Girls In Tech

Yes, it’s that time of year again — To vote for your favorite panels (& favorite organizations that put them together!  {hint, hint} ) and this coming year’s will be a great one for Girls in Tech.  The topic:  Entrepreneur-ism.  The panelists:   Extraordinary.  We’re very excited about it, as entrepreneurs are some of our favorite people, and a strong core of our membership base here at Girls in Tech.  So, without further ado, we’d like to unveil it here & ask for your support:

Interactive 2012 Panel:  Everybody’s a Bloody Entrepreneur!  Or are they?

There was an article – or 100 – the other day that said something about entrepreneurs being…The life blood of society!  The new drivers of our economy! The largest employers of our citizens!  The solution to our problems!   And what about all the LinkedIn profiles stating “Entrepreneur” as a title?  But are all these “entrepreneurs” really entrepreneurs?  We’ll be hashing through what entrepreneurship really means, what a startup really is, and what innovation really makes a difference on society and the economy, (What is “making a difference” anyway?). Our panel will be a group of diverse “entrepreneurs” – from high-growth speedups, as described by Startup America, to social entrepreneurs who might not provide huge financial returns but contribute in other ways.  And we’ll be talking about the similarities and differences between everyone’s idea of their own Entrepreneurship. It’s a frank discussion on some of the realities and frustrations surrounding this debate.

The panel will address the following questions:

• What does being an entrepreneur really mean? What are some key characteristics of an entrepreneur?
• When does your start-up actually start making a significant impact? And what does impact mean?
• What are the some ways you get from being an “Entrepreneur” to being an Entrepreneur?
• How do entrepreneurs empower organic entrepreneurship values throughout their organizations?
• How do entrepreneurs themselves go through the process of defining their success?

Our Esteemed Panelists

1. Adriana Gascoigne ‐ Girls in Tech
2. Terry Chase Hazell ‐ RampCorp
3. Alexis Maybank ‐ Gilt Groupe
4. Nancy Spears ‐ genConnect

So please, as they say:  Vote early, and vote often! …Or pass it on, anyway.  Let all your friends and contacts know about this enlightening, enriching panel by these fine women in tech!   Vote here: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/11363

Thanks to each one of you, in advance,  for all your support!  See all ya’ll in Austin!

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, Alexis Maybank, entrepreneurism, entrepreneurship, genconnect, Gilt Group, Kate Brodock, Nancy Spears, RampCorp, sxsw, Terry Chase Hazell, Women Entrepreneurs
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From March 11 through 15, genConnect.com was on-site in downtown Austin, TX conducting personal interviews with speakers slated to appear at SXSWi. They were able to interview Kate Brodock, our CMO, on her involvement with GIT as well as  her work at her digital brand management firm, the Other Side Group.  She was interviewed along side several other wonderful women, including  Valeria Maltoni, Elisa Camahort Page, Laura Fitton, Liz Strauss, and many more.

Check out more great videos over at genConnect.

video courtesy of: genConnect

Tags: genconnect, girls in tech, Kate Brodock, sxsw, SXSWi
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It’s the third day of SXSW Interactive, and the conference is as activity-filled and chaotic as I was told it would be. If I were to ascribe a one-word theme to SXSW it would be: SERENDIPITY. Random and cool interactions can occur once an hour if you keep your eyes open. One such lucky encounter I had was last night on Red River Street — while wandering around, I ran into the Ice Cream Man, a team of guys whose “mission is to travel the country, eventually the world, giving away FREE ice cream.” Click here to read all about the organization’s quest to prove that dreams are meant to be fulfilled.

The Ice Cream Man truck is cruising the streets of Austin handing out free ice cream to the delight of many sweet-tooth attendees here at SXSW. Their goal is to give away ice cream to half a million SXSW attendees. Follow them on Twitter, @icecreamman, to track down their whereabouts.

There may be no such thing as free lunch but there IS such thing as FREE ICE CREAM!

Tags: @icecreamman, FREE ICE CREAM, Ice Cream Man, sxsw, SXSW Interactive
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Calling all the girls in tech at SXSW! – we have an awesome show planned. Check out the details below to learn more and get involved!

Not only are we hosting an unofficial meet-up on the opening night of SXSW Interactive but we are also hosting a Core Conversation session on “Bridging the Geo-Gap to Empower Women in Technology.” More details on both are below in case you are going to be in Austin and want to attend. And if you aren’t in Austin, feel free to connect with us online – we’ll be tweeting with the #GITgeo hashtag during the session.

You can also follow the Girls in Tech conversations by following us on Twitter (@GITweet) or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2507318683&ref=ts.

Girls in Tech SXSWi 2011 Meet-Up

Join us on Friday, March 11th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Canvas Bar & Gallery. We’ll be kicking off SXSWi right with you! And get there early because we’ll have free BBQ snacks from County Line (dee-lish!) and Firefly Vodka until it runs out. You’ll have a chance to mix and mingle with the ladies in tech and also learn how to join a Girls in Tech chapter in your area and other activities we have planned for SXSWi.

Please note: No badges are required but you must RSVP in advance.

Go to: Nuvola/Canvas Bar & Gallery (105 East 5th Street) (512) 391-9181

*The venue recently changed its name but in same location as Canvas Bar & Gallery*

On: Friday, March 11, 2011

From: 5:30-7:30 pm

For: Girls in Tech, BBQ, Vodka and Fun

Girls in Tech SXSWi Unofficial Meet-Up

Friday, March 11, 2011 – 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Marriott Courtyard – Rio Grande A (300 East 4th Street)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ AND ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(for those who already have tickets)

Our Girls in Tech Panel: Bridging the Geo-Gap to Empower Women in Technology

Saturday, March 12, 2011 with our Founder, Adriana Gascoigne – 3:30 – 4:30 pm

same location as above – Marriott Courtyard, Room Rio Grande A

http://austin2011.sched.org/event/13fccb1789c5183dbade15616b7b0397

Overview: In the past several years, more organizations supporting women in technology have popped up than we can count and keep track of, each addressing the under-representation of women in the fields of science and technology in their own way, and working to improve that situation. If you’re a woman in a developed country, groups and organizations for women in tech are everywhere. We’ve highlighted them at SXSW for years. We’ve experienced the improvements, and we see progress towards more.

However, in many parts of the world, these types of initiatives are either just starting – with varying levels of organization and support – or they’re non-existent…but they’re just as important as they are here. Luckily, another increase that’s occurred in the past several years is the number of global connections around the world. Duh, so what? It means the influence of these types of organizations can have global involvement, global support and thus global effects. By connecting women in tech at a global level, the same progress we’re seeing in the US can be leveraged for the purpose of empowerment, building relationships, shared resources and crowdsourcing, and ultimately the elevation of all women in science and technology.

by Lauren Warthan, Austin chapter, (onsite) w/ @christine1oneto

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, girls in tech, GIT, sxsw, SXSWi
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The annual SXSW (South By Southwest) festival in Austin kicks off this week, and I’ll be attending for the first time. Suffice it to say that while I’m very excited, I’ve also heard enough about the event to know it’s quite a chaotic scene. So I tapped into the wealth of information available online for advice on getting the most out of the event. If you’re a first-timer, check out these tips from from veteran attendees:

- Plan your sessions: There is a seemingly endless number of sessions to attend, and they’re scattered all over the place. Put together a calendar of must-attend sessions and map it out so you know the best route to get from one point to another.

- But factor in some spontaneity: Commit to a few sessions/events but otherwise be open to the unexpected. Keep an eye on Twitter for realtime activities that crop up.

- Get to know the layout of the conference center and surrounding area: If you’re arriving early, walk around the conference center and familiarize yourself with the landscape.

- Cross-pollinate: Don’t settle into groups of people you already know. Get outside of your comfort zone and meet new people. Be outgoing and introduce yourself to strangers. Veteran attendees say that SXSW is the easiest place to meet people.

- Attend parties: Believe it or not, parties are the best place to network. Good business contacts are often forged at SXSW parties. But if you drink alcohol, pace yourself (for obvious reasons).

- Bring extra battery juice: Available power outlets are scarce so make sure you have extenders and/or extra batteries for all your gadgets.

- Get plenty of sleep before and after: The bottom line is that you’re not going to get a lot of sleep while you’re at SXSW. So stock up on sleep before and after.

- Drink plenty of water: It’s all fun and games until someone gets dehydrated and faints.

- Bring Tylenol and/or aspirin: This is critical if you plan on imbibing alcohol but a nice-have even if you don’t. The event is loud and crowded; this may be enough to induce a headache.

- Pack a first-aid kit: If you get a small boo-boo, don’t count on the availability of band-aids.

- Wear comfortable attire and shoes: During the month of March, Austin is typically warm during the day and cold at night, so wear layers. The vibe is casual, so an outfit of jeans and a t-shirt is perfectly acceptable. Also, since you’ll be walking a lot, wear shoes that won’t give you blisters and sore feet.

- Pack food and/or plan on going off-site: The conference center does not offer a wide array of food.

Additional information:

- Click here for information and maps for getting around SXSW.

- Here’s the official SXSW guide for first-timers.

- Check out the top FAQs on the official SXSW site.

- View the complete SXSW schedule of sessions and events here.

- Click here to view the Interactive schedule.

- Click here to view the Film schedule.

- Click here to view the Music schedule.

- Download the official SXSW mobile app, which “allows you to view/build your schedule, see a map of what’s happening and how to get there, navigate the tradeshow, stay connected to the social world and more!”

Sources:

* The Unofficial SXSW Survival Guide by David Armano

* Your SXSW Survival Guide by Aaron Brazell

* SXSW Survival Guide 2010 by Jake McKee

* Rock Insider’s Survival Guide To SXSW 2009 by JAX

Any other important advice us first-timers should know? And hey, if you’re going to be at SXSW this year and want to meet up, let me know! Email me: bnguyen@boingo.com. Cheers!

Tags: Austin, Baochi Nguyen, sxsw, tips
Posted in All Chapters | 4 Comments »

Every year, not just the tech community, but the wider business community (not to mention music & film) gets together for South by Southwest in Austin. This year, please help support our Girls in Tech charter by voting for our panel to be selected and represent you and all women in tech next March!

This year’s proposed topic is: “Bridging the Geo-Gap to Empower Women in Technology.”  Groups supporting the increase of numbers of women in technology have sprouted up and are tremendous.  working to improve that situation. If you’re a woman in a developed country, groups and organizations for women in tech are everywhere.  However, in many parts of the world, these types of initiatives are either just starting – with varying levels of organization and support – or they’re non-existent.  But, we all now they are just as important — if not more important — in bringing these areas of the globe up to the level to be able to adapt and even compete with their counterparts abroad.  Thus, by connecting women in tech on a global level, we can begin to make in-roads to start making things happen in these disadvantaged areas as well.  The panel will address following questions:

1. What’s the current state of women in technology both “home” and abroad?
2. What have been current obstacles in some parts of the world for these initiatives, and what are some solutions?
3. What are some of the ways we’ve been able to bridge the geo-gap to connect women in technology around the world?
4. What are some ways we hope to improve the geo-gap to empower women in technology?
5. What are some specific examples/case studies of this being successful?

So, cast your ‘thumbs up’ now, as voting closes soon. Now it’s our turn to start to “pay it forward” in a big way!

VOTE here: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/7848 (Panel Picker closes Fri., Aug. 27th at 1 minute till midnight)

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, Christine Oneto, South by Southwest, sxsw, SXSW 2010, SXSW panel picker, women in technology
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This is a guest post by Jennifer Webb, with additional details from GITNYC chapter leader, Tommy Jenkins.

Before you know it, March 12th will be here.

Why is that exciting? That’s the day South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) blasts off — a guaranteed good time to network with your technology peers whom you otherwise wouldn’t get a chance to meet face to face, get up to date on emerging technologies from the brightest minds in the industry and broaden your areas of interest!

GIT will kick off the week with a networking event from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 12th, in the downstairs room at Fogo de Chao. You can expect wonderful libations, terrific food and great company.

If you want more information on the event, drop an e-mail to Kristine Gloria for more information on the event.

I, personally, am very excited to attend as it is my first GIT event and first SXSWi Festival – I can’t wait to stop by the Women Techies United booth (Stand 219!), which will include reps from GIT, as well as Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, Astia, DevChix, Digital Sistas, LinuxChix, National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), She’s Geeky, Women 2.0 and Women Who Tech. These 10 organizations aim to help tech women network at SXSW.

As a Dell employee with a passion for women’s leadership and development, I set a yearly goal to get engaged in a broader “Women in Tech” network in Austin, and GIT gets me there! I look forward to seeing everyone there.

Of course, we’d like to thank the fine people at Porter Novelli Austin, Unwired Nation and Ranch Road Design and Printing for donating their time, talent and treasure! Plus, thanks to the GITNYC chapter, who got us included in the Women Techies booth, and to Sanford Dickert for providing the funds necessary for inclusion.

We’d also like to thank David Hou and Lan Nguyen from DramaFever.com for creating the Women United logo:

Without all of you, this wouldn’t be happening!

See you on the 12th!
Jennifer Webb

Tags: sxsw, SXSW 2010
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In the interest of keeping my SxSW “Round-Up” short and sweet, I wanted to share just a few highlights from this year’s SxSW Interactive conference.

Unfortunately I didn’t visit a ton of panels this year mainly because I’ve already heard most of the folks that were speaking during past events, so I was very selective and a little biased on which discussions I sat in on. I visited the Virtual Goods panel moderated by Susan Wu, featuring Andrew Sheppard, hi5, Kevin Dasch, IMVU, and Susan Choe of Outspark. This was a very compelling panel because it helped bring clarity to the billion dollar question – how the heck are social networks going to make money? Social ads don’t seem to be working, so should the focus turn to primarily direct-user transactions, such as virtual goods, games and premium content? The consensus from the panel was YES. Read more on the panel from VirtualGoodsNews here: SxSW Virtual Goods Panel

I also took some time to peep into the Social Media for Sustainability discussion. Other than the aggression that lingered in the room, I felt that there were some really compelling speakers on board. Primarily Emily Gertz, a blogger for Change.org. The primary take-away here was to focus on the bigger issue, how to create awareness through social media tools to enforce and encourage realistic sustainability. Creating friction about taking a plane to the conference because of the pollution it causes is not a great argument, however, creating buzz around why purchasing a Prius might not be as fuel-efficient and great for the environment as people originally thought, is interesting and an important discussion.

Another interesting session that I dropped in on was the Engagement 1.0 panel featuring Ivan Askwith from Big Spaceship, Abigail De Koznik, Assistant Professor, UC Berkeley and Henry Jenkins, from MIT. This panel highlighted US pop culture as having a rich history of fan engagement. It examined the involvement in immersive storytelling forms such as ARGs and MMORPGs; exploring how these interactive narratives can be better understood in comparison with longstanding fan practices. It’s so fascinating how “fandome” is such a common practice for humans, since the beginning of time. Social networking has just enhanced it by making it more accessible and viral.

The parties and dinners at SxSW were pretty fun as well . . . Some of my favorites included the Digerati dinner with Edelman’s Rick Murray, the Vidoop/Girls in Tech party, the WordPress BBQ, the imeem party and of course the Facebook party. Unfortunately Girls in Tech could not get into the Mashable party, however, we heard that it was a sticky, sweaty madhouse anyway.

All-in-all, a great time! It was such an immense pleasure meeting some of the Girls in Tech members and managing directors from all over the world. That was the true highlight for me.

Tags: girls in tech, Rohit Bhargava, sxsw, Update, women in tech
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For those Girls in Tech members that are flying in from all around the globe to attend SxSW’s vast array of lectures, panels, workshops, and parties, we’ve created a quick and dirty calendar for you to review in case you’d like to attend the events where the Girls in Tech Austin chapter and Corporate will have a presence.

Cowgirls, pack your party boots, festive hats and honky-tonk lassos because this is going to be a week to remember!

FRIDAY, 3/13

TWEET-UP: SXSW Opening Tweet-up @ Champs at 3:00 pm

PARTY: CoWorking Meet-up @ San Jose Hotel at 7:30 pm

PARTY: TechSet Party @ the Belmont at 8:00 pm (Badge only)

PARTY: Pastries & Pasties @ Emos at 9:00 pm (Badge only)

SATURDAY, 3/14

Panel: 
11:30 am – 12:30 pm — Nerd Network: Building an Online Community for Developers
GiT-Austin Boardmember, Deirdre Walsh, will be presenting

Panel:
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm — Future of Social Networks featuring Charlene Li

PARTY: The Bigg Digg Shindigg @ Stubbs at 6:30 pm

PARTY: FrogDesign party @Mexican Art Museum @ 8:30 pm

PARTY: Toobla after party @ The Belmont at 11:00 pm

SUNDAY, 3/15

Panel:
11:30 am – 12:30 pm — Blackboards or Backchannels: The Techno-Induced Classroom of Tomorrow GiT-Austin Boardmember, Archana Ramachandrana, will be presenting

Panel:
11:30 am – 12:30 pm — Making Whuffle: Raising Social Capital on Online Communities presented by Tara Hunt

Panel:
11:30 am – 12:30 pm — Moms Who Tech presented by Beth Blecherman

PARTY: WordPress/GiT BBQ @ Conjunctured — 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Volunteers needed; please arrive by 1:00 pm

PARTY: Vidoop/ MySpace/GiT House Party on South Congress — 3:30 pm
2105 Nickerson Street
Austin, Texas 78704
*Volunteers needed; please arrive at 3:00 pm

MONDAY, 3/16

Panel:
10:00 am – 11:00 am — Gaming as a Gateway Drug: How to get Girls Interested in Technology presented by GirlStart

Panel:
11:30 am – 12:30pm — Are Women Taken More Seriously on the Web presented by Blagica Bottigliero

Tags: Austin, Events, girls in tech, Interactive, Parties, sxsw, women in tech
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SXSW is upon us. It’s only two days away! Everyone from across the country in the fields of Film, Tech, and Music will gather in Austin, TX for what will be 10 days of networking, live music, panels, book signings, screenings, and not to mention a few parties. I, unfortunately, have never attended and won’t be attending this year. However, I am sure I will be kept well informed and entertained by following what’s going on there on Twitter and Facebook.

One of the events that is taking place at SXSW is the “How LA Has Built A Successful Tech Community” organized by Sloane Berrent and Andrew Warner. It’s actually more like what Sloane called a ‘core conversation’ rather than a panel. The essence of the conversation will be based on this:

“Los Angeles has become a hub for tech startups with new ones popping up every day. Relationships are being formed and VCs are paying attention. Universities are showcasing developer opportunities unique to the city. So how did this happen? Welcome to networking 2.0. From Lunch 2.0 to Interactive Community Coalitions, BarCamp to Twiistup, LA is a great case study of how to build a successful tech community in your city. Join the organizers of the city’s most popular networking events for tips, advice, the how to’s and what-not-to-do’s to make your city’s community pop.”

Being a part of that thriving community spearheading the efforts of Girls in Tech in LA, I have to say there’s a lot going on here and people ought to start taking notice. 

If you are attending SXSW, then I highly recommend you attend this event. It is sure to be a lively, entertaining, and eye-opening conversation. Details are below:

Room Hilton E

Saturday, March 14th

5 – 6PM

Y’all have fun at SXSW!

Tags: Los Angeles, sxsw, tech
Posted in Los Angeles | 1 Comment »