The Ignite Charlotte organizing committee, pleasantly surprised at the success and feedback from Ignite Charlotte 1, decided to do it again, but bigger – and with global implications.
Ignite Charlotte 2 was going to be a part of Global Ignite Week. Global Ignite Week (GIW) is when Ignite cities all over the world schedule their Ignite event in a 7-day period. Global Ignite Week was scheduled for early February.
Therefore, early February it shall be.
Ignite Charlotte 2 added two more things into its communal basket: Live-streaming, so anyone interested in seeing Ignite Charlotte was able (and encouraged!), and the Icebreaker Contest; an event before the talks which involved people forming teams with people to solve a problem, create something, or play a game.
February came, and Ignite Charlotte 2 was off! The icebreaker contest was sponsored by the awesome folks at Southern Resources, a scrap metal and supplies joint that gave us everything from bullet shells to computer motherboards and mechanical gears. The teams were tasked to build replicas of their assigned “Wonder of the World.”
The speakers were just as awe-inspiring and thought-provoking as the last group! With an international focus for Ignite Charlotte 2, many of the talks mirrored the theme. Paolo Nagari, who had some time before running off to Italy, spoke of intercultural intelligence. Adam S. Brooks, from CPCC spoke of Geek being chic. Naturally, one could be a geek anywhere in the world. In fact, as he presented, geeks are needed. And Stephanie Nelson told the audience about important elements of social media.
Oh yes, forgot to mention – Ignite Charlotte 2’s attendance nearly doubled the first one. Ignite Charlotte 2 brought it close to 500 people!
Can Ignite Charlotte 3 match this? The speakers, volunteers and sponsors think so.
Enlighten us Ignite Charlotte 3…and make it quick!
