The Countdown to WeMedia has begun!
In just over a week, two-hundred of the world’s most innovative leaders, executives, investors, marketers, activists, educators, entrepreneurs and game changers will gather in Miami for a one-of-a-kind conversation about the future. Innovation and entrepreneurship are hot topics right now — more than just buzzwords or back-of-the-napkin concepts, the very idea of innovation and entrepreneurship embodies the unprecedented opportunity to change the the world through media and technology that we know exists. WeMedia is about recognizing and capturing those opportunities and taking the big steps necessary to make them a reality.
This week we will be highlighting some of the sessions taking place at WeMedia and introduce the influential voices that will drive the conversations. Next week we will give you a front row seat to every session and hear from the game changers who are defining and leading our connected society. We also invite you — as members of the WeMedia community (whether you are scheduled to join us in Miami, or participate from afar online) — to participate and help advance the discussion online, and we’ll tell you how.
First up, the big themes…
The big theme of WeMedia this year is taking innovation and entrepreneurship to the next level — or as we like to call it, an “Agenda For the New Now”. The two headline events at WeMedia – the Game Changers Awards and the Pitch It Competition – reflect these big themes.
Kicking off WeMedia are the Game Changers Awards, where we will recognize seven incredible projects for their world-changing, ground-breaking, paradigm shifting, efforts to change the world through media and technology. We will honor ZeFrank for showing us the power of voice and personality, the team from Ushahidi for redefining the ability of people to quickly communicate vital information for action, and and Barack Obama’s campaign manager, David Plouffe, for mobilizing the masses to elect a president among others. We will also hear from these three Game Changers, and other winners, Greg Mathews from Freewheelin’, Biz Stone from Twitter, Joe Marchese from SocialVibe and Bonnie Becker from Innocentive on their visions for the future.
On Thursday morning, the 18 finalists in our Pitch It competition will take the stage to present their new ideas for how to change the world through media and technology. One commercial venture and one non-profit/social venture will capture the big prize of $25,000 in startup funds and help from WeMedia and our community to make their ideas into a reality. We have finalists from all over the world, using every conceivable technology, organizing and mobilizing people online and offline, and delivering real, results. Every one of these big ideas could be a Game Changer – but only one in each category can win. An expert panel of judges, including Diana Wells from Ashoka, Jay Aldous from the US Fund for UNICEF, Priya Haji from World of Good and John McKinley from LaunchBoxDigital will help identify who takes home the big prize.
The rest of WeMedia is filled with workshops, caucuses, and discussions about how innovation and entrepreneurship come to life, in practical terms. We also have a BlobLive event taking place next Wednesday night, where anyone can come and throw out their new idea and get instant feedback from a crowd full of experts and a Gallery filled with new venture ideas submitted from all over the world. We’ll dig into the details of those, and more, over the coming days.
As I said, all week, we’ll be pulling back the curtain and showing you what makes WeMedia a must-attend, can’t-miss, have-to-participate, I-want-to-be-involved, here-is-my-contribution kind of event. Here on the blog you’ll find the following:
Tuesday: Advertising, Social Media, and Culture – redefining how we get and share information in a connected society.
Wednesday: What does the future of media look like – making journalism, defining public media, and inspiring change through news.
Thursday: Changing Lives, Changing Cultures — democracy, education, and leadership when the community plays a meaningful role in the process.
Friday: Thinking Papers, Ground Report and Rapporteurs – what you will hear coming out of WeMedia, whether you are in Miami or participating from afar.
Next week: Behind the scenes coverage from WeMedia and insights from those who are gathering for the big event.
Stay tuned.
Brian is Managing Director of little m media which provides strategic guidance and support to organizations around the use of the internet and technology to facilitate communications, engagement, education, and mobilization.