Wanted: CIOs

by Dave Michels

Coming up at Enterprise Connect will be the 2nd Annual Innovation Showcase.

Enterprise Connect is the biggest UC, Voice, VoIP, communications event each year for enterprise communications. In addition to all the major vendors – there’s lots of CIOs and buyers there too. Last year, fairly last minute, we created the Innovation Showcase, to identify young companies that are offering an innovative product or service in the name of enterprise communications.  That’s a wide berth! “Enterprise Communications” includes voice, video, text/SMS, IM, conferencing, collaboration, contact centers, messaging, social networks, and more.

Being such a big conference, focused on big customers, Enterprise Connect isn’t an inexpensive show for exhibitors. But the show organizers realize innovation often comes from smaller young companies – so the companies that get selected for the Innovation Showcase not only get a booth-Kiosk, but even an allowance toward travel. Even better, they get to demonstrate their products in a short pitch on the keynote stage. The exposure is phenomenal to enterprise buyers, analysts, and media. Four companies will be selected. Better mousetrap required. 

Check the site for rules and submission criteria at http://enterpriseconnect.com/orlando/innovation-showcase/

A small group of judges will select from the applicants the four firms to be in the Showcase. I need some help in creating the judging panel. The preferred judges look something like this:

  • A CIO or IT/Communciations leader
  • Preferably from outside the communications industry – at an enterprise
  •  Available in Feb 2012 to review applicants and meet by tele-conference (multiple meetings)
  • Although actual votes are confidential, must be willing to be on the record as a judge
  • Judges do not actually need to attend the conference – all judging will take place prior to the event.

If you are interested in being a judge, please contact me directly.