Press Releases
Georgia Tech to Host FutureMedia Fest 2010
From October 4-7, 2010, the Georgia Institute of Technology will host the first FutureMedia Fest, an interactive “mash-up” to explore and enable new paradigms in how content is created, distributed and consumed in a converging media world. FutureMedia Fest 2010 (www.futuremediaglobal.com) will bring together executives and investors, innovators and entrepreneurs, academics and researchers to discuss the transformational impact of next generation digital, social and mobile media across industries, societies and our daily lives. The four-day event will feature compelling keynote addresses, panel discussions, birds-of-a-feather workshops, demonstrations of the latest new media technologies, and presentations by startup companies, researchers and academics driving innovation. Platinum sponsors for FutureMedia Fest 2010 are The Coca-Cola Company and HP.
“Digital, social, mobile and multimedia are fundamentally changing business models and transforming how we communicate,” said Renu Kulkarni, executive director of FutureMedia at Georgia Tech. “We are in the middle of a revolution — some will fail, some will survive, and some will thrive. FutureMedia Fest is an incredible opportunity to challenge the norm, experience future possibilities and understand how new media platforms will affect organizational change and growth.”
Michael Jones, chief technology advocate at Google, is scheduled to deliver one of the event’s keynote addresses. In addition, FutureMedia Fest 2010 will feature presentations, speaking panels and startup demos from more than 75 world class experts in emerging media creation, distribution and consumption fields. Alongside research and academic experts from Georgia Tech, event speakers include:
– Clyde Tuggle, senior vice president, Global Public Affairs & Communications, The Coca-Cola Company
– Russ Daniels, vice president and chief technology officer, HP
– Glenn Lurie, president, Emerging Devices, National Resale and Partnerships, AT&T
– Michael Kelly, CEO and president, The Weather Channel Companies
– Richard Boly, director, Office of eDiplomacy, US Department of State
– Wonya Lucas, executive vice president and COO, Discovery Channel
– Jon Fasman, southeast correspondent, The Economist
– Teya Ryan, president and executive director, GPB Media
In addition, event attendees will have ample opportunities to touch, feel and play with the coolest technologies and products via a music mix, gaming lounge, research demos and the launch of the annual student Convergence Innovation Competition at Georgia Tech.
The annual FutureMedia Fest will serve as the seminal event for Georgia Tech’s FutureMedia Initiative, a global, collaborative initiative that explores new paradigms on how content is created, distributed and consumed. Backed by the technological expertise of Georgia Tech, a global top-ten technology university, and bolstered by its location in Atlanta, a well-known and growing media industry center, FutureMedia will connect universities, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and industry to create a robust, open innovation environment and drive the growth of a new media ecosystem.
“Great universities, like Georgia Tech, shape the world rather than being shaped by it,” said Steve Cross, executive vice president for research, Georgia Tech. “We view FutureMedia as a timely event that includes all of Georgia Tech to help us do just that — by creating living laboratories and test beds that enable our ecosystem of partners to practically discover and create what’s next. This must-attend event will compel new thinking, foster new partnerships, generate new business opportunities and position Georgia Tech and the state of Georgia as media innovators and economic powerhouses.”
“As the home of top media, marketing and technology organizations, Georgia is naturally positioned to grow as an economic and research hub for the future of media,” said Clyde Tuggle, SVP Global Public Affairs & Communications, The Coca-Cola Company. “The Coca-Cola Company is proud to participate in this timely and important discussion as a sponsor of FutureMedia Fest 2010.”
“Social media is a force that has the power to transform bits-and-bytes technology into a dynamic, exciting medium for societal interaction,” said Russ Daniels, vice president and chief technology officer, HP. “In addition to pioneering research in social media through our Social Computing Lab, HP is proud to support initiatives such as FutureMedia Fest, which foster innovation and discussion in the field.”
FutureMedia Fest 2010 will be held at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Additional speakers will be added over the coming months. For all conference information, including registration, visit www.futuremediaglobal.com.
Cohn & Wolfe Brendan Streich, 404-260-3519 Brendan.streich@cohnwolfe.com
Georgia Tech Research Institute Kirk Englehardt, 404-407-7280 Kirk.englehardt@gtri.gatech.edu
Georgia Tech College of Computing Stefany Sanders, 404-894-7253 stefany@cc.gatech.edu
FutureMedia Sponsors Students for International Game Development Competition
The year 2010 marks the first time teams from the United States will be participating in the international Dare to be Digital video game development competition thanks to the Georgia Institute of Technology’s (Georgia Tech) FutureMedia (sm) initiative. Five teams of students from Georgia Tech, supported by FutureMedia, have already applied to compete in the world-wide contest sponsored by the University of Abertay Dundee in Scotland.
The teams may be among those selected to travel to Scotland to compete against dozens of arts and science graduates and undergraduates from all over the world in the Dare hothouse at Abertay Dundee. Each team consist of five students, usually a mix of artists, programmers and audio specialists, who will spend 10 weeks over the summer turning their ideas into fully functioning prototypes. They receive regular industry visits as well as a weekly wage, accommodation and equipment. Georgia Tech teams will receive coaching, technical expertise and financial assistance from the FutureMedia initiative.
With more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry, Renu Kulkarni is undertaking a new challenge as head of Georgia Tech’s FutureMedia Initiative. The former vice president for technology partnerships at Motorola Inc. recently shared with Atlanta Business Chronicle about the program.
FutureMedia Conference Weighs Georgia’s Potential as a Digital, Social, and Multi-Media Powerhouse
Georgia has the potential to become a global pioneer and leader in the future of media. To do so, it will require focus, determination and collaboration among universities, corporations, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and government to make it happen.
That was a principal conclusion of the recent day-long FutureMedia conference here, which focused on opportunities and challenges in the already burgeoning fields of digital, social, and multi media. Held in midtown Atlanta on Oct. 15, the gathering brought together some 260 people from as far off as Canada, Ireland, Scotland, South Korea and Singapore. Of the total attendees, more than half were representatives from industry.
Private cloud computing. Augmented mobile reality. Immersive Internet. Unicasting. Exclusive films on Facebook. Hulu TV. Twitter valued at $1 billion. A year or so ago these phrases would have been alien. Today, they herald the future.
What do these trends suggest for the future of media companies around the world?
Renu Kulkarni doesn’t know for sure, but she wants to “start the conversation” about the question – and the role that Georgia will play in shaping the future of digital, social and multimedia. As head of the new FutureMedia Initiative at the Georgia Institute of Technology, she believes the Peach State is uniquely positioned to be both a global pioneer and innovator in helping define the future of media.
“With world-class university research, proven engineering and commercialization expertise, a successful community of entrepreneurs – and leading digital media, communications and entertainment industries – Georgia really does have what it will take to help chart the future of media,” said Kulkarni, who joined Georgia Tech after a 20-year career in the high-tech industry, most recently serving as vice president for technology partnerships at communications giant Motorola.
The FutureMedia Initiative will kick off October 15 with a day-long conference aimed at encouraging dialogue about what Georgia needs to do to create an open innovation ecosystem for developing media of the future.
Open Innovation: Motorola Veteran Renu Kulkarni Joins Georgia Tech to Head FutureMedia Initiative
With world-class university research, proven commercialization and engineering expertise, a successful community of entrepreneurs – and leading digital media, communications and entertainment industries – Georgia is poised to be a global pioneer and innovator in shaping the future of social, digital and multimedia.
As head of Georgia Tech’s FutureMedia Initiative, Renu Kulkarni’s charter is to help bring all these elements together in an open-innovation environment that will make the state of Georgia both a leader in developing new media and a model for how to bring new ideas to market.
“Mine is a collaborative role, one that will help all the players span the innovation cycle from research to discovery to creation, commercialization and scale-up,” she said. “My job will be to connect universities, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and industry to create a rich and robust open innovation ecosystem that builds on and leverages our world-class resources.”
Most recently vice president for technology partnerships at communications giant Motorola, Kulkarni has more than 20 years of experience in turning research and development into new products, building strategic alliances for industry, and developing new business.
