2nd Annual Technology Showcase:
Tuesday & Wednesday, October 19-20

An On-site Marketplace of New and Exciting Ideas

The Technology Showcase at the Annual Global Conference is an on-site marketplace of new ideas and pre-commercialized emerging technologies that are experiential and have a huge "WOW" factor. The Showcase will be incorporated into the conference program so attendees can learn from and interact with the innovations that will be helping to shape our future. Our goal is to engage in a way that both amazes and provides useful insights into innovative solutions and opportunities that might apply to business today.

Background and Overview

Measure of Success

A "Playground of Delight"

Best of Show

YouTube Contest

The Long Term Objective (by 2014)

Background & Overview:
In 2009, the PDMA launched the debut of its Technology Showcase at their Global Conference in Anaheim, CA at the Disneyland Hotel.  Immediate reactions to the Showcase were very positive and received rave reviews by all in attendance. Contributions made to the conference by the Showcase were exciting and added new dimensions never before explored.

Prior to the launch, this was a new concept and had not previously been part of any PDMA conference. There were no existing guidelines that attempted to define the objectives, scope, approach or measures of success for this idea. The team working on this project, in its first year, were able to make great strides by recruiting entrepreneurs, innovators, creative thinkers, students, and the like to participate in the conference by showcasing their emerging technologies and innovations in exchange for a tremendous learning and networking experience.

Measures of Success:
The immediate objective of the Technology Showcase is to:

• Provide an added feature that will differentiate the PDMA and its Global Conference, adding to the UNCONFERENCE approach
• Become an incremental part of the overall value attendees perceive get from attending the conference
• Provide a means of engaging, surprising and delighting people who attend the Global Conference
• Develop a platform for students and educational institutions, specifically, to become more aligned with the Association as curriculum continues to evolve and the field of product development strengthens as a profession and career path at the University level
• Build relationships with today’s students who are tomorrow’s product developers
• Create an on-site environment with high “gee whiz” and “WOW” factors that will substantially enhance the attendees’ overall impression of the conference
• Engage and entertain; build knowledge and skills

A “Playground of Delight”:
There is a high degree of interaction between participants and the technologies or products being showcased. This does not mean only highly interactive products are showcased. There might also be a number of “poster” exhibits.

In addition to the entertainment value provided to attendees, the Showcase also acts as a source on insight and as a trigger that allows participants to come up with innovative new ideas for opportunities in their industries or markets. In return, Showcase exhibitors may use the conference as a way to generate Voice of the Customer research on or about their technologies and products.

Best of Show:

1st Place Best of Show Winner will receive:

• Recognition via marketing and PR among the PDMA, Innovation and product development community
• Gratis registration to the 2011 Global Conference in Arizona
• Award/Plaque presented on behalf of the PDMA
• Real advice from a panel of thought leaders on the commercial viability of the technology who will take the time to review your business plan and model and help you to determine a route for marketability, profitability and market penetration
• Early stage innovation potential assessment and sales forecasting via Merwyn Business Simulation* (a $2,000 US value)

2nd Place Best of Show Winner will receive:

• Recognition via marketing and PR among the PDMA, Innovation and product development community
• Gratis registration to the 2011 Global Conference in Arizona
• Award/Plaque presented on behalf of the PDMA

YouTube Contest:

Submit your short video clip demonstrating your product innovation and its uses. Viewers will have a chance to vote on your technology and you could be invited to display and demonstrate to some of the world's leading innovators.

Viewers: do you like what you see? Comment, rate, and share the videos with your friends and colleagues! Follow the Tech Showcase updates on Twitter with the hashtag #PDMA2010.

For more information or to submit your innovative technology, e-mail pdmatechshowcase@gmail.com

Contest Rules and Guidelines Apply

 Submit Today

The Long-term Objective (by 2014):

• Evolve into a lively on-site marketplace for new and exciting emerging technologies and products that have become a major reason why a significant number of people attend the Global Conference each year
• Become an event and meeting place where small start-ups, university labs and other researchers can present their emerging technologies and products to potential licensees or JV investors
• Product managers and product development decision makers come to the conference because the Tech Showcase is a unique opportunity to see a wide variety of innovative technologies that might be of interest to their companies
• Create an open innovation marketplace that connects inventors and larger companies - Note that the focus is on licensing or JV opportunities, rather than VC funding; there are numerous conferences that provide start-ups to pitch to VC’s already