Key themes

We are seeking presentations that focus on tools, methods, past successful experiences and case studies, educational insights or other advice about innovating successfully during a disruption.  These concepts could include:

·       How can leveraging scenario planning help?

·       How to prepare for the next disruption and become comfortable (or even excited) about them

·       Change how you see the landscape to “see” those opportunities early

·       How do we take advantage of the disruption and emerging opportunities?

·       Convince others in your business who may be more interested in "staying the course" or waiting for things to "go back to normal"

·       How do you build the skills to pivot your thinking, shift your business model to new realities and opportunities?

·       Building the skills to pivot your thinking, shift your business model to new realities and opportunities.

·       Case studies about companies that successfully innovated during a disruption

The proposed talks can be framed around strategies, tools and methods to achieve any of these topics, educational presentations that prepare the audience or focus on case studies or successful experiences and lessons learned from the speaker’s experience 

Other talks or topics beyond those listed above will be considered as long as they align to the theme.  Proposals that do not align to the theme of the conference will not be considered.

Speakers are welcome to identify their own tools or methods but must refrain from advocating or “selling” during the presentation if the talk is selected.

Speakers

We welcome speakers from any industry or company, of any size.  We welcome speakers from government agencies or academia.

Preference will be given to speakers in the Carolinas, but speakers from any country or region are welcome to submit proposals.

Presentation format and length

As the event will be virtual, the presentation format will be governed by the constraints of the video sharing application.  In the past, many speakers have created PowerPoint slides and led their talks using the slides.  Speakers are welcome to use slides or to speak off the cuff or use other means to convey the messages and ideas.  We will accept both live and recorded talks, so any speaker’s material that is selected can be pre-recorded.  Due to the nature of the event, we will limit the number of pre-recorded presentations so the audience has a chance to interact with and ask questions of the speakers when possible.

We plan two types of talks – a 30 to 40 minute talk with Q&A and a 15-20 minute talk with Q&A.  Breaking the presentations into alternating short and longer presentations means that we can accommodate more speakers and the listeners have more variety.  If you submit a proposal, please convey to us which timing you prefer.

How to submit a proposal

If you wish to submit a proposal, please send the following information:

-       Your name

-       Your email address

-       Your company (include a website or LinkedIn link)

-       Your proposed talk in a topic sentence

-       A 30-50 word description of your proposed talk, including information on the tools, methods, strategies you propose to cover or the case study or success story you propose to present

-       The length of your proposed talk

-       If you have examples of your experience speaking on this topic (a video online or notification of a meeting that you led) please include that

Send your proposal to speaker.innovatecarolina@gmail.com for consideration.  We will notify speakers as to their acceptance within two weeks of receiving your submission

Sponsorships

Please note that we are a non-profit organization and volunteers run the event. We do seek small sponsorships to help defray the cost of our event. We do not ask corporate speakers (speakers employed by corporations), government agencies or academicians to sponsor, but do ask software companies and consultants to consider sponsoring.  Your willingness to sponsor will not be a condition of acceptance of your proposal.

Sponsors will be recognized throughout the day and will have breakout rooms where attendees can visit and ask questions.