Deep within the halls of the old federal building on Broadway in Cape Girardeau lies the offices of Codefi, a cooperative workspace with a hip color-pallet that serves as a stark contrast to the austere layout of that building. The space is open and playful, and calls to mind descriptions of offices in Silicon Valley.
James Stapleton is co-founder of Codefi. His company is hosting the first ever “Startup Weekend” in Cape Girardeau, a marathon-style workshop and competition for entrepreneurs to pitch and develop ideas over the course of a 54-hour period. Jason Brown visited the Codefi offices to have a conversation with Stapleton about his company and the weekend's events.
Among the prizes offered for the competition is a chance to pitch at the 1ST50K startup competition. The winner there will receive cash grants and consulting services to start a business in Cape Girardeau. The first round deadline for registration is April 17, 2015.