Next month, I'm going to Omaha, Nebraska for a tech conference. Yes, you heard right. they have an interactive web conference at heart and I'll cover that here.
After SxSW, I noticed the list of speakers for this year Greater Omaha it was getting more interesting so I had to reach out Silicon Prairie News founder Jeff Slobotsky.
Here are five questions for the Midwest mogul:
Where did you get the idea to hold a web conference in the middle of Nebraska?
The idea for Big Omaha came out of the work we did around Silicon Prairie News. I started the organization with Dusty Davidson two years ago in July.
Our goal has been to continually highlight and support local and regional entrepreneurs and innovators working on companies or ideas you'd normally associate with being based on the coasts. We wanted to build and connect the community that I knew was right here in our backyard.
Too often in the Midwest we “silo” – each of us working on unique ideas or companies, but doing so under the radar. To create a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, we needed to build the infrastructure and support systems here, like you see in Silicon Valley, Boulder, New York, Austin and elsewhere.
In August 2008, I had a crazy idea to organize a unique event for entrepreneurs and innovators in the Midwest. The event was not created to compete with other industry events already taking place, but to allow the startup and creative community in the Midwest to connect and interact not only with the speakers but with each other.
Big Omaha 2009 featured some of the nation's top innovators, entrepreneurs and creative minds with the primary goal of challenging and motivating participants to follow their passion and launch the new business or product they've been thinking about. Over 400 people from a dozen states attended and we expect a bigger crowd this year.
Which speakers are you most excited for in 2010?
I think each of the speakers brings with them an amazing set of experiences and messages. I am excited to have Scott Harrison's depth of topics ranging from philanthropy: water and how he has used new media to raise awareness and funds to make a significant impact in developing countries in Africa. Combine that with the experience of Jason Fried of 37signals, Matt Mullenweg of Automattic, David Hauser of Grasshopper and many others, and it makes for an interesting lineup.
In addition, we are also working to engage some of the emerging startups as the lessons that can be shared are vital to the business community here.
Are there any speakers you haven't announced yet that you're hoping to bring to Big Omaha this year?
We just announced SimpleGeo's Matt Galligan (Revelation), Foodspotting's Alexa Andrzejewski and Foursquare's Dennis Crowley.
Tell me about Silicon Prairie News. What are you guys doing?
In January 2008, I started documenting my travels to other creative communities in the US on my personal blog, Midwest in Manhattan, while working at a tech company based in New York. After a while, I found that instead of writing about entrepreneurs elsewhere that I was inspired by, we had the same talent here in Nebraska and the surrounding area.
I partnered with Dusty Davidson of BrightMix in July 2008 and officially started SiliconPrairieNews.com. Our main goal is to highlight and support entrepreneurs and creatives in our own backyard. In June 2009 we brought on our Managing Editor, Danny Schreiber, and in September 2009 we expanded our primary coverage to include Des Moines, Iowa.
Silicon Prairie News features interviews with entrepreneurs and creatives, reports on startups and established companies, and event announcements. We also have feature posts like the Weekly Wrap Up and Startup Links, a jobs section, a local blog directory, and more.
In addition, we believe it is important to connect people offline and therefore generate events from the periodical Creative Capital Pitch Session in the annual Greater Omaha conference, all designed to bring the region's entrepreneurs and creatives together to explore, meet and engage. Our team is also active Omaha Tweetups, The Omaha Blog Co., BarCamp Omaha and Highlight the Midwest.
How will Big Omaha stand out from other conferences? What makes it special or unique?
When the team and I started planning the first Big Omaha a year and a half ago, we wanted to create a unique and memorable experience for the participants. It's about how you feel when you're there. We asked ourselves: Who and what do you interact with? Is the environment pleasant and fun? Is it remarkable and different from other experiences?
A few things that make Big Omaha more than just speaker names in the lineup:
- Unique venue – It takes place at KANEKO, one of the most creative, interesting and challenging venues in the city. This is not your typical conference venue.
- Experiential elements – art installations, interactive exhibitions and other things that promote interaction with the space and other attendees. Oh, and a DJ.
- Interaction – A huge focus for the entire event is getting people to interact. Parties, meals, happy hours, breaks – everything exists so that people can mingle, meet and interact.
- Fun – When was the last time you had Fruit Rollups and Starbursts at a convention? Signs that read If you're reading this, are you in Big Omaha?
- Attention to detail – We go to great lengths to ensure everyone has a great experience. Ensuring speakers, attendees, volunteers and sponsors feel important and a vital part of the event.
I'll be in Omaha May 13-15 covering the Big Omaha convention. If you want me to cover something specific, please send me a note.
