SXSW Panel Proposals from Ecosystem Builders
Continuing down the road to SXSW, I’d like to highlight session proposals from “Startup Champions” and entrepreneurial ecosystem builders who participated in the Kauffman Foundation’s (still fairly) recent “ESHIP Summit.”
Without getting deeply into what those practices mean, my quick take at the moment is that many of the most effective people building startup communities are individuals who embody Brad Feld’s “Boulder Thesis” often working outside traditional structures for economic development (at least initially). Ecosystem building is similar but at a different scale (Victor Hwang’s “The Rainforest” is a great look at this level). Thinking fractally, they’re similar, but not the same.
For those of us interested in building startup communities and developing healthier ecosystems, the following are some great SXSW session proposals you might support now and hopefully attend.
Building a More Inclusive Startup Culture
Leading women in tech continue to speak out about injustices in working with tech executives and investors, but gender and racial imbalances remain. Meanwhile, Paris, London and other European cities are pouring money into innovative startups. This panel will explore how government, big tech and investors can help build a more inclusive and innovative startup ecosystem. The panelists will also discuss getting past the unconscious biases of VCs that tend to invest in founders who resemble them.
Including
- Kenya Wiley, Founder and CEO, Fashion Innovation Alliance
- Janett Martinez, CEO, LOOMIA
- Sheila Herrling, Senior Vice President, Social Innovation, Case Foundation
- Erik Moe, Artist and Writer, Erik Moe Creative
Learn more & vote at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/72064
Castles in the Sand: Beach Startup Ecosystems
Proximity to the beach, the waves and the sea makes cities — and the entrepreneurs who live there — different. What are beach startup communities doing to grow and capitalize on the sun, surf, sand and a healthier lifestyle, and build their lifestyle meets tech image to grow thriving startup scenes? What has worked for beach communities that get recognized, and what hasn’t. How can other beach locations like Puerto Rico, or even Cuba rise up to become the next entrepreneurial hot spot!
Including
- Kyle Ashby, Founder/Director, StartupSB & THE SANDBOX Santa Barbara
- John Osborne, Co-Founder & Director, Harbor
- Ramphis Castro, Cofounder, ScienceVest
- Susan Amat, Founder/CEO, Venture Hive
Learn more & vote at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/79939
Fixing your City, one problem at a time
We’ll be discussing rapid innovation in the city environment with a group of innovators in the city world. Ash Mauyra (founder, Leanstack), Chris Rezendes (founder, IOTLabs), Tom Higley (founder, 101010) and Joe Speed (head of autonomous vehicles, IBM) will be discussing what your city is going to look like in 5, 15 and 50 years, and the new models of civic innovation we’ll need in order to get there successfully. We’ll be looking at innovation ecosystems, funding models, and experimentation.
Including
- Kenneth Fricklas, Founding Partner, The CORE
- Ash Mauyra, Founder, LeanStack
- Chris Rezendes, Founder, IOT Impact Labs
Learn more & vote at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/69793
Global Expansion: Connecting Your Local Ecosystem
Start + scale ecosystems are predominantly measured by local factors like density and diversity. However, global connectedness is an increasingly important factor as government leaders in emerging hotspots and mid-tier cities look to attract, retain and grow startups locally. This session will walk through 10 practical steps for ecosystem leaders — from all backgrounds — to expand their networks and leverage knowledge and resources from ecosystems around the world.
- Jonathan Ortmans, President, Global Entrepreneurship Network
Learn more & vote at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/78378
The Overlooked Future of Entrepreneurship: Latinx
The Latinx community accounts for more than half of the population growth in the US, but Latinx entrepreneurs represent less than 2% of venture-backed companies. Hear from Latinx entrepreneurs and the investors who back them to understand who they are, what they’re building and why they’re going to make you money.
Including:
- Sarah Koch, VP, Social Innovation, Case Foundation
- Dyan Gibbens, President, Trumbull Unmanned
- Kristen Sonday, Co-Founder, Paladin
- Carolina Huaranca, Principal, Kapor Capital
Learn more & vote at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/79706
The Persistence of Patent Trolls in Tech
The America Invents Act, with the goal of curtailing patent trolls, went into full effect in 2013. Since then, the Supreme Court has more frequently taken up patent cases, often with results hostile to trolls. And while overall patent litigation has declined, it is estimated that 55% of all patent cases (90% in high-tech) are still brought by non-practicing entities (“NPEs”). We will discuss the changes to patent law in the past five years, and the prospect of additional patent reform.
Including:
- Ruben Rodrigues, Senior Counsel & Trial Attorney, Foley & Lardner LLP
- Rachel Wolbers, Policy Director, Engine
- Tyler Grimm, Legislative Director, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-49)
- Colleen Chien, Associate Professor of Law, Santa Clara University School of Law
Learn more and vote at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/71729
SocEnt: Rethinking Startups via Social Enterprise
While the search and support for “unicorn” startups remain the goal, data clearly shows that other kinds of entrepreneurs are the ones who are succeeding more often and having a positive impact in their communities. Whether it’s termed “social entrepreneurship,” building “Zebra” startups or simply starting and growing local businesses that are mission-driven, there are new options available. In this session, we will illustrate the power of sustainable businesses models for the 21st century.
Including:
- Vanessa Roanhorse, CEO, Roanhorse Consulting
- C’pher Gresham, National Director of Expansion, Seed Spot
- Enoch Elwell, Director, CO.Starters
- Mara Zepeda, CEO / Co-Founder, Switchboard HQ
Learn more & vote at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/77928
Startup Communities Built From Scratch
In the years since Brad Feld’s “Startup Communities” and the launch of Startup America, thriving startup ecosystems have been coming together across the U.S. In this session, we’ll hear from startup community builders who have built ecosystems from scratch in Albuquerque, Honolulu and Lincoln and how TechCo has supported emerging ecosystem growth. Hear about the lessons they’ve learned and tips/strategies that can be applied in other emerging startup scenes.
Including
- Lana Zumbrunn, Ecosystem Builder, FUSE Coworking
- Eric Renz-Whitmore, Entrepreneur Development Manager, CABQ Economic Development
- Tarik Sultan, Managing Director, Sultan Ventures
- Marita McGinn, Community and Startup Relations Manager, Tech.Co
Learn more & vote at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/76684
Why/How to Embrace the Geek: A Tale of Two Cities
There are two kinds of cities in the world today: cities that embrace the geek and cities that don’t. The cities that do are thriving and the cities that don’t are dying.
This deep dive session will explore diffusion of innovations research to understand why geeks are critical to your city’s success, and will look at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to understand how best to embrace the geek. Lastly, we’ll create an actionable list of steps you can take in your city to honestly embrace the geek.
- Scott Phillips, Founder, Civic Ninjas
Learn more & vote at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/75973
& MORE
There are lots more of course…
The Case Foundation in particular has a slate of panels they’ve helped curate to “ discuss topics like diversity in entrepreneurship, women in Impact Investing, millennial engagement, open source technology, business journalism, user generated content, digital analytics and more.”
Learn more here from their Vice President for Communications, Jade Floyd: https://casefoundation.org/blog/sxsw-2018-panel-picker-vote-today/
