Two new scholarship programs for lean startups

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, I'm pleased to be able to announce two scholarship programs for upcoming lean startup events.

The first, sponsored by IMVU, will provide free tickets to deserving companies who want to attend the  Startup Lessons Learned conference on April 23. I'm especially grateful to IMVU which is, after all, where I first experimented with many lean startup practices. Now the company is growing, profitable, and proving that lean startups can scale. Oh, and did I mention that they're hiring? It's an exciting time to join, as IMVU is poised for a year of explosive growth. What better way to learn how to build a lean startup than to see one up close and personal? Right. Scholarship: you can apply here until April 12.

I'm hopeful that other companies will step up and become scholarship sponsors, too. This conference will be the first of its kind: an opportunity to have a conversation about the future of the lean startup movement. We want everyone who can contribute to that conversation to be there, regardless of their ability to pay. To ensure that those who are regular contributors to the movement to be able to attend as well, I've given each Lean Startup Meetup leader a set of discount codes and a few half-price tickets to distribute to their members. Please get in touch with your local meetup if you'd like to learn more.

The second scholarship, sponsored by TechWeb, will provide free passes to the entire Web 2.0 Expo, including the Lean Startup Intensive on May 3. When I agreed to setup the Lean Startup Intensive this year, I required that it include a scholarship program for deserving startups who couldn't otherwise afford the price of admission. TechWeb has decided to expand this program to provide scholarships for the whole Web 2.0 Expo. You can apply here until April 15 or until they receive 100 submissions--whichever comes first.
 
I look forward to seeing many of you at these events. If you have any questions or are interested in becoming a sponsor, please get in touch.