Innovation Expo

An Idea Exposition on 22 November (Saturday), 9 AM to 4 PM

at the Hawaii Young Entrepreneurs Summit & Fest, HPU Hawaii Loa Campus

This event encourages people with innovative ideas to explore how these may potentially be transformed into products or services that create value for the community, for profit or not-for-profit outcomes. Their ideas are solutions to existing problems that we face. In return, they will gain the experience, advice, exposure, and/or potential realization. Awards will be given to three ideas that present a creative solution for a pressing problem. This exposition expresses the mission of Global Entrepreneurship Week – “unleashing ideas”. Participants may show their idea with a poster or with a 3-slide presentation file.

Participants (Exhibitors): Students from high schools, universities and colleges, start-up companies.

Participants’ learning objectives: Develop skills/tools to communicate their ideas and business/model when presented with minimal time conversation opportunities.

• Develop skills/tools for visual/verbal executive summarization. Creating the posters should help them to formulate an executive summary and elevator pitch for their idea. 
• Gain higher level business/career networking exposure to potential investors and advisors who will give them valuable feedback.

Participants should develop skills to:

• encourage people to look at their poster
• offer a basic overview of the venture
• point out features/sections
• encourage people to ask questions 
• offer explanations or details 
• use eye contact and non-verbal cues 
• 'work' the audience

Audience objectives: Audiences will gain greater, personal, first hand knowledge about the ideas that are coming forth from the youth in the community. They will have the opportunity to give feedback that is constructive and beneficial for improving and affirming the creative potential of the participants.

Time: Poster sessions will run for the entire day. Participants may leave their booths from time to time. Posters must be set up at least one hour before the start of the Expo.

Venue requirements: 1 small table (min 36” sq) for each entrant; with two chairs by each table. There is a temptation for participants to read presentations. This is not appropriate in a poster session. In poster sessions, students may not read from a script. The Poster should contain all the info required to present to an individual or small group. Presentations should also NOT be memorized. Presenters should know their ideas/business in detail, and since the audience may ask for different information at different times, presenters may be required to answer questions they might not predict.

Logistics: Enough space between tables for visitors to view and ask questions.

Participants should: Use 3’ x 4’ poster boards – al though more creative presentation sets ups are welcome. 3x4’s can be folded in threes to allow for a standing board. This format will allow 16 (8.5 x 11) pages in landscape orientation. Use push pins to affix paper to poster boards. May also offer brochures, business cards, etc.

• May bring any other materials that will fit on their table, as long as it does not distract from other presentations. 
• After the poster session, all materials must be removed or they will be collected as trash. 
• Files of PPT slide presentations will be upload on desktop PC in a classroom, and kept by organizers after the event.

Hints for Participants:

• Use a simple, uncluttered format for Posters. 
• Stick to one or two colors only; use color only for a well-defined purpose -- but not for decoration. 
• Do not use hand-written materials. 
• Use a minimum font size of 24 – readable from 3 ft away. 
• Use one-and-a-half or double line spacing or 8.5x11 sheets
• Use one-inch margins on all sides.

• To apply, send your proposal to bchua@hpu.edu
• Deadline for application is: Saturday November 15, 2008 at 5 PM
• Applicants will be notified by Monday 17 November. Your creativity and desire to participate is much appreciated. 
• Acceptance must be received by the organizers by Wednesday 19 November at 5 PM or the spot will be reassigned.