#OUREntrepidNetwork – Introducing Nancy Conrad and the Conrad Foundation

A Transformative Educational Experience

The Conrad Foundation honors the legacy of Apollo 12 astronaut, Pete Conrad, and his four-decade passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. Pete spent 20 years as a U.S. Navy Test Pilot and NASA Astronaut. In November 1969, he became the third man to walk on the Moon. After many years as an aerospace explorer, Pete’s entrepreneurial spirit took flight. He founded four companies devoted to the commercialization of space travel. Unfortunately, Pete’s pursuits were cut short with his passing in 1999.

Nancy Conrad, Pete’s wife, shared his passion for inspiring future explorers, often working hand-in-hand with him prior to his death to launch his numerous commercial space businesses. In his passing, Nancy knew she wanted to keep Pete’s spirit for innovation and entrepreneurship alive, but targeted to the next generation of explorers. Stemming from her experience as a high school teacher, Nancy began the Conrad Foundation in 2008 and launched its flagship program, the Conrad Challenge.

Today, the Conrad Foundation is the only organization of its kind whose programs combine science and technology-based education, innovation and entrepreneurship to inspire solutions for achieving global sustainability.

The Conrad Challenge

There are historically two fundamental ways to think: inside the box and outside of the box. At the Conrad Challenge we don’t believe in this philosophy, we encourage students to enjoy the freedom of thinking like there is no box. Because when it comes to innovation, who needs a box?

The Conrad Challenge is an annual, virtual innovation and entrepreneurial competition that encourages young adults to leave their mark on the world. Each year, teams of 2-5 students, ages 13-18, from around the globe create products and/or services that address some of the most pressing global challenges. Guided by teachers and industry experts, the competition becomes a master class in collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and communication. As a result, students develop skills needed to thrive in the 21st century workforce and bring to life commercially-viable innovations that have the potential to change life for the better on the individual, national and global levels. All of the Conrad participants own their ideas, and many go on to create companies, license their IP, and use their experience in their college applications.

The Conrad Challenge provides numerous opportunities for involvement from students and teachers, to professionals in industry and academia who serve as judges and subject matter experts, as well as organizations who serve as sponsors and partners.

 

To find out more about the Conrad Challenge and how you can get involved visit conradchallenge.org.

Please support founder/Chairman Nancy Conrad and the Conrad Foundation team by giving this a LIKE, SHARE it with your wider networks and JOIN their communities on Twitter and  Facebook.

Here WE Grow!

Doug Parker | #kickassdoug

#OUREntrepidNetwork: Introducing Startup Weekend Conejo Valley – Sports, November 3-5, 2017 in Thousand Oaks, California

http://startupweekendconejovalley.com
http://startupweekendconejovalley.com

Calling all startup junkies, makers, inventors, coders, and sports enthusiast!

SWCV-Sports (source – www.startupweekendconejovalley.com)

We are looking for the next big thing in Sports, Fitness, and Performance.

Startup Weekend is a 54 hour event, where attendees pitch ideas, form teams and launch companies/products. The event is very community focused and provides a place for budding entrepreneurs to find co-founders, mentors and momentum for their ideas.

Participants have 60 seconds pitch an idea of concept , the pitches are whittled down to the top ideas, and then teams form around the ideas to come out with several developed companies. Finally, the weekend culminates with demonstrations in front of an audience of judges and potential investors on Sunday for Demo Day.

Sports Academy is the only fully integrated, multi-disciplinary athletic training and integrated sports medicine facility designed to elevate the performance of athletes of all ages and ability levels.  Facilitated by premier coaches, certified trainers, and medical and recovery professionals, we provide the tools, inspiration, and guidance necessary for every athlete to excel. Combined with state-of-the-art technology, a biomechanics lab, sports science, and the development of mental fitness and acuity, our sport-specific and athlete-specific programs are designed to guide athletes toward their optimal state of performance.

To learn more about Startup Weekend Conejo Valley and how you can participate and support visit www.startupweekendconejovalley.com.

Please help support the Startup Weekend Conejo valley team by giving this a LIKE and SHARE it with your wider social networks.

Thank you to the combined effort of the leaders and volunteers on the TechStars, HUB101.la, SportsAcademy.us and the Startup Weekend Conejo Valley teams for your support of our community of athletes, innovators and entrepreneurs.

www.TechStars.com, www.HUB101.la, www.SportsAcademy.us

Here WE Grow!

#StartupWeekendConejoValley-Sports, @TechStars, @HUB101, @SportsAcademyHQ, #ThousandOaks, #CA, #sports, #tech, #innovation, #entrepreneur, #startups, #ourentrepidnetwork, #herewegrow

OUR Entrepid Network – Introducing Startup Weekend Ventura County, April 21-23, 2017

PURSUING INNOVATIVE IDEAS IN HEALTHCARE & AGRICULTURE

Intrapreneurs, Entrepreneurs and Engineers to join forces to create innovative IoT and Big Data solutions for Healthcare and Agriculture

Startup Weekend Ventura County (SWVC) 2017 will offer two cash awards as seed money, $10,000 to the most likely to succeed startup in healthcare and $10,000 to the most likely to succeed startup in agriculture. The winners will be selected by a panel of judges made up primarily of CEOs of local corporations.

The likelihood to succeed of each team will be measured by the CEO judge panel along the following parameters: entrepreneurialism of the leader, strength in skill set of the team, value of the proposed product/service, understanding of customers’ profiles and demographics, size of the market opportunity, feasibility of the proposed product/service, competitiveness of the proposed product/service, and ease of market entry.

“The City of Camarillo is the sole sponsor of the $10,000 cash award for agriculture “says Gary Cushing, CEO of Camarillo Chamber. “The $10,000 cash award for healthcare is provided by the other sponsors of SWVC. In particular, we like to acknowledge the generous contributions of the County of Ventura, Meissner Filtration Products and Semtech Corporation.”

Startup Weekend Ventura County (http://startupweekendvc.com), organized by Camarillo Chamber of Commerce and Dignity Health St. Johns Hospitals, will be held on April 21, 22 and 23, 2017 at Rancho Campana High School in Camarillo, California. This 54-hour event invites intrapreneurial agriculturalists and healthcare specialists to team up with entrepreneurs, engineers and business professionals to address healthcare and agricultural challenges with innovative big data solutions.

To learn more about SWVC 2017 visit www.StartupWeekendVenturaCounty.com

RepWatch, Startup Weekend Ventura County 2016 health care track winners, is one of five teams to make it to the finals of Arizona State University’s Innovation Open Competition. They are now in the running for the $100,000 1st place prize. Finals are April 2nd, 2017.

Here WE Grow!

Doug Parker | Linkedin – kickassdoug

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Recent SWVC 2017 press releases:

Healthcare and Agriculture End User Challenges

SWVC2017 Prize Packages 

SWVC 2017 Judges Panel

Western Growers Association Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology Supports SWVC 2017

Semtech to Sponsor Second-Annual Startup Weekend Ventura County

CAMARILLO, Calif., Feb. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Semtech Corporation(Nasdaq:SMTC), a leading supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, today announced it is the technology sponsor of Startup Weekend Ventura County 2017.

Semtech, headquartered in Camarillo, will provide participants complete developer kits, featuring its LoRa® Devices and Wireless RF Technology for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, and LinkCharge™ wireless charging systems, as well as onsite engineering assistance during the 54-hour event. In addition, Semtech will award a $15,000 cash prize, mentorship and resources, to a winning company from each category (agriculture and healthcare).

 

OUR Entrepid Network – Introducing Tim Leake and RPA

www.rpa.com

People First

When reflecting on his role, Tim Leake, SVP / Creative, Marketing & Innovation at independent advertising agency RPA says ‘I’m a little bit ECD (leading creative for our clients), a little bit CMO (leading our new business efforts) and a little bit Chief Innovation Officer (making sure we’re an agency built for the needs of tomorrow, not yesterday).’ That pretty much sums up the impression you get about the culture as a whole when visiting the RPA Headquarters. It’s all about people and values and creativity and passion unleashed. From an outsiders point of view, it’s quite fantastic.

In their own words: ‘We are hundreds of creative minds, collaborating together in sunny Santa Monica, California — where we’ve been based, and independently-led and -owned, for 30 years. We are driven by a mission to create ideas and experiences that put “People First,” within a culture that values our own people and empowers them to create best-in-class work. It’s a unique culture that nurtures enduring relationships — with our people and our client partners.’

To learn more about RPA visit https://www.rpa.com.

RPA in the news

Honda brings celebrity yearbook photos to life (Super Bowl Ad by RPA)

To support Tim and RPA, please LIKE and SHARE this post with your extended networks and join RPA’s communities on LinkedinFaceBookInstagramPinterest and Twitter.

Here WE Grow!

Doug Parker | Linkedin – kickassdoug