Envolve – local event to share your visions and ideas
Did you ever feel that you should shout out your visions and ideas, share your thoughts with a larger audience or present the projects you are currently working on to your local community to receive early feedback and support?
Well, those times come out now. We introduce a local phenomenon.
The Greater Lafayette ENVOLVE, a series of monthly events that engages people like you to publicly share 10 visions that would involve the community around us.
10 Visions. 5 Minutes Each. Every Month. *
First edition April 26, 2010, 6-9pm, at Knickeboker Saloon, 113 N 5th Street, Lafayette, IN. Knickerboker will provide a friendly environment, to allow speakers to feel more comfortable in front of an even more friendly audience.
Why wait for the next TED?
Submit your vision or idea you’d like to present at one of the MONTHLY Envolve events.
Speak up
If selected, you will have 5 minutes to present your sparkling vision or idea, in front of an audience of local people, investors, potential partners or future team members. Your presentation will be projected in front of the friendly audience. Register your presentation.
Your dreams may come true
Each monthly event will have good audience, sponsors and prizes hopefully, collaboration and investing opportunities.
Who should speak, present, envolve?
You may come out with any idea or speech, it is not a requirement to be a tech startup, it may be anything that is sparkling enough to present interest to a group of local people. Local scientists, musicians, artists, developers, engineers, activists, and all people that have something to say are considered for speaking at this event.
The organizers will filter the idea registrations, if more than 10 people will register for presentations we will schedule the extra entries for the next monthly editions of this event.
Selected speakers will need to submit their presentations prior to the event, to avoid unnecessary delays during the event.
Speakers List
We will publish here the entire list of speakers as soon as it becomes available.
- Nelu Lazar – Intro
- Duke Long – Localism
- Zachary Baiel – Tippepedia, an encyclopedia for Tippecanoe County
- Matt Hunckler – Building your dream on a cloud
- Ian Thompson – The current and future potential of community gardens
- Virtuous Cycles – Smart bikes and public bicycle lending
- Diana Morris – Center for Entrepreneurs
- Chris Voglund – 7 Ways to choose the right contractor
- …
- Register your presentation
Who should attend?
Any local people, Lafayette and West Lafayette community members, Purdue staff, students, angel investors, venture capitalists, local businesses, individuals. Your enthusiastic applauses for the brave speakers at this first edition of the event will secure organizing future Envolve events, so please be friendly and awesome! Must be 21 to enter the venue.
We are now looking for:
- potential sponsors for the event;
- local people willing to share their ideas and passions (register here);
- local angel investors, venture capitalists that would like to participate at visions presentations;
- other local companies or individuals willing to get envolved in this effort to find new local talents and bright ideas investors and our local community members may like.
Sponsorship opportunities:
- Silver sponsorship ($250) – includes sponsor’s name displayed in the program, before each presentation, and also electronic ad displayed on our lafayetweetup.wordpress.com blog for an entire month
- Gold sponsorship ($350) – includes sponsor’s name displayed in the program, before each presentation, additional banners, flyers, and also electronic ad displayed on our lafayetweetup.wordpress.com blog for an entire month
- Platinum sponsorship ($500) – includes sponsor’s name/logo displayed on all presentations, every second of the program, and also electronic ad displayed on our lafayetweetup.wordpress.com blog for an entire month
- Food/Catering sponsors accepted – includes sponsor’s name displayed in the program, before each presentation, and also electronic ad displayed on our lafayetweetup.wordpress.com blog for an entire month
All sponsorship funds will be used to better organize the event and for speakers prizes.
Call (765) 532-0672 for more information.
It is important to RSVP
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=106133119414388
WHEN
Monday, April 26th, 2010
6:00-9:00pm
WHERE
Knickerboker Saloon
116 North 3rd Street
Lafayette, IN 47901-1225
(765) 429-8600
http://knickerbockersaloon.com
Food and drinks available to purchase.
THEME
Envolve – a series of monthly events that enable people like you to publicly share 10 visions that would inspire the community around you.
HASHTAG – #laftwt
Use it whenever you tweet anything about this event.
MEDIA PARTNERS
Z96.5 WAZY
BOB FM 95.3
Classic Rock 95.7 The Rocket
LWL-OurTown.com
SPONSORS
Lafayettech
RESOURCES
- @LafayeTweetup – http://twitter.com/lafayetweetup
- Envolve, official page – http://lafayettech.com/envolve
GET INSPIRED
Here is a very inspirational video showing a 5-minutes presentation from one of Envolve’s similar events, Ignite from O’Reilly Media.
DIRECTIONS to the Knickerboker Saloon – We’ll see you there on April 26!
View Larger Map
EVENT’S POSTER – help us promote it, thanks!

* An extension of the @LafayeTweetup event, by Zachary Baiel, @NeluLazar, @DukeLong and John Fry @Electricelm.
That was it: Lafayette Tweetup #6
We will diversify the event’s theme even more in April. Check out the next event on the new project’s website: http://lafayettech.com/envolve.
Until then, here are some pics from our local Twestival, March 25 at Skylight Coffeehouse. We’ve broadcast the event on Ustream, check out this recording.
We’ll see you at the next tweetup, the Greater Lafayette ENVOLVE!
That was it: Lafayette Tweetup #5
The cozy office at Realty Executives Lafayette hosted the local tweetup #5.
It was all a mixture of networking sub-events like new-media talks, the simulcast of Douglas Karr‘s “Blogging Conversions” presentation at the @BlogIndiana event in Valparaiso, snacks and treats, Greater Lafayette community development ideas.
@LafayeTweetup: the Lafayette tweetup #5 ended up with the most interesting conversation ever. so far. #staytuned
Lafayette Tweetup #5 – Blog Indiana, #nwitweetup
Our February tweetup is going to be quite an event. We’ve been invited to join Blog Indiana and #nwitweetup via ustream for a presentation given by Douglas Karr.
The presentation starts at 8 pm, but we will meet at 7 pm to chat and set up.
Host:
Realty Executives Lafayette: Downtown Lafayette, 835 Main Street
RSVP: http://twtvite.com/84e9nk
Hashtag: #laftwt #nwitweetup #blogindiana
Blog: http://lafayetweetup.wordpress.com
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/lafayetweetup
When:
Wednesday, February 24th, 7 – 10pm
Media partners:
Z96.5 WAZY
BOB FM 95.3
Classic Rock 95.7 The Rocket
LafayetteOnline.com
LWL-OurTown.com
Partners:
Lafayettech
That was it: Lafayette Tweetup #4
We’ve started this year’s series of local tweetups with a relaxing open talk night at the Scotty’s Brewhouse in West Lafayette, back in January.
This time we only had a regular networking event, where topics like iPad, blogging, startups, music projects, community have been openly discussed. The participants also made plans for our local tweetups in 2010. Stay tuned for more news as we move forward.
Now you’d better get ready for the local tweetup #5, taking place next week, on February 24th, 7-10pm at Realty Executives HQ in Lafayette. A separate blog post with the official announcement and details will be published soon.
Why local tweetups? – Wise Thoughts From Our Speakers Dec 7th
So why local tweetups? What are they? Should I come? Who should attend? Are they scary? Is it for business only? Only tech? For geeks? Engineers? For everybody? What’s the value?
We asked a few questions to our guest speakers for the local Lafayette Tweetup #3 on Monday, December 7th. We hope you will follow their advices and that you will join the 2-panels/7-speakers event at the Courtyard Marriott. RSVP.
» Why should local businesses, startups and individuals attend local tweetup events?
Douglas Karr (@douglaskarr)
President and CEO at DK New Media, Indianapolis
The impact that new social mediums is having on business is substantial. In a down economy, these types of events can arm you with some incredible samples of how businesses are incorporating social media into their acquisition, retention and customer service strategies. As well, there are often a few folks in attendance that can help you and your business out!
(Doug will join the Blogging and SEO panel, Dec 7th)
Michael Reynolds (@michaelreynolds)
President and CEO at SpinWeb, Indianapolis
Because it is a great place to engage in informal discussion about how to use modern communication tools to grow your business.
(Michael will join the Blogging and SEO panel, Dec 7th)
Günes Yilmaztuerk (@gunesy)
Founder and CMO of Sollé Coaching, Lafayette
Social media platforms empower us to network without the boundaries of time and geography. Local tweetups help strengthen these relationships with face-to-face meetings. They also provide the opportunity to meet other professionals and business owners while learning from industry experts.
(Günes will join the Blogging and SEO panel, Dec 7th)
Ed Finkler (@funkatron)
Creator of Spaz, a Lafayette-based open source Microblogging client for desktop and mobile
I think it offers a great insight into the folks behind the Twitter accounts you read. Get to know them, understand their motivations, and build relationships – both business and personal.
(Ed will join the Social Media Tools and Apps panel, Dec 7th)
Andrew Gouty (@agouty)
Sales Manager at Deep Ripples, Indianapolis
In a word, opportunity. Networking in the kind of low-risk environment that tweetups provide serves to connect in a community that can be otherwise rare. Business, non-profits, and individuals have a lot to gain, and really not much to lose.
(Andrew will join the Blogging and SEO panel, Dec 7th)
Vince Koser (@vkoser)
Creator of CeTwit, a Lafayette-based full featured windows mobile Twitter client
I think there are nearly limitless ways to interact with social media and discussing those methods in person with a group can lead to new insight into ways to leverage existing tools or come up with ideas for new ones. Discussing ideas and other peoples perceptions of those ideas is a good way to gauge popularity of potential ideas and means of interacting prior to undertaking those ideas.
(Vince will join the Social Media Tools and Apps panel, Dec 7th)
Nelu Lazar (@nelulazar)
Electrical Project Engineer, and Founder of Tweetvisor, a Lafayette-based multi-account Twitter interface for businesses
I feel that connecting online will continue to be the aggressively ascendant trend in the next years, for individuals, businesses and other entities. Start by meeting local people you’ve met online, learn more about people in your network and open your way to connecting and getting introduced to more people who could help you achieve your personal or professional goals.
(Nelu will join the Social Media Tools and Apps panel, Dec 7th)
» Should a local tweetup event be scary because I will face people I’ve met online or even people I don’t know?
Douglas Karr (@douglaskarr):
The value of online networking is in the off-line exchange. Pressing the flesh is the ultimate goal of networking online. This is where the action happens and business cards fly!
Michael Reynolds (@michaelreynolds):
No.
Günes Yilmaztuerk (@gunesy):
After you’ve already “met” people online and exchanged emails, meeting them in person is absolutely great because you already know them, you know their company, you know their values and their work ethics. This is the chance to get to know each other better, to exchange business cards, to talk about possible collaborations.
Ed Finkler (@funkatron):
I’ve always found them a little scary at first, but once you dive in it’s a lot of fun. Everyone feels the same way you do, so there’s no reason to be intimidated.
Andrew Gouty (@agouty):
Yes, people fear what they don’t know. In a nutshell, fear of meeting new people is a great thing because it signifies personal growth.
Nelu Lazar (@nelulazar):
It’s either face them and learn new things or stay in the shadow and misteriously tweet about them. Tweetups usually gather people sharing the same thoughts, so there’s nothing to be ashamed, scared or suspicious about. All of the people joining tweetups are mind-opened, fun and willing to connect, help and get helped.
» Can I still attend a local tweetup even if my business is not a tech one or not online-related?
Douglas Karr (@douglaskarr):
Absolutely! Don’t be intimidated by us geeks… we’re a helpful bunch and these are the best events to squeeze us for some free consulting and advice!
Michael Reynolds (@michaelreynolds):
Yes.
Günes Yilmaztuerk (@gunesy):
Can you say free consulting? Can you say free knowledge exchange? Can you say potential clients? And, believe me, by the time you’ve asked your questions, seen what online marketing can do for you, and have gotten an idea of how to get started – really, by the time we’re done with you, you won’t be able to wait to get home and get online!
Ed Finkler (@funkatron):
Of course! Twitter offers a way to make a more personal connection with your customers, no matter what business you’re in.
Andrew Gouty (@agouty):
Of course! Diversity in these groups only serves everyone by offering different points of view. Non-tech and non-online business attendance enriches the experience and makes it more holistic.
Nelu Lazar (@nelulazar):
So far I tried to keep these tweetup events opened for any kind of local businesses and individuals that would like to use Internet as a communication environment, for various reasons and goals. Yes, please join our series of events no matter what you currently do, as soon as you are planning to use online tools to achieve your goals.
» What’s the best thing that can come out of these local tweetup events?
Douglas Karr (@douglaskarr):
Online -> Off-line -> Business Card -> Business -> Invoice -> $
Michael Reynolds (@michaelreynolds):
Networking and education.
Günes Yilmaztuerk (@gunesy):
Learning. Relationships. Strategic partners. After all this – can there be a reason NOT to attend?
Ed Finkler (@funkatron):
You make new friends, learn new skills, and have a good time.
Andrew Gouty (@agouty):
A stronger, more connected local economy, and all the positives that come with it (there are lots).
Nelu Lazar (@nelulazar):
I have new friends from Lafayette, West Lafayette, Purdue, Indianapolis etc. already due to the first two tweetup events I have organized so far. Many people learned new things about online environment and they enjoy this knowledge every day now. I really hope this tweetup series will grow as I expect, and that together we will keep the local online environment something we should all be proud of.
This article is subject to future updates.
Greater Lafayette Online Awards 2009
We are making plans to organize the Local Online Awards 2009, that will recognize the best online works created and maintained by local Greater Lafayette community members.
The winners will be revealed at the local Greater Lafayette Tweetup #3, scheduled to take place at the Courtyard Marriott, Monday December 7th, 2009, starting with 7pm.
» Click here for details about this event.
VOTE HERE
- Best Local Personal Blog [get your participant badge]
- Best Local Business Blog [get your participant badge]
- Best Local Collaborative Blog [get your participant badge]
- Best Local News Website [get your participant badge]
- Best Local Startup [get your participant badge]
.

































