December 3, 2014
AlligatorZone, is the free program where kids meet cool startups. If you have been following the leaps and lunges (as against a slither) by which AlligatorZone has been growing since it began in June 2014, and following the startups featured, you might be under the wrong impression that at AlligatorZone the kids only meet cool software startups.
At the AlligatorZone of October 11, 2014, held at the Jan Kaminis Platt Public Library in South Tampa, we had one inventor who was a startup founder show us glimpses of his artistic side, and it took the kids and their families pleasantly by surprise. His invention BriefSkate has a lot of technology hidden within for a high-performance skate board that doubles as a briefcase.
Please scroll down to enjoy this audio-visual report of yet another session of AlligatorZone, where kids meet cool startups.
The startup founders presenting were those of WaZINIT (http://www.wazinit.com), and the founder of and LooshesLabs.com, creator of BriefSkate.com.
Brian and Christina Di Vito, two of the 3 cofounders of WaZINIT arrive early and start laying out empty food cartons on which the kids would soon test their app.
Parents and kids start gathering as WaZINIT’s Brian prepares the app to get started. Saturday morning is one time-slot being tested in South Tampa, among the various locations where AlligatorZone sessions are being piloted. It takes a very dedicated parent with a commitment to give their kids this unique opportunity to meet with startup founders, to wake up on a Saturday morning, clear their schedules, and show up with kids in tow. When they do show up, we know they are keen about the learning opportunity, and that they a very discerning audience.
Parents are equally engaged as WaZINIT is attempting to solve a problem of managing food allergies through better informed consumers.
It was time for the next presenter, Alexei Novitzsky, founder of LooshesLabs.com and inventor of SkateBoard (see www.SkateBoard.com).
Kids are naturally makers, so a product like BriefSkate.com resonated early with the eager kids.
Alexei, who goes by Looshes captivated the young audience with more pictures of his various skatecase designs. The fact that he hand-makes each of them spurred the kids to ask even more questions.
As the session wrapped up, Alexei offered to recite a poem he wrote.
Alexei showed the audience the cartoon character Ollie born out of his product’s mascot.
The audience moved out to the parking lot where he had his ‘marketing vehicle’ (the writer’s interpretation) that he uses at various skating events to promote BriefSkate.
Alexei patiently answered more questions that the kids had, regarding his product.
Alexei even let audience members autograph his vehicle. I believe he calls it Ollie Mobile.
As with every AlligatorZone session, parents and families hang out for a little while after the sessions, and they turn out to be impromptu community gathering of like-minded people. We also take the time to interview the presenting startup founders to get feedback on what worked and what did not. Here’s a video of WaZINIT founders talking about their experience at AlligatorZone.
Zac, the 3rd co-founder of WaZINIT was able to join the presenters before the session ended.
Here’s a video of LooshesLabs.com founder Alexei Novitzsky talking about his experience at AlligatorZone.
For December, we are testing out a new day and timing and a more central location at the Seminole Heights Library in Tampa Bay. After an outstanding debut there last month, AlligatorZone is now going to be recurring program at Mountain View Public Library in Mountain View, California. Hope to see you soon at another session of AlligatorZone. Check out the running calendar at http://AlligatorZone.eventbrite.com
Follow AlligatorZone on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/AlligatorZone. Join us for the next session of AlligatorZone. A running schedule and reservations are at AlligatorZone.eventbrite.com. AlligatorZone is one of several impact-programs being designed at SiliconGlades. If you know of startups that would make for interesting presenters to an audience of kids, teens and families, please send your suggestion to events [at] siliconglades [dot] com.
This report was posted by a volunteer from SiliconGlades, an innovation firm that designs, among other things, hyperlocal social impact programs such as AlligatorZone. In other words, SiliconGlades designs programs that bring communities together for a common uplifting purpose, right in your neighborhood.
