Startup tech program relaunches Wednesday

Startup Quest, a Broward County training program for aspiring technology entrepreneurs and workers, will launch its second program with an introductory workshop Wednesday.

There is room for 130 participants, organizers said.

The 10- week course beginning March 12 is open to people with college degrees who are either unemployed or under- employed, or considering self- employment. Veterans are given preference.

“Startup Quest is the entrepreneurial training experience of a lifetime for the participants,” said Mason Jackson, president of Career Source Broward, the county’s employment agency.

Participants work with mentors to develop a commercialization plan for a technology. With new skills learned from that process, participants could launch their own companies. Even if they don’t, they leave the program more marketable as job hunters, Jackson said.

Applications for the program will be accepted online at career sourcebroward. startupquest. org, or at the introductory workshop from11: 30 a. m. to 5p. m. Wednesday at the Global Grille Event Center, 416 NE 1st St., in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

New media pioneer Mike Levy, who founded companies including SportsLine. com — now CBSSports . com— will be the keynote speaker.

Last fall’s program attracted 500 applications for 150 seats.

The spring program has about 200 applications so far, said Michael O’Donnell, regional project manager. Participants are chosen based on their skills and then matched with certain mentors and projects.

Fromthe fall program, 60graduates have found employment or better jobs while five companies were started by graduates, O’Donnell said. At least two former teams are in discussion with Florida International University on licensing its technology, he said.

Startup Quest is part of a study funded by the U. S. Department of Labor. For more information, contact O’Donnell at 954- 202- 3830, ext. 3120, modonnell@careersourcebroward.com.