Canada Set to Send Busload of Hipsters and Hustlers to the US for Some Reason

Entrepreneurs are set to arrive in San Antonio Texas by the literal busload in early March, as the StartupBus North America competition returns for its fifth year.

StartupBus is a bizarre concept that sees nine different buses cruising through current and future startup hubs to pick up burgeoning entrepreneurs, who in turn found startups within three days as the buses roll towards Texas. The idea had its genesis in powdery Silicon Valley (where else?), where it has expanded to encompass all three countries in North America, including Mexico, Canada, and Canada’s Underpants (careful: your Florida is showing).

StartupBus is a competition that invites “Hackers, Hipsters, and Hustlers” to apply to hop on a bus in Toronto (Canada’s only port of call in the event), and rumble down to San Antonio where the startup ideas will be judged from March 5 to 6.

What sorts of ideas can be incubated by “buspreneurs” (their word, not mine) in 72 hours before an inevitable collision course with a bunch of Texan contest judges? i predict we’ll see a number of concepts for less monotonous land travel, comfier coach seats, and a good many startups proposing various cures for the munchies.

Interested “buspreneurs” (a portmanteau that rivals “webinar” for words that make me instantly nauseous) can apply for the competition at the StartupBus website. Applications cost $299, and the prize is a trophy. Greyhound Canada currently lists the cost of a bus ticket from Toronto to San Antonio at $279, startup idea optional—trophy not included.