 90 minutes to turn that frustration into a concept.

Dreamers

You've been thinking about this for months. Today you stop thinking and start building.

What to bring

Phone or laptop. That's it.

A phone or laptop with internet
An idea — even barely formed
Willingness to think out loud

Teams of 2-3 welcome. One person drives the Mira session while the team discusses together.

The vibe

What you'll feel

Arrival "This is accessible" QR check-in, no friction, friendly faces
Welcome "These people get it" Plain language, no jargon, real talk
Game time "I can do this" Mira adapts, facilitators roam
Sync point "I'm not alone" Energy boost, help for anyone stuck
Showcase "My idea matters" Appreciative judging, real feedback
Wrap "I want to keep going" Clear next steps, AWS credits, community
Get in

Ready to start something real?

Drop your email to get notified when the next event drops, or enter your code if you already have one.

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