DETROIT, JULY 24 – OpenCo, a unique “inside-out” business conference, has selected Detroit as their next global destination for a celebration of open-style business. The event offers networkers, investors, marketers, job seekers and curious neighbors direct access to Detroit’s most innovative companies to hear firsthand how they are changing Detroit and the world.
Participating companies are called HostCos, which have been curated because they demonstrate and embrace a set of values surrounding the concept of openness: Open collaboration, Open communication, and Open community. On Thursday, September 12 they will open their doors and deliver presentations to the people of Detroit, who can register to attend at no cost. Firms like Shinola, Detroit Soup, WDET, Crain Communications, Model D, UpTo, Benzinga, Curbed Detroit/Eater Detroit and Detroit Labs have been selected to present as Detroit HostCos. Other Detroit-based firms interested in becoming a HostCo have until Monday, July 29, 2013, to apply at http://det.openco.us.
“I knew Detroit was a perfect choice for OpenCo after I visited the city last autumn and saw all of these amazing companies doing innovative work,” said John Battelle, co-founder of OpenCo Festivals.
“After holding successful OpenCo festivals in San Francisco, New York, and London over the past year, Detroit was an ideal fit. Anyone who understands what is happening in Detroit understands our logic in selecting it to be our fourth OpenCo Festival.” continued Mr. Battelle.
OpenCo Detroit registrants will be able to select which HostCos they will visit in their native habitat, and hear first-hand from the founders and executives about how they are trying to change the world, and why. General admission to the event is free and the HostCo presentations occur hourly across the city. Prior to the event, registered attendees can go to the OpenCo website to customize their event schedule from “tracks” that are curated by industry and neighborhood. To attend, visit det.openco.us to register and follow us on Twitter @OpenCoDET.
OpenCo Detroit quickly garnered local business leader support with advisory council members like Dick Costolo – CEO of Twitter; Josh Linkner – NYT Best Selling Author/Speaker on Creativity, CEO/Managing Partner, Detroit Venture Partners, Founder/Chairman, ePrize; KC Crain – Vice President, Publisher, Crain Communications, Inc.; Jeff DeGraff – Professor at University of Michigan Ross School of Business, author, TED speaker extraordinaire, Head of Innovatrium; Dave Egner – CEO, Hudson Webber Foundation; Director, New Economy; Initiative for SE Michigan; Toby Barlow – Detroit evangelist/business owner, NY Times writer, novelist (Sharp Teeth and Babayaga), Chief Creative Officer of Team Detroit (Ford’s Global agency); Jason Raznick – CEO, Benzinga; Contributor to Forbes. For the entire list of our advisory council, visit http://det.openco.us/news.
About OpenCo Festivals
OpenCo Festivals regionally celebrate the open, collaborative spirit of companies that are truly changing the world. Co-founded by entrepreneur and writer John Battelle and marketing executive, Brian Monahan, it’s an event indicative of an open desire to share our stories, celebrate local business culture, and strengthen local communities. OpenCo Festivals are made possible by a list of impressive organizations that have pledged theirsupport as partners. The founding partner is American Express OPEN Forum, with Yahoo! and IPG Media Labs as sustaining partners. The OpenCo event series is a world-wide festival; more OpenCo cities will be announced for the 2014 calendar soon. Please visit http://det.openco.us to stay abreast of these developments.