How do you make an unplanned and unrehearsed technology and innovation conference not only possible but also unforgettable? Our fellow tech-enthusiasts at MassTLC achieved the unlikely with their 2013 Innovation unConference.
Last Friday at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston over 1,000 CEOs, investors, law firms, start-ups, managers, and students congregated for a day of answering and asking questions, networking, mentoring, and sharing their excitement about Boston’s newest ventures. The concept was simple: no panels, no keynotes, no advertising pitches, and no set plan whatsoever. The fate of the conference was left entirely in the hands of the participants.
“What I liked most about the unConference was the ability for all attendees to develop and participate in the program. Anyone with a compelling topic could propose it, and the group collectively set the agenda. The discussion format of each session provided all participants a chance to dive into the conversation. As such, the number of voices in a discussion was much greater and more diverse than a traditional conference. Representing Microsoft, I was grateful for the opportunity to engage with such a broad cross-section of the Greater Boston tech community,” explained Cathy Wissink, Director, Technology Community Engagement at Microsoft.
Don’t forget to keep this unConference on your radar when it comes back around next year! In the meantime, check out a more in depth recap of the day (with plenty of pictures and social feedback!) here.
**photos taken from Instagram #uncon. Thanks for great pictures everyone!
