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question:Can you paraphrase the concept of being a "nanobot" rather than a "cog" in the future of work? Answer according to: Dear universe, I would like the following headline appear in the Bay of Plenty Times on Fri 26 July 2013: “Tauranga University Enrolls First 99 Students, 4 Years Ahead Of Schedule”. You can probably think of at least 5 reasons why a university here would be great for Tauranga? Lot’s of people and groups complain about the lack of a university in the media, and there is lots of blaming going on for who’s fault it is for not getting started already. Did you know there has been just ONE new university in New Zealand built since 1965? 5 out of 8 were built between 1869 – 1897. That’s 140 to 116 years ago. Just forget about it. Write off the idea as too hard. Quitting is a valid decision. Don’t be embarrassed. Is it true that, today, if you choose a subject to master, that within 3 months from now, you could be the most knowledgeable person in your city (or country, or in the world) on that subject, and that all you need is internet access? Have a look at Khan Academy for example. Via Khan Academy you can learn about Math, Science, Economics, Computer Science and Humanities for free via a database of over 4000 videos. In fact, there are schools without text books or teachers who just use these videos to teach children (and adults). You don’t even need a classroom actually. Just a computer in a hole in a wall will do. Watch this TED Talk by Sugata Mitra who shows how he enabled illiterate children in a remote village teach themselves Biology and English in 3 months with a single computer in a wall. So the ice has been broken. Do we really need huge buildings and desks and chairs and schedules and lecturers and tutors and fees and loans to pay for it all? Imagine if we had both! Imagine if people could choose! In fact, we don’t have to imagine, because those are our choices already. But sitting at home watching video after video is lonely. Wouldn’t it be great if all the people in your area who were about to watch that video or learn that topic could come together and watch it together, and explain it to teach each other, and argue about it together? Do you think you’d learn the content better if you could do that? All we need is a courtyard in the middle of town that can hold about 100 people. Tauranga’s got one. It’s called Red Square. (Which we could rename “TED Square” after TED.com). Turn up there at lunchtime with your lunch and with your smart phone or tablet or laptop. Choose a Khan video or TED video or any other YouTube video you want to watch and tweet your intention using the hashtag #RedSquareVideo and start a 2 minute countdown. People can subscribe to be notified when that hashtag is used and they would have 2 minutes to come and join you. They can load the video themselves (or cosy up next to you to watch it), and when it’s done you can have a chat about it so that knowledge really sinks in. Or, if they want to watch another video, that can do so and others could join them. The first day for this is 12noon Thursday 18 April 2013. Join me in Red Square (1 Spring St, Tauranga)? Imagine if 5 people turned up every day to do this. That’s the goal: For 99 people to turn up on the 99th day after the start on 18 April 2013. And this will be the headline on the Bay of Plenty Times website on Fri 26 July 2013 (99 days later): “Tauranga University Enrolls First 99 Students, 4 Years Ahead Of Schedule”. The Future of “Work”: Are You A Cog In a Machine Or A Nanobot In A Swarm? I had the honour of spending 60 seconds with John Key this morning. I was 1 of 10 young professionals invited to tell him about what we’re up to here in Tauranga, the city I love. Hi, I’m Sheldon Nesdale and I’m helping to build a eco-system of entrepreneurship and innovation here in Tauranga. One of 6 ways I’m doing that is by organising an event that people can go to and learn about entrepreneurship and innovation in a hands on way. It’s called Tauranga StartUp Weekend and it’s happening July 5,6,7 this year. It’s like a cake. You throw in ingredients like mentors, prizes, judges, strangers, structure, and chaos, and you eat whatever you cook. This guy runs a whole country so his perspective is mostly a macro sized one. (Although he has this talent of zooming down to the individual level too). This means he sees the big picture, the big system and the big moving parts. When he was talking about Fonterra and exports, 2 pictures formed in my head that I want to tell you about. The first picture was one of a giant machine which needed cogs to work. Do you feel like a cog in a machine sometimes? What are the cogs in this machine? People. You might be a big cog or you might be a small cog, but the machine wants to be able to replace you easily or work without you if it needs too. For example your job might be to sit in a cubicle and answer phones. The machine wants you to stay there. But even if you leave, it’ll very quickly fill that spot with someone else. The second picture was one of a nanobot swarm. Do you want the freedom to swarm to problems you are passionate about solving? It’s a tiny machine. So tiny a million of them can fit on the head of a pin. This time the people are individual nanobots. They are separate. They are autonomous. They make their own decisions. But the supercool thing is that they can swarm to problems that need solving. For example, poverty needs solving. The people/nanobots that care about poverty will swarm to that problem and solve it together. That’s the future of work I think. So, are you a cog or a nanobot? And if you want to change, when are you going to start?
answer:The idea of being a "nanobot" versus a "cog" in the future of work means having the freedom to swarm to problems you are passionate about solving rather than being a replaceable part in a larger, rigid system. A university in Tauranga would be beneficial for creating an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. However, with the availability of online resources like Khan Academy and TED, people can learn on their own without the need for large buildings, schedules, and high fees. To make learning less isolating, people can gather in a courtyard like Red Square and watch and discuss videos together. The goal is to have 99 people show up on the 99th day and have the headline "Tauranga University Enrolls First 99 Students, 4 Years Ahead Of Schedule". In a meeting with John Key, the metaphor of a giant machine with replaceable cogs versus autonomous nanobots that can swarm to solve problems was discussed. It's up to individuals to decide if they want to be a cog or a nanobot in the future of work.
question:Can you provide me with more information about Tauranga StartUp Weekend happening on July 5,6,7 this year? Also, can you help me find any resources for learning about entrepreneurship and innovation in Tauranga?
answer:Tauranga StartUp Weekend is a 54-hour event where entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and business enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, and launch startups. Participants pitch their startup ideas on Friday night and form teams around the top ideas. They spend the rest of the weekend validating their ideas, building prototypes, and receiving feedback from mentors before presenting their projects to a panel of judges on Sunday. To learn more about Tauranga StartUp Weekend and to register for the event, you can visit their website at https://startupweekend.org.nz/tauranga/. As for resources for learning about entrepreneurship and innovation in Tauranga, Venture Centre offers a range of workshops, co-working spaces, and networking events for entrepreneurs and innovators. They also offer mentorship programs and accelerator programs for startups looking to grow their businesses. You can visit their website at https://www.venturecentre.co.nz/ to learn more. Additionally, Tauranga City Libraries offer resources for entrepreneurs including books and online databases for market research, business planning, and financial management. You can visit their website at https://library.tauranga.govt.nz/ for more information.
question:Can you provide me with more information on the mentorship and accelerator programs offered by Venture Centre for startups in Tauranga?
answer:Sure, I can provide you with an overview of the mentorship and accelerator programs offered by Venture Centre for startups in Tauranga. 1. Co.Starters: Co.Starters is a nine-week program for aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage start-ups. It consists of training, mentorship, and peer support to help entrepreneurs validate their business ideas, create a business model, and launch their businesses successfully. 2. Lightning Lab: Lightning Lab is a three-month business acceleration program that aims to support high growth potential start-ups. The program provides mentoring, investment, and networking opportunities to help startups grow and scale their businesses. 3. FLUX: FLUX is an innovation lab that connects entrepreneurs, corporates, and investors to create new ventures. The program focuses on developing new products, services, and business models that leverage emerging technologies. 4. Mentorship program: Venture Centre offers a mentorship program to help startups connect with experienced mentors who can provide guidance and support. Mentors can help startups address challenges, develop new business strategies, and grow their networks. 5. Education and training: Venture Centre offers a range of education and training programs for startups, including workshops on branding, funding, customer development, and more. These programs provide startups with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their businesses. To learn more about the mentorship and accelerator programs offered by Venture Centre, you can visit their website at https://www.venturecentre.co.nz/.
question:Can you provide me with more details on FLUX innovation lab and how it works?
answer:Yes, I can provide you with more details about FLUX innovation lab and how it works. FLUX is an innovation lab that helps entrepreneurs, corporates, and investors to create and launch new ventures. The program is designed to bring together the right mix of people, resources, and expertise required to create new products, services, and business models that leverage emerging technologies. Here's how FLUX works: 1. Ideation phase: The first step in FLUX is the ideation phase. During this phase, participants identify problems or opportunities, and develop new ideas or solutions that address them. The ideas are evaluated based on their potential for commercial viability, impact, and feasibility. 2. Validation phase: The next step is the validation phase, where participants develop a working prototype or MVP (Minimum Viable Product). The MVP is tested with customers to validate the idea, and necessary changes are made to refine the product or service. 3. Acceleration phase: After the validation phase, the acceleration phase begins. In this stage, the product or service is scaled up and launched in the market. The focus is on growth and expansion, and participants receive support and mentorship to help them achieve their goals. 4. Investment phase: Finally, the investment phase begins, where participants receive investment to help them continue growing their business. Investors may include venture capitalists, angel investors, or corporate partners. FLUX also provides co-working spaces and access to entrepreneurial resources such as mentorship, business training, and networking events. The program is open to entrepreneurs, corporates, and investors who are interested in developing innovative solutions to real-world problems. To learn more about FLUX innovation lab, you can visit their website at https://www.fluxaccelerator.co.nz/.