Putting it All Together: What is the Digital Convergence Initiative All About?
Join TAG to dialog about this must-do opportunity for Central Texas Friday September 30th
Over the past year a group of leaders from San Antonio to Austin to Waco have been organizing a Digital Convergence Initiative, or DCI, to create a super economic cluster.
Digital Convergence is the coming together of underlying digital components and features such as voice, text, video, pictures, animation, broadcasts, presentations, streaming media, global connectivity and personalized services across multiple electronic systems/devices into a simplified, converged digital communication system.
One DCI cluster - Digital Media - was explored at TAG's April meeting by a panel of executives experienced in digital games, digital movies, and CD content. Other DCI clusters are infrastructure in nature like telecommunications, semiconductors, and devices. While other DCI clusters represent content such as medical procedures, military training, and publications. The initiative will involve all elements in the super economic cluster - research, large companies, entrepreneurs, education, government, and service providers.
Our super economic cluster is one of the few places in the world that is already strong in the DCI cluster and where digital convergence is coming together. Digital Convergence is in its infancy. It is important to the establishment of the region as a world class leader that the region act now.
On September 22nd, the DCI will hold its first public conference in San Marcos. TAG will follow up on that conference with a panel discussion to give those who did not attend the conference a briefing on DCI as well as provide the DCI with valuable community feedback at a breakfast on September 30th (details below).
Members of the panel include (see bios below):
Jim Butler - Manager, Creative Industries Development, City of Austin
Hugh Forest - Executive Director of South by Southwest
Dean McCall - President and CEO of Salsa.net in San Antonio, member of the DCI organizing committee
Dan Shine - Director of Marketing, AMD
About the Panel:
Jim Butler - Manager, Creative Industries Development, City of Austin
Jim Butler works for the city government of Austin. His job is to find ways to make Austin better by working with organizations and individuals involved
in technology, film, and music. Prior to working with the city government of Austin, Jim had worked on projects related to technology, film, and music with the state government of Texas.
Hugh Forest - Executive Director of South by Southwest
Hugh Forrest has served as the Event Director of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Festival since 1994. Before joining the SXSW Interactive Festival team, he was editor of the short-lived Texas Sports Chronicle. From 1985 to 1988, Forrest published an alternative monthly called "The Austin Challenger." Bringing together bloggers, web designers, game developers and tech entrepreneurs, the SXSW Interactive Festival has grown to become one of the world's top gathering spots for uber-geeks and digital creatives.
Dean McCall - President and CEO of Salsa.net in San Antonio, member of the DCI organizing committee
Dean McCall is President and CEO of Salsa.Net , the South Central Chapter of the Internet Society, a community organization charged with technology advocacy in and around San Antonio. Mr. McCall is a consultant to regional private equity organizations advising clients in key areas of expertise, including understanding technology innovation and commercialization, product analysis, and market strategy. He also acts as an advisor to new technology sectors and potential hot spot growth areas. Dean serves on technology committees in the San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative (SATAI).
Dan Shine - Director of Marketing, AMD
This program is a continuing part of TAG's mission to facilitate economic growth by providing a forum for the exchange of information and ideas between Austin's high tech community and business to business professionals. At it October 28th meeting, TAG will have David Smith, Technology Futures, speak on "Austin and the Future of Texas as Seen Through Technology Laws".
Bill Kleinebecker (Program Producer, akleineb@tfi.com, 512.258.8898)
