Work Hard Pittsburgh Launches First Startup Weekend Civic

FOR RELEASE: Immediate

CONTACT: Josh Lucas, 412-327-5817, info@workhardpgh.org

Work Hard Pittsburgh Launches First Startup Weekend Civic

A weekend of entrepreneurial development offering hands-on mentorship for social innovators

PITTSBURGH, July 20, 2015 — Work Hard Pittsburgh, formerly The Hardware Store, presents Pittsburgh’s first Startup Weekend Civic (SWCivicPGH) event, connecting more than 150 entrepreneurs, designers, and computer programmers to create companies that solve problems for this region’s government and community development sectors.

The event will connect entrepreneurs with Pittsburgh-centric ideas with regional experts for a weekend of intense, hands-on, solution-based startup development. The first of its kind, SWCivicPGH is partnering with New Sun Rising for the high-impact weekend scheduled for September 18 through September 20 in various locations throughout Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood, including RE360 Real Estate Development.

Participants will pitch their ideas, form strategy and development teams, and create a business plan and/or product for solving a local issue. At the end of the weekend, teams will present their results to a panel of entrepreneurial and civic leaders to gather valuable feedback.

Work Hard Pittsburgh, a Pittsburgh-based community of freelance digital workers and business incubator, has seen explosive growth in the past year, expanding services that broaden the company’s footprint in the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by creating a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem for the region.

Josh Lucas, Founder of Work Hard Pittsburgh, said, “Startup Weekend Civic is an opportunity to highlight a rapidly changing neighborhood and to demonstrate the unique economic opportunities Allentown offers.”

Modeled after the successful global grassroots development movement, Startup Weekend, SWCivicPGH focuses on entrepreneurs who want to use big city data to propel our region forward or solve problems in our communities to create a more equitable and livable city. Lucas said, “That’s part of the vision for how entrepreneurs can engage with their neighbors.”

Scott Wolovich, Executive Director of New Sun Rising, said, “Solutions coming out of this event will not only create economic impact, but will strengthen the fabric of our communities. New Sun Rising provides services to over 50 social entrepreneurs through MODE workshops every year. We look forward to helping the participants in Startup Weekend Civic ignite their ideas.

For over ten years, NSR has provided assistance to social enterprises and creative projects engaged in their communities.  Wolovich said, “Entrepreneurs are increasingly aware that solving social challenges are also opportunities to build viable enterprises. It’s great to see so much energy around an event that can create both financial and social impact for our region.”

To register for SWCivicPGH, visit the Eventbrite page (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/startup-weekend-civic-pittsburgh-tickets). The registration fee is $99.00. The deadline for registration is September 17.

Work Hard Pittsburgh is committed to creating more opportunities for all of the region’s entrepreneurs, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or mission. Under the new brand, Work Hard Pittsburgh unveiled a redesigned website at

[www.workhardpgh.com].

New Sun Rising is an organization striving to find and support fresh, creative solutions to social problems that are more effective, efficient, and sustainable than what currently exists. We build programs and new models to progress concepts from idea to impact, whether we are a fiscal sponsor, mentor, or community connector. www.newsunrising.org