The Georgia Southern University Business Innovation Group is gearing up for the 3 Day Startup program, a weekend-long program for students to get their hands dirty, validate products and build prototypes in just three days, beginning Friday, Feb. 19. The program culminates with the final pitch presentations on Feb. 21, to which the community is invited to hear the latest business startup ideas from students.

Through this intensive event, 3DS participants brainstorm ideas, conduct market validation, devise business models, build prototypes and pitch to investors and successful entrepreneurs. The result is an experience that challenges participants to actually innovate, build and launch companies. The goal is to build entrepreneurial capabilities in students, build a community pipeline and kick-start new companies.

On Day 1, the participants arrive with their most promising ideas for new companies. Some bring pre-built technology that is waiting to be commercialized while others literally bring napkins with their ideas written on them. The ideas that have survived will make it to Day 3 where teams demo their prototypes and pitch their companies. The final pitch presentations are open to the public and will take place on Sunday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium of the IT Building.

Since its inception, 3DS has hosted more than 100 programs across five continents and launched scores of startups collectively raising millions in funding. Dozens of 3DS startups are accepted into prestigious accelerator and incubator programs. 3DS boasts more than 5,000 alumni across 90 programs.