Sunday, October 6, the future of the digital entertainment industry realizes it’s home in Austin with the premier of Captivate at Austin’s Palmer Events Center. In an era where voiceover contracts, micro-transactions, crowdfunding, augmented reality, and 3D printing converge are defining the future of entertainment, Captivate takes a unique look at the convergence of film, music, and gaming; from my perspective, starting to look at entrepreneurs and ventures in those industries in much the same way that we (I) look at startups in tech.
“We decided to launch Captivate because we realized that there was a void we needed to fill,” said Executive Director Jennifer Bullard. “Unlike many conferences that bring independent creative professionals together, Captivate focuses specifically on the skills needed in order to thrive at the cutting edge. With hands-on workshops, interactive sessions, and practical advice, Captivate delivers proven knowledge and best practices you can use today to create the future you want tomorrow.”
The conference, and expo, is geared toward small to medium sized creative and technology companies interested in learning about the future of digital entertainment and new technologies. A full-featured event, Captivate is complete with an expo floor showcasing technologies and tools for those breaking into the film, music, game, and mobile industries and the conference boasts a robust conference programming schedule with tracks in Art & Animation, Start-Up & Business, Design & Narrative, Content Creation, the Future of Digital Entertainment, Leadership, and Student oriented panels and speakers.
More than 100 sessions and speakers focusing on all areas of digital entertainment – including film, games, music, and mobile. Keynote speakers Warren Spector (Disney Interactive, Junction Point, Ion Storm), Gary Hoover (Bigwig Games, Bookstop, Hoover’s), and William Hurley [“whurley”] (Chaotic Moon) will discuss topics such as leadership in the arts, keys to building a lasting business, and how innovation can create opportunity—adding to an already spectacular lineup of speakers and panelists.
Me too! Join me as we explore What it Takes to Raise Money (and clue me in on the secrets). We’re going to dive into what all of those popular questions you hear from advisors and potential angel or venture investors mean to your business. “What’s your exit strategy?” “Are you lean?” “What’s the business model?” You’ve heard them all, what are they really asking?
Raising capital is less about the answers to such questions and instead, having the passion for and ambition to not take no for an answer; networking, networking, networking; creating excitement and engagement; and knowing your audience (no, not your customers: the investors). When you know your market and the stage in which you find yourself, there are a common set of expectations for your business such that raising capital is as simple as ensuring you’ve met those expectations, knowing how to tell your story, and recognizing that no two VCs thing alike. We’ll explore how to do that and how to get ready for the different expectations of different investor communities.
Learn more at captivateconference.com and grab details on access and tickets while you’re there.
