When: Wednesday June 19th, 2013 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm.

Where: The Art Gallery of Hamilton – Joey and Toby Tanebaum Pavilion – 123 King Street West Hamilton, Ontario

Tickets

Keynote Speaker

Keynote to be announced shortly.

Sponsors

        

       

Demos

TBD

Submission of Demos

Demo requests for DemoCampHamilton12 can be submitted to: democamp@softwarehamilton.com. You will have an internet connection, a power outlet and a VGA input to a projector. You will have 5 minutes to demo your software, and 5 minutes for Q&A.

If you don’t have your train ticket yet, grab one now as we will sell out again this year. Our early ticket purchasers get dibs on spots for our on-train mentoring with the likes of Jim Estill, Zak Homuth, Brian Kobus and many more.

You remember the roadtrips of your youth, some with your parents, some with just friends. For our greatest roadtrips, we remember the journey the rest of our lives but often pause and think “where were we headed?”

“Sometimes it’s a little better to travel than to arrive”, ZAMM, Robert Pirsig

Last year we organized a roadtrip for startup founders and funders. We reserved our own car on a Via train and packed it full of entrepreneurs. Our destination was The International Startup Festival in Montreal for three full days of meeting, conversing, learning and working with a truly international audience of startup people.

This July, we’re aiming to have three cars, two passenger cars along with a bar car that we’ll use for our on-train events.

Startup conferences are very different beasts compared to their corporate cousins. People aren’t attending “because my boss sent me”. Instead the majority have spent what little pocket change they have to get there. The result is a conference filled with hustlers motivated to get a ton of value out of being there. We hope to help.

Instead of wasting your travel time, join us on the Ontario Startup Train and let’s get organized before we’re even registered for the conference. Our hope is to get you thinking and sharing what you need to get out of attending this conference before hand. Sharing that with other people on the train means it won’t be just you hunting for an introduction to Dave McClure or speaking to that potential partner you want to invite into your new project.

Kotaku published an article last October entitled “What went wrong with Silicon Knights’ X-Men: Destiny”. The article contains a lot of criticism of Silicon Kinghts and CEO Denis Dyack himself, using anonymous former employees as sources. Precursor Games is made up of former Silicon Knights employees, including Denis Dyack in the role of Chief Creative Officier, and the criticisms made in the Kotaku article are now being attached to Precursor Games.

As a result Precursor Games has released the following video where Denis Dyack responds to the Kotaku article:

For storing your documents and media between devices, you can use Dropbox, which stores these files on a remote server and allows you to access them from synced devices. To maintain a network of professional contacts, you might use LinkedIn, which shows your relationship through a “six degrees of separation” model to people you might not know personally. To distribute big packages of data across the internet, you might make use of the Bit torrent protocol. To watch a video, you could use YouTube. To share it, you could do this through Facebook. What if there were a service that allowed a person or business to fulfil all of these functions nearly effortlessly? The myApollo mobile/web application and the protocol that serves at its backbone were designed to make this possible, while surpassing the aforementioned services and offering potentially limitless storage space.

“We’re trying to give real meaning to the term ‘cloud storage’,” says Arroware President Harvey Medcalf, “how can it be in the cloud if it’s really just been taken from where it was created and stored again on a hard drive in a Data Centre? We have a wealth of technology around us, and it is growing every day. That technology forms the real cloud”

I see what he’s getting at, but even for a tech-savvy fellow such as myself, it’s hard to wrap my mind around what this sort of digital infrastructure would look like, let alone how it would actually work. Most people know that data isn’t stored in some nebulous cloud, but requires an actual physical location.

“We all carry around a laptop, a smart phone, with gigabytes of space that many people don’t even use. We offer the potential for limitless syncing and streaming of files by transforming the network of devices into the storage medium itself.”

Here’s how it works: a user wants to access their movie collection located on a home computer from an office computer or a desktop at their cottage. MyApollo allows them to do this. But what if the original files are deleted or inaccessible?

“That’s where the ability to create networks come in,” says Harvey. “Our users can create networks of trusted devices, and the files they create on those network devices are instantly sync’d (in the form of lightweight reconstruction data) to the entire network of devices, the moment they are created.”

“Our servers don’t have to store the data, they can just play matchmaker and coordinate the traffic flow across our network. We’re here to point users in the right direction and facilitate the sharing of the data, not to function as a glorified storage locker.”

In fact, once myApollo has a wide enough user base, the development team believes one day they could allow the network to manage itself, with a persons min-social network of trusted contacts, friends and those who follow them acting as the support.

The result is a form of file sharing that is not only reliable and legitimate in the eyes of the law (because users choose what they keep private, send privately, and share publicly), but unbelievably fast from the perspective of a user. During my brief demonstration, Harvey showed me a Blu-ray quality video streaming over the myApollo network via a 3G antennae, through the studio Wi-Fi and onto his iPhone. The picture and sound were crisp and flawless, but what impressed me the most was how Harvey was able to skip to any point in the movie instantly. No buffer bar, no pausing a moment to synchronize, no lag or finding that the audio and visual were out of time after fast-forwarding. The myApollo protocol is so specific that it allows a user to jump around a high-definition media file, stored remotely across multiple devices on other sides of the continent, in real time, as if you were watching on the TV in your den.

The potential applications for myApollo go far beyond just sharing high-definition media content, however, and open up new vistas for big and small business alike. For artists in the entertainment industry, myApollo will soon offer an e-commerce platform for users to sell content they create direct to other myApollo users, and can do so without the expenses of paying for hard-drive storage and bandwidth transmission of the files being sold. This represents the ultimate work-around of the music industry for up-and-coming performers.

“Everything can be done through their own network on myApollo. Artists can charge what they want to charge, or give their product away for free. It makes no difference to us.” says Harvey.

He went on to explain that myApollo has a plan to monetize its services at no cost to the average user through a combination of ultra relevant targeted advertising, as well as taking a small slice of any transactions made through the application. There are also plans for premium accounts in the works, which would enable additional functionality for small businesses and power-users. The development team also hopes for myApollo, like Facebook before it, to become a platform for developers and programmers who design customized plug-ins, allowing the service to be used in new and exciting ways.

MyApollo is aiming for a “soft launch” in June followed by a more general launch in the fall. The service is being rolled out in stages. Apps for IOS, and Android, in addition to a Windows and MacOS standalone and a web client are ready and waiting, and a continent-wide marketing campaign is in the works. The excitement and energy coming from the creative team and its management is almost infectious. While myApollo’s only web presence to date is vague, the promotional video released last month does the product justice. I truly believe that this service has the potential to change not only how data is stored in the cloud, but how it is transferred between devices and experienced by end-users in a manner as radical as 3D Printing will one day be to physical manufacturing, representing the next step in cloud data transmission and a synergy of social media concepts that facilitate it. For their part, the myApollo’s creators feel that they are living up to the adage of “give a man a fish, feed him for a day…teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.”

“We’re not the ones who will determine how myApollo will be used,” says Harvey confidently, “that’s the users, the businesses, the artists, who will do that. We’re laying down the pavement for a new kind of highway, the people who use that highway will get to determine what kind of car they drive on it, where, and how fast.”

Colin Mitchell is a freelance journalist and editorial consultant living in Hamilton, Ontario. He is currently studying as a Paralegal candidate and is extremely excited about the future of myApollo. Follow him on Twitter @colly_mitch

Public Relations Contact
Natalie Polanski
Arroware Industries Inc.
npolanski@arrowareindustries.com

What is a hot desk and how can it help my business?

Tired of working in crowded coffee shops and your latte bill is starting to add up? Feeling isolated working from your kitchen table? Need a professional place to meet your clients and customers? Then a hot desk is your answer!

The concept is simple: Instead of isolating office walls or cubicles, we supply shared tables and chairs in an open room with internet access, printer, coffee and use of a cafeteria, boardroom and other fun building amenities.The idea is to make it easy for people to work and develop their business, foster collaboration and get inspired, all at a rate new startups can afford!

Using a hot desk is the perfect option for those who don’t require a permanent office, don’t want the headache of property ownership or long leases, however would like an office space to focus and get serious about their business.

Now is the prefect time to sign up! For the month of May we are offering new members the chance to use a Hot Desk for 1 Month FREE! Just tell us why your business rocks and why you want to be part of a co-shared work space! Send your inquiries to platform302@gmail.com.

Where: The Pheasant Plucker @ 20 Augusta Street
(2nd floor)
Date: Thursday May 16th, 2013
Rough Agenda:

6:30pm – 7:00pm – meetup, grab a drink, talk shop
7:00pm – 9:00pm – series of 5-20 min. talks

Talks:

- Martin Kuplens-Ewart (@mkuplens) of BraveNewCode
- Martin Renters of Clinical Datafax Systems

Interested in giving a talk? You can show up that evening and we should have time for your talk (and if not at this event, at the next event), or you can e-mail present@codercamp.org and we’ll add you to the list of scheduled talks.

Register Here

Launched in 2010, REfficient is an online marketplace allowing companies to go shopping in other companies’ surplus inventory for Telecom and AV equipment. Customers can also resell and recycle via the company’s platform, and receive sustainability reporting for their Corporate Responsibility reports. REfficient now counts many of Canada’s largest telecom companies as customers and has diverted more than one million pounds of ewaste from landfill. REfficient recently became Hamilton’s first Certified B Corp.

Now in its second year, the 1Awards Competition focuses on Hamilton-based companies that have produced quantifiable growth. The contest is funded by First Ontario Credit Union and the Hamilton Spectator, as well as Play Advertising, Mohawk IdeaWorks, Grant Thornton, AgroZaffiro and Weever Apps. Three companies were chosen as winners. REfficient will use the awarded $39,000 in cash and prizes to fuel the company’s expanding footprint.

REfficient CEO Stephanie McLarty remarked, “We are proud to be a Hamilton based company scaling our business globally. The 1Awards not only recognizes that, but will allow us to make investments in marketing to further expand our reach. The tremendous support we continue to receive from across the Hamilton business ecosystem is an important part of our rapid growth.”

About REfficient

REfficient’s transactional marketplace is built on a “triple-win” model, providing large telecom and AV companies a trusted and efficient platform for deriving value from surplus inventory, while offering buyers reliable, often new equipment at savings of 20-50% over traditional sources. This innovative new green model benefits everyone by reducing waste and increasing resource efficiency. You can follow REfficient at @REfficient and www.facebook.com/REfficient.

Media contacts
Stephen Rouse
CAROUSE Communications
416-402-6876
stephen@carouse.ca

Tell me about yourself and KITESTRING.

My name is Chris Farias and I am both Creative Director and partner at KITESTRING. We’re an agency comprised of strategists and creative inventors who solve brand equations.

Why did KITESTRING rebrand itself recently?

The agency is now in its sixth year, and just like the world around us, we’ve changed a lot in that time. The evolution of our brand reflects the caliber of work our team is creating for our clients.

What happened to Ben?

His internship came to an end and he moved on to a career in theatre. He came to visit recently and told us he was working with Hammer Entertainment on a production of Avenue Q. You can find out more by visiting: http://www.kitestring.ca/social/blog/community/ben-follows-his-dreams-and-hits-stage

What is The Right Angle?

The Right Angle is a KITESTRING event focused on strategies to help communicators and business owners engage in the conversation on social media. Attendees will learn from experts in the field how to manage your message online, protect your brand image, and problem-solve with confidence and creativity.

Why should web, mobile, and video game companies in particular care about social media management?

It’s up to innovative businesses to lead the way in terms of adopting and understanding new technology. Web, mobile and video game companies need to lead by example. If you’re positioned as a knowledgeable expert, your clients are more likely to follow suit.

What are you most hoping participants take away from The Right Angle?

We’ve noticed a big shift in attitudes about the relevance of social media in the eyes of regional organizational leaders. Leading up to this shift, we were often asked in a presentation or workshop, “Why is social media relevant?”

Now we’re consistently being asked, “How do I make my brand relevant on social media?” I’m hoping participants leave with an idea about how to accomplish that for their brand.

Hamilton in particular seems to have really embraced social media, between the popularity of the #HamOnt hashtag and the relevant communications and business courses at McMaster. Why do you think this is, and are there ways our community should be taking advantage of this strength?

There is a groundswell of citizens doing some amazing things in support of their city within our community. Of course, engaging communications are a part of making these incredible ideas sprout into mini-movements. The reason for this is complex; the perfect storm of timing, economics, culture and spirit.

Last summer we did an experiential meets social campaign at Art Crawl involving a new hashtag. We were shocked by just how encouraging the flood of response was. Three years ago, doing a similar self-promo campaign at Supercrawl garnered completely different levels of engagement. It’s clear to us that this city is now ready for more.

What trends have you noticed lately in social media marketing and branding and where do you see it going next?

I don’t have a crystal ball (Although some days I wish I did!). So, it wouldn’t be prudent for me to guess what the future holds. What’s really got me excited about the industry lately is a turn towards elements of social good becoming a natural part of any organization’s marketing mix. When a brand can create a hybrid of social good, digital engagement and a relevant connection to the everyday lives of its target audience, that’s something to take notice of. These principles have been guiding a few of our newest campaign strategies for our top clients.

Some people in the tech / startup community believe that the best product development talent is in Waterloo, and that the best sales and marketing talent in Toronto. Google has followed this sort of model, with a development studio in Waterloo and advertising / sales in Toronto. I think it’s great for the different cities in Southern Ontario to specialize and have strengths, but it’s concerning to me when it leads to people thinking there is a magic wall that somehow stops world class product development from being done in Hamilton. Is there a similar concern for somebody working in creative branding?

Of course! That may be a tired perception, but that hasn’t stopped us from working with the region’s top health care, education and innovation technology clients. A lot of people are surprised to know that we’ve also created campaigns for international clients. KITESTRING has created a niche for itself, and more and more our location is being viewed as something that is in our favour.

Can “big league” world class marketing be done out of Hamilton?

Yes. We have a close-knit community of talented marketers in this city. We’re a fierce bunch who isn’t afraid to change the landscape for local organizations and make a name for ourselves beyond the 905 area code. It’s going to be our ability to support one another and be proud of one another’s successes that will define the next while in terms of local progress for our industry.

Has KITESTRING worked with any tech companies in particular?

We’ve collaborated with Innovation Factory, the local technology SME hub, on a really neat integrated campaign. The STARTOFF campaign was a contest for local Innovation Factory clients, which involved videogame themed digital engagement in collaboration with Orbital, and pop-up 8 bit art installations around the city. We also work with EllisDon, an innovative, international construction company, helping them to define a new software launch set for the summer of 2013.

How did that work out for them?

Innovation Factory’s campaign has come to a close, so I can share these results. Combined with the engagement campaign, STARTOFF’s digital execution in mobile, social and desktop online developments were explored by laptops and computers, by iPhone, Blackberry, Android smartphones, and had been accessed through 2913 social media buzz mentions on Twitter and 17,102 visits from Facebook.

Where do you see Hamilton in 5 years? 10 years?

I know I would like to see Hamilton become a more walkable city. It would be great to see more people living and working downtown. I’d love to see a Yogen Früz in walking distance from my house. That’s just me.

Hamilton has a lot of hidden gems. There’s different blogs and websites devoted to spotlighting them. What’s your favourite hidden Hamilton gem?

It’s hard to keep hidden gems a secret in Hamilton because of the widespread adoption of the #HamOnt hashtag on Twitter. I’m not complaining, it’s actually a good thing. I think a great hidden gem is the Ottawa Street strolling district. The Ottawa Street BIA is a client of mine and I love when I get to get down there for a visit. There are great restaurants, a farmers market, fabric and crafting outlets, antique stores and clothing boutiques.

In a world beyond websites it can be a challenge to let your brand take flight in the digital sphere.

KITESTRING presents a morning focused on social strategies to help you engage in the conversation. Learn from experts in the field how to manage your message online, protect your brand image, and problem-solve with confidence and creativity.

KEYNOTE with SCOTT STRATTEN

Learn about how engaging your online community can make your business thrive from Scott Stratten (President, Un-Marketing) as he shares his expertise in Viral, Social, and Authentic Marketing which he calls Un-Marketing. It’s all about positioning yourself as a trusted expert in front of your target market, so when they have the need, they choose you.

KITESTRING #QandA

You ask, they’ll answer! This panel is a powerhouse of crisis resolution and this audience-led session is your chance to ask the experts everything you ever wanted to know about social media management but were afraid to ask.

• Panel moderated by Chris Farias (Partner + Creative Director, KITESTRING)
• Featuring Scott Stratten,
• Jamie Stein, (Senior Manager – Social Media, ING Direct)
• Christine Zakrajsek, (Web and Social Media Manager, EllisDon)
• Michelle Dias (Social Media Specialist, Goodlife Fitness)
• Kyle Kuchmey, (President, New Motto; Alumni Officer – Digital Communications, McMaster University)

Formerly a music industry marketer, national sales training manager and a College Professor, he ran his “UnAgency” for a nearly a decade before solely focusing on speaking at events for companies like PepsiCo, Adobe, Red Cross, Hard Rock Café, Cirque du Soleil, Saks Fifth Avenue and Fidelity Investments when they need help guiding their way through the viral/social media and relationship marketing landscape.

He now has over 145,000 people follow his daily rantings on Twitter and was just named one of the top 5 social media influencers in the world on Forbes.com. It’s the only time he’s felt comfortable being compared to Ashton Kutcher, P Diddy and Justin Bieber.

His book “UnMarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging” became a national best-seller before it was released and was also named one of the top business books of the year by 1-800-CEO READ and a top 10 book by Under30CEO.com.

His new book entitled “The Book Of Business Awesome: How Engaging Your Customers and Employees Can Make Your Business Thrive” is also a best-seller, breaking the rules of how companies are truly marketed and grown through the current online/offline world.

Recognizing a growing market for web design, video, and social media support, Kyle founded New Motto in the Summer of 2010. Kyle’s versatile background in digital technologies as well as his passion for creative collaboration shapes the direction of New Motto. He strives to bring his clients’ vision to reality, by finding the right teammates and technologies for the right project. Kyle also believes firmly in strong client support and delivering effective solutions for any budget.

Kyle spent five years at McMaster University’s Alumni Advancement department, where he lead digital communications initiatives including web, video, email, and social media campaigns, to engage the university’s 150,000+ alumni. He also co-chaired the Social Media Working Group, tasked with developing and evolving McMaster’s social media and mobile app development guidelines. During his tenure, Kyle and his teammates received several industry awards for outstanding university advancement communications from CCAE (Canada) and CASE (International), including categories such as Best Online Video and Creativity on a Shoestring.

Kyle believes every organization and individual can benefit from using social media, by finding the right platforms and the right motivations.

With her bold natured personality, and innovative thinking Michelle Dias has successfully lead social media, and public relations campaigns for leading Canadian brands. As a communications professional Michelle sharpened her expertise in developing and executing strategic communications campaigns through her consulting roles at Hill + Knowlton Strategies Canada, and as an Account Executive at NKPR, in Toronto. She currently holds her dream job of Social Media Specialist with GoodLife Fitness.

At GoodLife Fitness Michelle manages and executes digital marketing efforts on the company’s multiple social media channels. This includes the engagement, education and communication of the benefits of exercise to all Canadians.

Michelle has earned a reputation for driving sales through online marketing efforts, building strong online community cultivation and, creative thinking. Since working in the field of public relations, Michelle has worked with numerous consumer lifestyle brands in developing marketing communications programs, clients include: Loblaw Companies Ltd.,Reckitt Benckiser (Lysol, Clearasil, Air Wick, Finish Quantumatic), New York Fries & South St. Burger Co., and Kiehl’s Canada.

As an active fitness enthusiast Michelle maintains a health and fitness blog that promotes simple diet changes and easy fitness tips. (http://eatcleanfitnesslean.wordpress.com). She gives back to the field by participating as a member of Sheridan College’s Program Advisory Committee.

Christine Zakrajsek is EllisDon’s Web and Social Media Manager with a growing responsibility for mobile usage and applications within the enterprise. EllisDon is a values driven employee-owned company that delivers construction expertise with a growing range of construction services in risk management, sustainability and technology. Given the inherently public nature of EllisDon’s business coupled with the public’s interest in their built environment Ms. Zakrajsek has connected people from coast to coast with EllisDon’s values, career opportunities, senior leaders and latest news and updates via social media.

One of the most rewarding aspects of Ms. Zakrajsek’s role at EllisDon is reaching out to industry partners and associations to help foster social media adoption within their own organization. To this end, Ms. Zakrajsek authored a series of articles titled ‘Social Media Masterclass’ for the Daily Commercial News, the industry’s leading trade publication in Canada. In the coming months, EllisDon will be rolling out an internal social network and Ms. Zakrajsek is extremely excited to see what happens when you get 1,500 building technology experts, engineers, MBAs, accountants, and sustainability experts talking with each other irrespective of corporate hierarchy and geography.

Jaime Stein is recognized as an industry leader for his expertise in digital marketing. He currently manages the social media team and strategy for ING DIRECT, Canada’s leading direct bank. He delivers a proven record of success from his four seasons as the Canadian Football League’s head of digital and social media where he redefined the content strategy for CFL.ca and launched the CFL’s involvement in social media. A journalist by training, Jaime has worked in the SPORTSCENTRE newsroom at TSN and served as radio play-by-play voice of the Toronto Argonauts Football Club.

Jaime is a graduate of the Rotman School of Management in Toronto where he was selected valedictorian of the Morning MBA Class of 2011. He has a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University in Montreal and a Bachelor of Journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto.

Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., Jaime currently serves as a member of the fundraising cabinet for the Canadian Blood Services campaign ‘For All Canadians’ that is dedicated to building Canada’s new national public cord blood bank.

Jaime lives in Toronto with his wife and two sons.

BUBBLY BRUNCH

Indulge in morning marche stations featuring crepes, mini waffles, fresh fruit, parfaits and pastries. Of course, no brunch is complete without a bubbly bar!

CREATIVE CONVERSATION

Meet other creative professionals in marketing, corporate communications, not-for-profit, and innovative industries – just like you. Share your strategies for integrating social media in your brand.

05.21.13

Join KITESTRING for an exclusive morning at the Art Gallery of Hamilton – Tickets are limited