InnoTech Austin Blog

Two weeks until InnoTech Austin!

2008-10-02T20:06:20Z

Two weeks from today, the 5th annual InnoTech Austin event begins and the buzz is all around town.

Because InnoTech is based on showcasing innovative technologies, I'm writing today about the InnoTech Mobile Conference Guide, which will be ready for downloading to your mobile device early next week.

The Mobile Conference Guide is a very innovative, unique application that allows you to download complete InnoTech details to your mobile device. How cool is it to check out everything from the current exhibitor list to all of the conference sessions, times and presenters on the go?

Use your time leading up to the event, but away from the computer, perusing the sessions and times to plan YOUR best day at InnoTech.

InnoTech Commercials Hit YouTube

2008-09-24T05:07:35Z

Last week, InnoTech's new Webfomercial and 30-second spot debuted on YouTube.

This week, they started appearing on your local Time Warner Cable station...have you seen it yet?

If not, stay tuned, they'll run through October 16th (or click above to check them out now).

InnoTech Marks 5 Years in Austin

2008-09-02T04:38:37Z

This October marks InnoTech's 5th time in Austin. In many ways, it seems like a long time ago that we got the ball rolling in Texas with the first InnoTech event. Then, at other times, I can't believe that it's been five years already!

Of course, a detailed conference and expo like InnoTech requires the support, input, direction and voice of the community to remain successful and relevant (especially in a dynamic city like Austin). Today, I'd like to express my gratitude to everyone who helped get InnoTech off the ground in 1993 and those who continue to support the program today. Yeah, I could name names...and I think I will (although they know who they are!) Alisha Ring, President, Austin Technology Council, Russ Finney, CIO, Tokyo Electron, Rudy Rodriguez, Managing Director, St. Edward's University Professional Education Center, Andres Carvallo, CIO, Austin Energy, and Sam Coursen, Vice President & Chief Information Officer, Freescale Semiconductor.

It is the continued involvement, input and enthusiasm from these advisors, in addition to our loyal attendees, exhibitors and sponsors, whose consistent interest and support of InnoTech are crucial. Here's to five more years of celebrating amazing business technology and innovation in Central Texas! I'll see you October 16th at the Austin Convention Center.

No email Friday, pick up the phone and get'er done

2008-06-05T14:51:25Z

How many people do you know hide behind email and are too busy typing to pick up the phone or even respond. People seem to be busy, but are they efficient? Are they just spending too much time researching on the web and typing out long emails that you never finish. I am a little old school, but enjoy talking with people and getting stuff done. I love this article in the OKCBusiness. I am hearing more and more about this type of policy and am a big fan. Company with OKC location institutes no e-mail Fridays Check it out. Dave Weber, CIO, NW Natural Gas in Portland, OR has a similar, Get Out of Your Seat Policy. That being said, please read my emails coming to an inbox near you.

5th Annual InnoTech Austin Event Set for October 16, 2008

2008-06-03T20:47:04Z

Yeah, I know, with summer right in front of us, who wants to think about the cool happenings in the fall...but it's time again to at least mark your calendar for the 5th Annual InnoTech Austin event taking place on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at the Austin Convention Center.

There is still much work to do, but the first save the date email will go out today. It will include a few new items and updates for the event, but the bulk of announcements will follow in the next couple of months. After last years success, the 2008 event will be one to attend and from what I can tell the "slowing" economy does not seem to be effecting Austin thriving tech community. St. Edward's University Professional Education Center and Austin Technology Council are returning as the Presenting Sponsors with Sam Coursen, CIO, FreeScale and Alisha Ring, President, Austin Technology Council presiding as Conference Chairpersons.

Continue to check out the InnoTech Austin site and look for some cool announcements in the future. As a side note, I recently learned from a Middle School neighbor that the term "cool" is out and "sick" and "tight" are in.

What a show!

2007-11-02T18:18:07Z

This is Alex Williams from eROI, posting from the InnoTech show floor. The show has been great! Big turnout and a lot of great companies and innovative services. There are going to be a whole lot of iPods won today as well. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I have been very impressed with the organization and flow of the Conference. There have a number of great speakers and a lot of excellent resources from the exhibitors. Overall, a fabulous experience.

If you are at the show, stop by the eROI booth and say Hi!

Now...was that fun or what?!

2007-10-16T23:13:05Z

The 2007 Austin InnoTech Conference concluded 5 days ago and I am still trying to recover from all the excitement. I need to blog about it, but not sure where to start. The entire day lasted 12 hours, but was packed with what felt like 24 hours of activities, speakers, interviews, conversations, demonstrations. My thanks to St. Edward's University Professional Education Center and Austin Technology Council for presenting the event this year.

The front page of the InnoTech web site is updated with links to speaker slides, IT Executive of the Year Award winners and the introduction of the 2008 InnoTech Chairpersons, Sam Coursen, CIO, Freescale and Alisha Ring, President, Austin Technology Council.

Please look for the post event survey coming tomorrow. Your comments and time are appreciated. Now we are back to work on the upcoming Oklahoma InnoTech happening November 6 and the new San Antonio InnoTech happening March 6, 2008.

Buzz is Building...InnoTech is in two weeks

2007-09-26T05:02:07Z

The TV spots (powered by Time Warner Cable Business Class) are running, the Business Journal ads are circulating, InnoTech emails abound, a steady stream of registrations is building each day, word is on the street that InnoTech takes place in two weeks and there is excitement in the IT community.

Below are a few cool NEW elements at InnoTech this year:

*InnoTech and ProAce Technology Services, Inc. wil host a Live National Broadcast from InnoTech entitled "The Effects of Web 2.0 on Business, Marketing and the World Economy" Interviews will be broadcast live from the InnoTech exhibit hall to a national audience via SIRIUS Satellite Radio and Forbes.com.

*Open Source Summit @ InnoTech

*Developer's Track @ InnoTech

*InnoTech's Mobile Applications will be available by the end of this week allowing you to upload the current InnoTech event schedule to your PDA and/or mobile phone. Stay tuned for more on this soon!

Heading Out as Erin Moves In...

2007-08-17T06:07:30Z

After a great week in Austin, I'm flying out tonight, just as Tropical Depression Erin is moving into town. (It appears that the storm is, thankfully, losing momentum.)

Speaking of momentum (like that cheesy segue?) as InnoTech draws nearer the excitement and momentum surrounding the event are building. Just this week, two new eMarketing Summit Sponsors have joined the fun: Bulldog Solutions and Datran Media. Also, recently, BSG Alliance and OnSite Austin joined the sponsors of the Austin CIO Summit. Then, Sam Coursen, Vice President & CIO, Freescale Semiconductor, confirmed at the keynote presenter for the CIO Summit.
Check back next week as I anticipate that many new presentations will be posted on the InnoTech Austin site throughout the rest of August (primarily the week of August 20-24).

10 Weeks Until InnoTech Austin

2007-08-02T22:47:13Z

Yeah, I know that still sounds like it's quite a ways away (I mean, most people haven't figured out what they're doing this weekend much less on a Thursday 10 weeks from now). But, it never fails to amaze me just how quickly it comes up. Since my last entry, more speakers and presentations have been added to the InnoTech Austin site, registrations continue to come in and new sponsors, BSG Alliance and INX have joined the program. This month you'll really see the website fill up as the presenters send in their abstracts so check back frequently and start planning for Thursday, October 11th now.

Google Confirms InnoTech Sponsorship

2007-07-23T21:31:51Z

And they're not the only one to commit to the InnoTech Austin event within the past week. We're excited to welcome Ascendant Technology, Silver Sponsor, welcome back Eloqua, Texas eMarketing Summit Sponsor (for the 3rd year in a row!), and welcome Google, Coffee Service Sponsor.

Also within the past week, we've received our first online registrations for InnoTech and the two special events hosted at InnoTech: the Austin CIO Summit and the Texas eMarketing Summit. Want to register? Click here!

InnoTech Online Registration Opens - First Registration Received

2007-07-17T21:26:44Z

InnoTech Austin online registration officially opened on July 3, 2007 and, before we could get the word on the street, our first online registrant signed up a week later!

I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. On my latest trip to Austin last week, I met with the Advisory Council, as I always do, but this time, there was a palpable "buzz" in the room. The crew was genuinely excited about the event, about technology overall and especially about Austin's role in shaping the future. And we got so much done too...

Check out the eMarketing Summit page for this year's agenda entitled "Optimizing Your Online Marketing Strategy." The Austin CIO Summit agenda is also posted and features exciting topics such as SOA - A Management Level Conversation, Enterprise 2.0 and a featured presentation by Sam Coursen, Chief Information Officer, FreeScale Semiconductor.

The Corporate & Media Sponsors list is growing each week, which is great also.

Time to get back to the phone...more next week!

Advisory Council Meets Again

2007-07-03T22:14:39Z

I'm looking forward to another trip to Austin next week, and, more specifically to meeting with the Advisory Council to finalize many of the presentations that will be featured at InnoTech this October.

Online registration opened this week and it's never too early to schedule your time at InnoTech.

Hope you all have a safe and fun 4th of July tomorrow...check back again as there will be many more updates on speakers, presentation titles, additional sponsors and exhibitors in the coming weeks.

Another Sponsor Confirmed

2007-06-18T18:54:50Z

June has been a really exciting month for sponsorships in Austin. Most recently, New Horizons Computer Learning Centers confirmed their return to the InnoTech event, this year as the Food Court & Happy Hour Reception Sponsor and Lumenate is our newest Bronze Sponsor. (Lumenate is also a Bronze Sponsor of the 2007 InnoTech Oklahoma event).

Although the event is still four months away, it's great to see so many sponsors committing early, really allowing enough time to plan and execute their involvement in InnoTech.

So, at this moment, there are three more sponsorships available at the 2007 InnoTech Austin event. Interested?

Too Much Good Stuff?

2007-05-31T22:16:34Z

I'm sitting here creating a grid of the meeting rooms and potential topics for this year's InnoTech Austin event and am in a quandry. There is just too much good stuff. Too many hot topics (eMarketing, Open Source, the new Developers Track, CIO Summit and more) too many potential presenters and only so many sessions in a day. It's a nice problem to have but the challenge is to narrow it down to the most intriguing topics that will draw the best audience to the event. More on that as we make the final cuts in the coming weeks.

On another note, it's been a really good week for contacting exhibitors and sponsors. I'm excited to have Sun returning this year as a Silver Sponsor and to welcome Grande Communications as a Bronze Sponsor. (After a successful event last year, Sun has got some creative exhibit ideas in the works already for 2007, which is great).

]]> My next trip to Austin is set for mid-July (9-13) and I'm looking forward to meeting up with the advisory council again (and, of course, having a few cold ones at Hula Hut!)