Missouri tech company is hosting a 54-hour competition for entrepreneurs

A Missouri tech company is launching a new 54-hour competition with the intent of highlighting the state's rural tech industry.

Codefi , a tech company based in Cape Girardeau, is hosting its inaugural Ozarks Startup Weekend in Springfield Sept. 13-15. Participants will have 54 hours to develop a business idea, design and build a software prototype, and pitch a project to a panel of tech industry professionals. Codefi will award $15,000 cash to successful teams.

The competition is open to several types of people — first and foremost an individual with an idea for a tech business. Experience in the tech industry is not necessary for this role. The competition also invites user experience/user interface developers, software developers and business industry leaders. Individuals apply for the competition individually and will then be grouped into teams during the weekend.

The weekend event is set up similarly to other time-restricted competitions like Springfield's SATO48 , where filmmakers have only 48 hours to produce a film, or hackathons, where coders have 24-48 hours to work on a software development project.

An example of a business idea that was developed by a Missourian with the help of Codefi is PumpTrakr , an app that allows farmers to manage crop irrigation remotely, Codefi Head of Startup Programs Crystal Owens said.

PumpTrakr was initiated by Nathan Holmes, a generational farmer based in southeast Missouri.

"He realized that every day he was having to drive 10 miles a day to turn the water off or on for his irrigation, to keep his farms watered. He thought, 'If only there was a hardware and a software (so) I didn't have to do this every day or hire someone to do this for me everyday,'" Owens said. "Because of his knowledge of the farming industry ... we were able to build out a hardware prototype and a software prototype. From his phone, he can turn on a water pump that is in a field 10 miles away. He doesn't have to drive to it anymore."

What is the structure of the Ozarks Startup Weekend?

The Ozarks Startup Weekend kick offs with check-in and opening pitches at Mother's Brewing Company on Friday, Sept. 13. A time for the opening event has yet to be determined. Members of the public are welcome to attend the event for free.

During the kick off, participants who applied with a specific tech business idea will take 30-60 seconds to pitch their idea to fellow applicants, judges and the general public. Participants will then be grouped into teams based on complimentary skills. In theory, each group should have an individual with an idea, a user experience/user interface developer, software developer and business industry professional to create a well-rounded team, Owens said.

Once teams are created, the event will close to the general public and tech industry professionals will lead a "tech/entrepreneurship crash course," Owens said, where participants will learn more about what it takes to create a tech business.

"Not only are people coming and trying to build out this idea that they have in a really crazy way, they're also learning a lot about some of the frameworks and tools and things you need to know to be a successful tech entrepreneur," Owens said. "There is some overlap with small business development, but it's a lot different than when you are working on a software."

More: Company offering software training, tech startup help sets up office in MSU's efactory

The competition picks back up Saturday morning with coffee and breakfast at the eFactory. Saturdays events are only open to competition participants.

The bulk of Saturday will be dedicated to teams developing their ideas and creating software prototypes. Throughout the day, Codefi and tech industry professionals will lead 30 minute to 1-hour masterclasses on "high-level concepts" about the tech industry, Owens said. Most of these classes are shortened versions of those Codefi offers in its educational startup programs .

"At the heart of everything we do, we're trying to make lives better for folks in small communities, who typically don't have access to these kinds of resources or activities or training or expert advice," Owens said. "We're really trying to bring those things to southern Missouri, instead of them having to go to St. Louis or Kansas City for something like this."

The competition will conclude on Sunday, with teams refining their ideas and preparing for final pitches. A final pitch competition will be held at the IDEA Loft in the eFactory on Sunday evening. A time has yet to be determined. The public is welcome to join this event for free.

What are the prizes?

Following the final pitch competition on Sunday, winners will be announced. Codefi has $15,000 in cash to award for the weekend. Depending on the number of teams and quality of ideas, the money may be rewarded to one high-achieving team or split between several, Owens said.

The winning team(s) will also be eligible to apply for Codefi's 120-Day Tech Startup program. The virtual program includes one-on-one coaching with industry professionals, software development resources and the chance to receive a $100,000 pre-seed SAFE note (a contract that allows investors to fund a startup in exchange for future company shares) or cash flow debt investments, according to the Codefi website .

How do you apply for the Ozarks Startup Weekend?

The application for the Ozarks Startup Weekend is available on the Codefi website at codefiworks.com/startupweekend/ . The application will remain open until the start of the competition on Friday, Sept. 13. Registration is free.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. She has more than five years of journalism experience covering everything from Ozarks history to Springfield’s LGBTQIA+ community. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@news-leader.com .

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri tech company is hosting a 54-hour competition for entrepreneurs