July 22, 2014
As we prepare for the 3rd session of AlligatorZone on August 9, 2014 at the Bloomingdale Regional Library, Valrico, Florida, we want to share the exciting ambiance at the AlligatorZone session. We want to share some lessons learned, and some changes we are considering to the format as we fine-tune it further.
Let’s start off with some videos of the founders sharing their thoughts on the experience soon after the session concluded.
Here are some pictures of the event.
The AlligatorZone is held in a public library. In the picture below the Innovation Studio is just starting to have visitors. It’s a nice feeling to see familiar faces. Repeat visitors in the audience indicates we are doing something right, providing something valuable to the audience.
It’s 10 a.m. on the Saturday of AlligatorZone. We walk in to find some people already seated and all the startup entrepreneurs already present. The show is scheduled to start at 10:15 a.m. In the picture above, the presenting startups are testing their connections for the big screen. We are thinking of doing away with the screen and the ubiquitous slide show, that we believe are impeding more free wheeling conversations between the startups and the kids in the audience. The big screen is probably a distraction in this case.
By the time the session began, it was a packed house.
Here’s another view of the packed room.
More families joined us later because they had to drive an hour to get to the AlligatorZone. See the kid in crutches?
No kidding! These kids mean business!
Laura Doyle from the Hillsborough County Library Cooperative kindly shared comments from the audience members, gathered in the comment cards. Read the excerpts below, edited for relevance.
- “I feel like this is a pretty efficient way to spread the word about new businesses and I feel like this is very helpful for the presenters.”
- “It was very interesting to learn about local entrepreneurs.”
- “Better than I expected!
- “It was useful.”
- “Very educational. Excellent for adults and children.”
- Suggestion: “Give more time for questions.”
- “Awesome! Keep the entrepreneurial stuff coming!”
Based on the feedback in the videos and the comments from members of the audience, we are thinking of limiting each session to 2 presenters as was originally planned. The third presenter was supposed to be on standby in our original plan. Limiting it to 2 presenters might allow for more one-on-one time between audience members and the entrepreneurs. We may need to revisit where the speakers stand and how they audience is seated. The learning continues. Thank you to everyone for their support – the library officials, the parents and families, the startups, the kids, and the media. Look for coverage about AlligatorZone in the upcoming issue of The Bloomingdale Gazette.
If you know any startups that would be cool to present to kids, please let us know with an email sent to events [at] siliconglades [dot] com. We have started to sign up entrepreneurs to present based on their availability, since we have started planning for regular sessions of AlligatorZone.
One more thing. After a couple of changes, we think we have distilled what AlligatorZone is all about in its new tagline: Where Kids Meet Cool Startups!
For your convenience, here are links to previous articles about AlligatorZone
- Media coverage in the community newspaper Osprey Observer
- Why Alligator Zone, Why Tampa Bay Area
- @AlligatorZone extends to Sunnyvale Public Library, California
- Talking About Your Startup to Families and Kids at AlligatorZone: Be the Consummate Storyteller You Ought To Be
- Fresh Perspectives Swamp Startup Founders in AlligatorZone
- 31 Tips for Founders of Startups Talking To Families and Kids at AlligatorZone
Follow AlligatorZone on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/AlligatorZone. Join us for the next session of AlligatorZone. Reservations are to be made at AlligatorZone.eventbrite.com. AlligatorZone is one of several impact programs being designed at SiliconGlades.
