Making New Connections

One of the things we do well at NetHope is making connections. Whether it's connecting first responders in Nepal, or connecting technology people with each other, "wiring" people together is in our founding DNA.

As I walked the showcase at this year's Imagine Cup I was looking for opportunities to match-up ideas and people. Two teams had alert apps to report threats of violence: UAE and Germany. Each had some good designs that the other team lacked. I encouraged each to spend time with the other team and share ideas. When the goal is  helping people, projects need to be an "and" rather than an "or."

The Japanese innovation team had a virtual air interface that reminded me of Tim Prentice, an award winning sculptor in Connecticut who builds mobiles that change appearance with wind. I showed the students the video. They were hooked. So I connected them. Artists and technology designers may be strange bedfellows. But creativity knows no such boundaries. Can-do students are open to learn from anywhere.

The UK innovation team had a cool Microsoft Band app to exchange contact info by shaking hands at events rather than handing out business cards.  Their app reminded me of a Social Network Analysis study for mapping the hidden gurus in an organization, an app near to my interest in Expertise Management. The students' eyes widened as he began to think about this other possibility for their technology. So I recommended looking up the research paper.

Making connections is something I enjoy. I've written about it before, here. It's cool to find some new examples. But that's what happens when you bring people together. The connections flourish among ideas, projects and people. One of our mottos is to "share and do". Make something happen together.