INNO Launches Monthly Open Innovation Salon Series
Last year Revelry partnered with several local and national businesses to launch INNO, a cross-industry innovation conference hosted right here in New Orleans, to fill the void left by Collision.
Since last year’s inaugural conference, there’s been a lot of interest in continuing the conversation around innovation in New Orleans and the Gulf South region. To heed the call, INNO decided to launch a monthly Open Innovation event where community members can come together regularly to connect with one another, discuss their ideas, and get advice from industry leaders.
An Evening of Open Innovation
Last week INNO hosted the first-ever innovation salon along with co-sponsors NOLA Brewing Company and Scale Workspace. Despite the unusually frigid temperatures, there was an excellent turnout with a diverse, well-rounded crowd. People from all different industries showed up—tech, entertainment, food and beverage, and logistics. There were even a few students in the room. All around, it was a solid group of folks who were all engaged in telling their stories and interested in learning about what everyone else was working on.
Gerard Ramos, CEO and Co-Founder of Revelry, and Charles Carriere, President and Founder of Scandy, served as this month’s industry mentors. They kicked off the event with Open Office Hours—each held four 30-minute sessions—where participants could bring all of their questions and get feedback on their ideas. The response has been very positive. Community members were grateful for their invaluable time and advice. One participant left his meeting saying, “I’ve got a lot of homework to do, but man, I feel invigorated and excited!” (Heads up, these spots are limited, and they fill up fast. To secure a spot, sign up for the next salon well in advance.)
Another highlight of the night was the Idea Pitch Session where attendees were invited to pitch their ideas in front of Gerard, Charles, and their peers. Four volunteers pitched their ideas, and the entire room (not just the industry leaders) cast their vote for the best pitch of the night. Tulane student Joel Hochman won for his mental healthcare app, Mind, and took home the $1,000 prize.
Come One, Come All!
Overall the night was a hit, and there will be many more to come. Next month’s salon will take place on Thursday, December 5, at Scale Workspace. Participants who sign up for Open Office Hours will have the opportunity to meet with Brent McCrossen, a successful founder and CEO of multiple media tech companies. Come for the networking, discussions, good (free) beer, and maybe you’ll leave $1,000 richer. For more details, head to https://innoconf.com/salons/, and sign up.
And heads up! INNO2020 is right around the corner. Don’t miss this chance to meet other innovators and creatives from all over the world, gain insight from industry all-stars and thought leaders, and forge the connections that matter to your business and community.
Hope to see y’all there!