CSIA Online

Tips for Surviving (and thriving at) DEMOgala

Dave Haucke — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:48:36 +0000

As a representative of ISYS Search Software, I can relay our past experience as one of the DEMOgala showcase companies. In highlighting our experiences, I’ll include some tips for making the most of your day at the October 2 event (reminder: register today!).

ISYS was extremely pleased to be selected as one of the showcase companies two years ago. And we certainly made the most of it. Sparing you the full details, our staff dressed up like pirates and had attendees embark on a treasure hunt, all for the purposes of getting attendees interested in ISYS and our fellow showcase companies. It was a terrific experience for us and a great way to illustrate Colorado’s strength as a hub for technological innovation.

As for tips? We have some good ones for you, so without further delay, let’s get right to it.

Wear comfortable shoes: Leave the steel-toes and stilletos at home. This year is so jam-packed with conference sessions, panels and keynotes that you’ll be racing from one room to the other. Plus, the elite group of showcase companies are sure to keep you even busier as you visit each one. Think SXSW or a large music festival, where all your favorites bands are back to back to back.
Eat your Wheaties: piggy-backing off the previous point, you’ll need your energy to get through the day. The event starts in the morning and continues on all through the evening. And the amazing thing is you won’t want it to end. Past attendees continually comment on how much value they get out of DEMOgala, from education to networking.
Devise your plan of attack: Aside from the 20 showcase companies on hand throughout the day, we have sessions covering everything from Web 2.0 to advertising to healthcare and beyond, many of them overlapping. Conspire with your colleagues on who will attend what, and then share what you learned.
Bring 150 business cards: Yes, the networking is that good. Between you and your co-workers, you’ll have the opportunity to meet hundreds of like-minded business professionals, so take full advantage of this networking potential. Don’t forget to register!

DEMOgala Participant Raises New Round

Dave Haucke — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:31:17 +0000

In case you snoozed this week or forgot to check your news feeds, our friends over at Lijit Networks secured $7.1 million in a Series C round of financing. There are any number of things to love about this deal, but as an organization that devotes every waking hour (and some sleeping ones too) toward promoting Colorado technology, CSIA is also excited to see the deal was homegrown, funded solely by Colorado venture capitalists, Foundry Group and Colorado Fund I (managed by High Country Venture).

We chose to highly Lijit’s great news to also call attention to the company’s participation in the upcoming DEMOgala conference. CEO Todd Vernon will join other technology leaders to discuss the topic “Controlling the World’s Information.” Given the company’s prowess in developing search-powered applications for online publishers and online publisher networks, we think Lijit will add tremendous value to the discussion.

Read up on this panel, and browse the dozens of other topics we’ll be showcasing on October 2, 2008.

Innovation in Company Culture – The Zappos Way

Dan Ogdon — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:37:43 +0000

Would you pay perfectly capable, even exceptional employees to leave your organization? Would you place high level management new hires in entry level positions for a month before they took over command of their post? This may seem strange and unproductive to you, but to Zappos it is core to company culture and values.

A recent article from the Washington Times explains the “reacquainted importance of culture” in an organization. And Zappos is leading the charge. Excerpt:

Culture matters - whether in attracting great people to begin with, motivating them to continue giving their best or retaining them. Recognizing this, forward-thinking organizations across the sectors are emphasizing culture as a strategic imperative.

Alfred Lin, Chairman, CFO, COO for Zappos will be hosting a panel at DEMOgala this year speaking in regards to the destructive yet totally constructive innovation in culture and customer care. Attend and learn from the pioneer of new corporate culture.

More on Zappos Culture from the ABC news story – Click Here >>

Learn more about DEMOgala Panels >>

Learn more about DEMOgala Speakers >>

2008 DEMOgala — Save the Date

Dave Haucke — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:45:15 +0000

CSIA is pleased to announce the 4th Annual DEMOgala showcase and innovation conference, which will take place on Thursday, October 2, at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Denver. Mark your calendars, bookmark this blog and check back often as we chronicle what’s to come with this year’s DEMOgala.

As Colorado’s Technology Association, CSIA is committed to highlighting the state’s broad mix of tech companies, and DEMOgala serves as one of our marquee events for showcasing technological innovation in Colorado. This year’s event centers around the theme of “Deconstruction – Reconstruction: How startups and incumbents are leveraging dispruptive technologies to take advantage of a changing world.”

In the coming weeks, this blog will play host to event updates, DEMOgala panel and speaker previews, guest posts, sneak peeks from DEMOgala showcase companies, and more. We invite you to bookmark this blog and follow along as we lead up to the main event. Contact us today to learn more about becoming a sponsor, attending the event or submitting your company as a potential DEMOgala showcase company.