Digital City MechanicsA system for creating jobs...

Presentation outline• My entrepreneurial journey [who]• A system to create Jobs [what]• Digital City Mechanics [how]• Q & A [why]• [time permitting] details [more]

My Entrepreneurial Journey• 30+ years – leading to today• Timing is everything• I’m a change agent• Past, Present and Future coming together

Lessons of the ‘80’s• First to market – wins• Bootstrap whenever possible• Work at home – get more done• Look at features from the user’s perspective• Hub of the wheel – friends to all – leadership• Create a developer-based culture• Strategically utilized “chutzpah”

Lessons of the 90’s• Use my own money• Zig while others Zag• Content + Technology• 50%+ of everything is NOT in the U.S.• Design for broadband now, be ahead of the curve• The Human face in software

Lessons from the 00’s• Global, on-line, real-time culture• Widget economy – open platforms• Connect across multiple domains/silos• Bring social to software – people power• Connect the on-line world to the real world• We are all Immigrants• Open is the new Black

Lessons from the ’10s• Individuals, not companies• Jobs are the #1 issue• Closed vs Open• Digital Divide is about feeling comfortable using

computers, NOT free laptops and net access• Its what you do WITH the bandwidth that counts• Slow down, let the rest of the world catch up

Digitale Citta projecto in Trieste• Utilizzato a banda larga di Telecom Italia • Ha lavorato con il Sindaco Illy• Integrated, rich media UI design

Built on AJAX - 6 years before AJAX

Focused on family computing

Profile pages, Multiple personae

QTVR Shopping, Seniors interfaces

Embedded Apps

Real-time Video cams - in Clubs

We Cannot Create Jobs Fast Enough...

• Job training is geared toward “old Job” Models• Workforce training and Economic Development

dollars are wasted• Not clear how many freelancers exist• Hi-tech industry doesn’t care about jobs for

“normal” people

What is a Job? Its Changing...

• No longer 40 hours a week, into an office• Virtual work habits & workgroups• Online tools, apps & web services• Computers & handheld devices based• Freelance nation• Project-based economy

Hi-Tech Jobs for "normal people?"

• As high as 60% do not have hi-tech skills• As high as 25% unemployed in some regions• 25% of workforce are freelancers• Creating Jobs is the #1 issue in society today

The real Digital Divide• Feeling comfortable using computers as a tool

to make a living, to get work done• Not free laptops, net access and MS Office

Digital Economy Ecosystem architecture

Hybrid of Technology and Sociology

• Don’t just offer the tools to the people• Make sure they USE them!• Show normal people the BENEFIT and VALUE

from on-line technology – they can make a living, not just waste time!

• Break down boundaries between silos

A New Model for Creating Jobs• Jobs require comfort online & with PCs• On-demand skills & tasks• Virtual workgroups - online tools• Project based, peer network, social-based • Involves producing LOTS of online multimedia

• Games, simulations, visualizations, videos, mashups, remixes

• Interactive multimedia + data = app economy

Sustainable model• Altruistic and For-profit hybrid• 1/3 Gov/Foundation funding• 1/3 Sponsored Projects (work-for-hire)• 1/3 Platform revenues• New kinds of Jobs generated and supported

Open Platform• Software Infrastructure• Built-in training curriculum• Real-time Video Help• Community Activity streams• Online marketplace, Job board• Community Timeline• Community Media Channels

Culture merchants

New Workforce Training• Haves help the have nots

• Retrain workforce fortomorrow’s jobs

• $20k per job instead of $60k

• Experts -> semi-skilled -> interns in one project

Works on multiple levels simultaneously

• Meta• Entrepreneurial• Community – Groups – Projects• Individuals

A system that enables ecosystems

Lots of Multimedia production work• Interactive Encyclopedias• Knowledge bases• Business Directory• Apps, games, simulations, videos

Picking up where Broadband Infrastructure leaves off

• Existing broadband infrastructure - stops there• Gigabit networking

• Stable connection• Entrepreneurial culture• “Sense of expectation"

• Citizen dashboards - Software infrastructure• Emphasize interactive multimedia and video• Community engagement programs

Community Engagement is our

• Free training and Paid Internship programs• Local business directories and on-line marketplace• Community workshops• Local community "bureaus"• Free tech support for community organizations• Multimedia content projects and newsletters• People’s video help bureaus• On-line viral marketing campaigns by locals for brands• Encourage startups, independent workers, entrepreneurs

Value-Added Differentiation

include and intermingle three worlds

• Silicon Valley Tech Industry• College educated - Under-employed• Students/Interns/Un-employed

Digital economy ecosystems must

The Elitist technology industry

• Comfortable in their success• Don’t care about jobs for normal people• Only focused on VC funded, home runs• Intellectually stimulating

Under-employed, college educated

• Never had a chance to put their skills – to use• Need motivation – to care to look for better job• No time for intellectualizing – just stay alive• Short term focused

Students / Interns / Un-employed

• Need a job• Need motivation to care – at all – about anything• What’s Intellectualizing?• “Shouldn’t there be digital jobs – for us – too?”

An integrated system

Education

On-line skillsInternships

Workshops

Video Help Desk

Focus on intangible skills needed for freelance workers

New methodology – uses on-line tools and points

Points

An integrated system

Education

Interns placed into on-going projects

Trainers training Trainers

ProjectsGames

BizDirectory

Visualizations

Sites

Videos

Learn by doingAll projects sponsored by local brands

An integrated systemBuild trust in the neighborhoods

EducationProjectsCommunityEngagement

Live events

Tech Support

OrgsMarketplace

Citizens cluster around Projects and Events

- Citizens support new ways of learning- Trickle down effect

- “Content” channels flow - Provide free tech support to community orgs- Support individual freelancers

An integrated system

EducationProjects

All activity leverages free open on-line platform

Aggregate:- Content- People- Services

CommunityEngagement

Platform

ChannelsSocial Media

Help deskMarketplaceBiz Directory

An integrated system

EducationProjects

Entrepreneurial - Jobs

CommunityEngagement

Platform

New kinds of online

marketing

ONLINE DIRECTORY &

MARKETPLACE

CORPORATESPONSORSHIPS

HYPER-LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS

More efficient use of

workforcetrainingdollars PROGRAMS PROJECTS SERVICES

Customize a city or region

Corporate Sponsorships• Socially conscious spend their marketing

budgets = creating local jobs• Help build local cyber savvy workforce• Train workers in online job skills

BUSINESS

Hyper-Local Relationships• Authentic connection to vendors and customers• Convince global brands to spend

money locally• Timely, local, viral campaigns

BUSINESS

Online Marketplace & Biz Directory• Local businesses of all types – in our own online

local biz directory• Goods and Services sold• Provide delivery and fulfillment• Webmercials for all listings and items• Transaction and reputation services• Craig’s list + Angie’s list + Etsy

BUSINESS

Digital Economy Ecosystems

• Entrepreneurial culture

• Online job market

• Not just for companies, but individuals

• Support Independent workers, freelancers

• Collaboration, Communication, Commerce

Tech DevelopmentPlatform, Plug-ins

Interactive Content I.P.

DesignGames, Videos

Interfaces, Templates

TAMPA

Jamaica CLEVELAND

Kansas City

Tech DevelopmentPlatform, Plug-Ins

Interactive Content

DesignGames, Videos

Interfaces, Templates

DCM puts the deals together• Build syndicate of local investors and stakeholders• Create local subsidiary, own 51% of entity

– 49% = local investors, execs and staff

• Create accompanying 501c3 • Identify local industry to sponsor MM projects• Global brands sponsor viral campaigns - gain access

to authentic hyper-local vendors and customers– via our Biz Directory

• Setup and operate Bureaus and on-line Mktplace– offer community free services

• Customize Citizen Dashboard to the City or Region

Digital City Mechanics

• Working towards this for 20 years – (Odaiba, MediaBar, Trieste, SuperBowl XXXII, NOW.com, Blogging, Open Social Networking)

• Helped build an industry before – (MacroMind Macromedia)

• Social networking platform – (PeopleAggregator)

• Open standards – (RSS, OpenID, OAuth)

• Let’s do it in KC!

Looking for….• Angel investors• Pilot projects around the world:

– introductions

– connections

– alliance formation

• Bootstrapping consulting gigs (let me help YOU!)