EntConnect 2008 Entrepreneurial Connections conference details trickle in

As promised, the EntConnect 2008 Entrepreneurial Connections conference will be held from Thursday, March 27, 2008 through Sunday, March 30, 2008. This is an excellent opportunity for engineers with an entrepreneurial interest to get together and share ideas and experiences related to starting and running your own technology-oriented business. It is not restricted to technology types per se, but that is the main focus and primary interest. Many of the attendees are former readers of the now-defunct Midnight Engineering magazine.

Finally, at least a few details have been finalized (as if that word had any meaning for an unconference!) by conference MC John Gaudio:

• Once again we'll be staying at the Sheraton Denver West. Rooms are $75.00 per night.  They now have a workout facility, lap pool, hot tub and steam room, all available at no additional charge to those staying in the hotel.
• Skiing will be Thursday, March 27th, followed by drinks in the hotel bar.
• Friday is still open, though we're looking at possibilities including go cart racing, (with some pretty serious go carts!) shooting a little trap, and/or geo caching.
• Friday evening will be the Italian Feast at Valentes!
• Saturday and Sunday we'll have sessions
• There will be some sort of fun and entertaining events on Saturday evening.
• John Gaudio's pictures from last year are up on Flickr.
• Dave Shaver's pictures from EntConnect 2005.
• Dave Shaver's skiing pictures from Entconnect 2006.

In addition, there is a rumor that registration will be online. Pricing is hidden somewhere on the official conference web site.

For nostalgia sake, here's an old cover of the magazine:

This is not a large conference and may total fifteen to thirty participants, but that gives it a more personal and interactive feel. In some sense, it really should be categorized as an unconference since it is fairly informal and the participants help to structure the conference based on their interests.

FWIW, here is the definition of unconference from the Wikipedia:

An unconference is a conference where the content of the sessions is created and managed by the participants (generally day-by-day during the course of the event) rather than by one or more organizers in advance of the event. The term is primarily used in the geek community. Open Space Technology, however, is an unconference process that has been around since 1985 and is now in widespread use. Open Space Technology is an energizing and emergent way to organize an agenda for a conference.^{[citation needed]} Those coming to the event can post on a wiki ahead of time topics they want to present about or hope others will present about. The wiki can also be used as an attendee list.

There are parallels with science-fiction fandom, in which a low-key convention with less structure is called a Relaxacon.

As unstructured as EntConnect is, it is in fact somewhat more structured than a pure unconference or Open Space Technology event.

I have my own web page for the conference, EntConnect 2008, which includes some info about past conferences, including pictures, but there is also a  Official EntConnect Entrepreneurial Connections web site as well. Also, you can check John Gaudio's A Better Blogsite for information as it may become available. John runs the conference.

The audience is primarily technical, engineer types, but also non-engineers as well as students who have an entrepreneurial interest. I would say that the audience is "eclectic." So, if you are entrepreneurial in any way and in the area or just want an excuse to go skiing in Colorado, check out this conference.

-- Jack Krupansky