The Software Cornwall Open Tech Challenge - Call out to Cornish Digital Makers

Call out to Cornish Digital Makers

Join us Wednesday 10 July from 4pm – 7pm at Falmouth University

The Basics:

Digital projects made in Cornwall showcased to international delegates.
Opportunities to get assistance, financial or otherwise.
Share ideas and meet like-minded groups or individuals.
Free entrance and a Pasty!

Software Cornwall, sponsored by Agile on the Beach and Cornwall Council, supported by European Developing Skills for Business funding and the “IAmDigital” Academy, are inviting Cornish digital makers, of any age, to come and exhibit their ideas, inventions and creations at an international conference in Falmouth. Participation is free. Individuals, teams or groups from Schools, Colleges, Universities or other organisations are welcome.

Wednesday 10th July marks the start of Agile on the Beach 2019 at the University of Falmouth. Delegates from around the world are convening for two days of learning, listening, workshops and networking with 50 national and international speakers on the core topic of Agile Software Development covering Software Craftsmanship, Team Development, Leadership, and Product Design & Management see https://agileonthebeach.com/

The opening evening provides a perfect opportunity for delegates to come and see the creativity of the Cornish digital maker movement. This digital maker showcase will enable participants of the Open Tech Challenge to meet, chat, swap ideas, learn something new and discuss their build with interested like-minded creatives. Your project may have been an educational project whether for fun or part of a marked assessment. We are hoping to encourage entrants from a wide skill set of individuals.

This launch event is the start of the Open Tech Challenge from Software Cornwall. With the backing of the conference and Cornwall Council, the aim is to have regular meetings around Cornwall. Those of you with a creative technological persuasion will now have an outlet for your ideas, somewhere to meet and greet others, to show and tell and possibly meet companies interested in taking your abilities further.

This is not just about somewhere to get together for a social chat. It is about getting those interested in utilising technology. Those who enjoy solving a problem with software or digital solutions. Those who would like to develop their interest into something more. Who knows who you might meet or what you might learn?

What do we mean by Open Tech Challenge?

Open means three main things:

It is Open for everyone to enter – no matter what your skill set, age, background or what you are currently doing you can join. Either as an individual or as a group from your school, college, workplace or family.
Open also means that what you or your team bring is available to the community as a whole rather than a purely commercial project. It does not mean you have to use Open Source Software but the end result will be Open Source – see our rules.
Open as in what you bring to show does not have to be to the challenge theme but we’d like to see how different teams come up with different results.

Tech means

anything that uses technology in any way to solve a problem. So it could be, for instance, an app or a robot or using the Internet of Things.

Challenge means two things:

We want to Challenge everyone to come up with Ideas.
To allow these Ideas to become reality we will be offering support for selected projects in a variety of ways – this could be advice, help with buying equipment, introductions or additional learning or training. At the first event, we will be finding out the best way to support these Ideas so that we can make the best use of the resources we have available.

Themes – at the Event we hope to develop some Themes around the kind of problems that need solving – these might include the Environment, Social Inclusion, improving training and education. Please bring your thoughts on these topics to the event.

How to Exhibit

Ideas completed, in progress or still at the development stage are welcome. Bring along something to show. A video on a tablet or laptop maybe, a poster with drawings and photographs, parts and pieces still to be assembled or the completed creation. Show off your coding skills to solve that problem, encourage others to take a look under the hood of your creation, open up your ideas to a wider audience but be prepared to absorb new ideas from others too.

Software Cornwall asks that you register to exhibit for the event before 28th June. Latecomers will not necessarily be excluded but we need to organise the space. If you’d just like to visit then you are welcome too and bring along your ideas next time.

Booking a Place

Entrance is by pre-booked tickets only. Each individual attending will need to book a ticket as the tickets include a pasty and refreshments.

Tickets can be booked at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/software-cornwall-open-tech-challenge-tickets-62301320928

Parking

Entry is at the top of the campus and parking is in the main car parks. This requires a 10-minute walk down to the venue. For accessibility requests please contact us after placing your booking. There is a limited supply of accessibility parking.