Why the Future of Money?

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As you may know,  The Future of Money and Technology comes on the heels of our first series, the SF MusicTech Summit.  After 3 years producing a now internationally-recognized show, building a community of over 15,000 followers with regular attendance over 700 per show, why the move to finance?

Well first off, the SF MusicTech Summit is still going strong, with our 6th production coming up on May 17th.  We have been so inspired by the business deals we’ve watched happen at the show, impressed by the products that have launched and raised funding shortly after, and amazed at the progress and innovation that gets discussed right on the floor.  With the economy scaring so many people, we knew that the converging fields of finance and new technology had to be our next step.  We want to make sure innovation continues to flourish, despite financial pressures; that leaders in every industry continue to collaborate, discuss challenges, and spread new ideas.  And what better way to do this than with another groundbreaking conference in San Francisco, one of the most fertile grounds for new ideas in the world?

Why now?

Folks have been aggressively seeking change, beginning to reconsider things previously assumed as just part of the system: from credit card processing fees and late charges, to the very structure of our bartering system, from virtual economies on up to the very necessity of currency and banks.   However, the industry has only just begun to push at the boundaries currently set around the space; the incredible influx of new technology, businesses, and research shows that an incredible amount of progress can still be made.

And we all know that 2012 is the end of the world, so we better fix things before then, else we go down in history like this. 😉

Key Topics and Takeaways

I asked producer Brian Zisk what his favorite aspect of this project was, what he most looked forward to.  He responds that he looks forward to the new perspectives he knows will be presented to and by business founders, and to watch them find what they need to really take off – be it a partner, a service, a promotional partner, or even a new idea – possibly before they even realized they were missing it.

Personally, I have found our speakers already challenging many of my own preconceived ideas surrounding commerce.  Never before had I thought it was even possible to question the value of currency, or that credit card fees might be unnecessary for the business to still flourish.  The very idea that we don’t need banks to exchange money, or that we could open-source our financial institutions at some point astounds me.  It has left me incredibly excited for the summit, to see what more I can take away from a room filled with so many incredible and intelligent individuals

We certainly hope you can join us at this inspiring event, and hope it too changes your own approach to the entire industry.

Prepare Your Elevator Pitches

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What makes our Summits unique? There is an extra level of folks interacting with each other, finding out what everyone else is up to, in order to help and connect. One of the unique ways we do this is through our Elevator Pitch Session. These have become one of the most positively commented upon sessions at our SF MusicTech Summits, so we’ve decided to carry them right on over to The Future of Money and Technology Summit.

Run by Brian Zisk (the author of this blog post, and organizer of the Summit) in a session slot, everyone in the room who wants can briefly pitch what they are working on, what they are looking for, and what they hope to accomplish. While some folks take up to a minute max, Brian leads with a concise example of a 20 second pitch. It is our belief that if you have your act together, you can easily express what you are working on in 30 seconds or less, the time it approximately takes from when a potential partner gets on the elevator, to when you both arrive at the ground floor. These dozens of brief presentations (we have fit 100 into an hour) usually lead to feedback, constructive criticism, potential partnerships, and paths towards moving forwards. The session is structured to facilitate a supportive and welcoming conversation, encouraging innovation and a flourishing marketplace of ideas.

Interested? All you have to do is show up with a short and sweet pitch. Some folks like to prepare, but the true stars can do this in their sleep. If you don’t have a short and sweet rap, it is in your best interest to always have one ready, whether presenting at this session, or not.

It is a great way to connect with what other participants are doing. Learning what folks are up to is one of my favorite parts of the Summit, and the Elevator Pitch Session is a great way to get up to speed on what a whole bunch of folks are doing, in less than an hour.

Look forward to seeing you there…