TAM Technology Acceleration Machine

"Advancing Technology for Humanity" - it could have very well been the very first slide at Singularity University's introduction day, yet it has been the motto of this years IEEE Technology Time Machine 2012 taking place in the beautiful city of Dresden.

http://twitpic.com/9olksc

Imagine technologies, and their impact beyond 2020 is the aim of this newly formed symposium that has brought together leading people in their field in Dresden. It is not by sheer coincidence that Dresden has been chosen as this year's venue. Despite the fact that it is not comparable with Hong Kong (last year), Dresden's high-tech community builds upon a legacy of 800 years of engineering in Saxony being birthed by silver mining (German, 1168 official start of mining in the area) engineers in the early 13th century.

While attending over the course of three days most interesting connections happened to come up, even though some of them really short, and yet the short message service Twitter enabled the engineering crowd to connect easily via the shown official symposium hashtag #IEEETTM.

One of the most memorable moments was meeting the group of YFEL_MI from Masdar Institute of Science and Technology which brought the spirit of the Middle East which I encountered during the 3rd  SoL Global Forum 2008 in Oman. With GLOBALFOUNDRIES Fab 1 based in Dresden-Wilschdorf just on the edge of Dresden city, and in the field of cutting-edge semiconductor technology, there are more connections to Abu Dhabi, and the region than currently obvious. Semperoper Ballett's tour to Abu Dhabi Art Festival in the beginning of April just another connection.

Not doing one thing, one might think (attending #GSP12) may lead to serendipitous other things (as attending the symposium IEEE Technology Time Machine) - sometimes life decides what has to come next ;-) And the past days for sure were a kind of TAM with meeting the world in Dresden!!!

It's the WHY that drives great ideas into being

... and the WHY in my case is: providing a space where people can play to their strengths. Clearly Singularity University is such a space, where for 10 weeks some of the most creative thinking, and ambitious people come together to co-create services, or products that within 10 years effect 1 billion people around the planet in a useful way.

Do these people get funded, and provided with resources one would normally are necessary to achieve such goals? Not quite, they have to bring up by their own (if not winning some of the scholarships due to newly started competitions at universities, and entrepreneurial programs around the world) a "small fee" - $ 25,000.



It is not what the $ 25,000 cost you in money, rather what this amount drives your entrepreneurial mind achieving this impossible looking goal. Even though the financial numbers don't look that promising in my case (roughly 1% of the total amount gathered), the higher is the trust others have in you, and your visions building up an exponential acceleration of what I'd call "Pull of the Entrepreneurial Genius".

The challenge still stays to bring your inner thinking about your vision into words, so others can learn about it, and join in the project. Even though I am not in #GSP12. Stay tuned for more, if interested in what is happening in Dresden.

2012-05-10 Turning Point

Photo: imgres

Yesterday was sort of a crazy day, more in real life than ever for the last days. Meeting close to Blaues Wunder (a most controversially discussed now beloved bridge crossing the River Elbe) with a long-time business friend. Exploring opportunities together with Angela Incampo on how Italian authenticity can be brought to present-day Dresden which is in large built on visionary artifacts made possible by Italians back in the 18th century.

Later that day a job interview, right on time, smoothly flowing conversation, and opening new opportunities for both sides (even some unexpected).

Shortly back home, restarted for attending another version of Flurgespräche (an innovative conversation format with art pedagogy students, yesterday's event was in tune with #BiblioTech12 at Stanford so I tweeted some under #Flurgespraeche) at Technical University Dresden.

While sitting in the session following the amazing work of the coming art teachers, I got a notice from Singularity University - my heart stopped almost beating. "Should I have the place? What might be the message?"

"Thank you for submitting an application to attend Singularity University's 2012 Graduate Studies Program. While our admissions committee commends you for your accomplishments, we are unable to offer you a place in our 2012 class this summer.

We had a record number of applications this year for the GSP program, and the process of selecting 80 outstanding students was more challenging than ever as a result. We appreciate your interest in Singularity University, and wish you all the best in your future endeavors."

Feeling honored, disappointed, and encouraged to go on at the same time - a real moment in time! And nothing is going to stop me to fulfill my dream back from 2008 :-)

Steady Going, Learning Accelerating on the Way

Photo: http://www.seasteading.org/

Over the past few days, quite a lot has happened. For an outsider, it may seem tiny, and often not worthwhile. However spontaneous chats on Facebook with Charles Peralo, a young entrepreneur with drive unprecedented, active at the Seasteading Institute, and amazingly active founding new startups. We have talked about Singularity University and its GSP program. His questions and comments fueled my actions to make it happen this summer once more.

Two days ago I once again got in contact with Søren Petersen, a Danish designer based now in Silicon Valley. Burton Lee of Stanford University connected me last year with Søren when I had started together with a photographer based in Dresden, Daniel Scholz, the project InnoBay.

Of course one could think that real business relevant action is driven only by face to face conversation. Not so in my case as I use real-world contacts, conferences, and the opportunities given by the various social networks, and collaboration tools. "If given a choice .... take both!" - a great advice to be found at Peter's Laws.

A short reflection on what has happened so far with about 40 days to go:

What was good? New contacts, surprising opportunities

What was tricky? Time is ticking away, and the purse is (not yet) raising

What have I learned? Attracting financial backers for a unique innovation (attending a 10-week high tech boot camp in the middle of Silicon Valley with all relevant players to meet) even in Dresden and Saxony is a challenge of its own

Next action? OpenCoffeeClubDresden tomorrow once again, still working on the "perfect" pitch, especially as relevant people from the local tech community will probably attend