Techstars, the global platform for investment and innovation, today announced the launch of the first-of-its-kind Global Online Startup Weekend, “Unite to Fight COVID-19.” The company is calling on anyone with an idea or desire to help. Participants will work together from home with others in their country, spending their weekend tackling the challenges presented by the pandemic.

Community leaders from more than 60 countries have pledged their time to help organize this event, which will focus on developing COVID-19-related solutions unique to each country.

Each online Startup Weekend will be run at a country level, with support from both Techstars staff and volunteers. During the live, online event, innovators, developers, inventors and more will come together to develop prototypes that could solve some of the biggest challenges posed by the pandemic.

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“Startup Weekend has always been an amazing opportunity for entrepreneurs and startups to refine their ideas and gain exposure to collaborators, investors, and sponsors. It was immediately clear to us that we could apply this same model to address the many challenges we are all facing from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said David Brown, co-founder and CEO of Techstars. “We’ve quickly pivoted our approach to Startup Weekend programming to bring together hundreds, hopefully, thousands, of people to create solutions for some of the problems arising from this crisis. We already have incredible support and are hopeful that volunteers will see what we are doing and sign up to join us.”

Twenty teams from around the world will be selected to go on to participate in a Techstars Innovation Bootcamp experience.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began to affect communities around the world, Techstars has made a variety of changes to programming and community engagement to keep people safe and still continue supporting startups and innovators in this time of great need.

Learn more about Techstars’ efforts and country schedule for the Startup Weekend here.