Nigel Cameron, whom I had the pleasure to meet at AMPlifyfestival 2011 last June in Sydney, with great folks on his panel.

General question that comes up: in which way can the "super-fast" innovators, VCs get along with the policy makers?

Whom do you know in #SiliconSaxony's policy arena who is innovative, open-minded, and in an appropriate position to discuss some future concrete concepts on the educational, and high-tech future of Saxony?

With the first day of the year 2012 coming slowly to an end here in Dresden (another five hours to go ;-)), my thoughts race back to late 2008 when I decided not to work for a consulting firm, rather venture out on my own. Coming from an engineering family (with roots in tailoring, and shoemaker), my mind seems to find new opportunities to create new business ideas, and ease the constraints in business processes (almost unstoppable, as former bosses had to find out).

We experimented a lot while prototyping on creating the knowledge & future accelerator here in Dresden from 2009 on. EtherPad as the platform to write the first collaborative business ever done in Dresden for the business plan competition futureSAX (I think the site is only in German, yet GoogleTranslate may help). Also we used it to crowdtranslate the subtitles of Ray Kurzeil's TED talk on Singularity University back in 2008 (German subtitling was organized and led from Dresden, the heart of SiliconSaxony).

Yet the video Bernd Nürnberger, a like-minded Presencing & Social Innovation friend from Japan, shows what really is possible in the time of collaboratively co-creating the future, across disciplines, time, distance, and culture (including the cultures of engineering, researching, politics, citizens - which when deeply looked at as in Edgar Schein's paper are quite different, seldom freely interchanging the group-wise intellectual properties, knowledge, and wisdom). [cont.]



What experiences have we had in using technologies to include different cultures in the conversation?

Driving home with a friend from a presentation today on why business leaders shouldn't leave out Facebook, Google+, and social networks in general.

The question arises, "May I ask, what you perceive of what I am doing and especially my value proposition?"

His answer, "I frankly don't know what you are doing!"

... a clear answer. But why am I troubled?!

About six months ago the head of Dresden Marketing, the city of Dresden's own marketing company, Dr. Bettina Bunge called me the "Alpha-Blogger of Dresden" during a workshop about the value proposition of the local creative class for business, research, tourism, and general economic well-being. A nice description of my work for about two decades by now, which states my personal love, and passion for the city pretty much to the point. Yet where is the value proposition seen in that perception? Who does share that there is value in connecting people, building bridges across countries, cultures, and disciplines, and on the sideline promotes Dresden across the globe?

Maybe we have a more scattered "culture landscape" than we might imagine and asked ourselves. Edgar Schein, professor (emer.) at MIT Sloan School of Management has written a well known book bringing more light to the issue, called "Organizational Culture and Leadership".

We really don't know about reality until we ask the honest question, accessing our own ignorance. And from there we learn as our emotions (clearly mine) accelerate and rise high. As long as the cultures of the giver and taker have not arrived at a shared understanding of each other innovation is on a stony path, and the "horsepower of entrepreneurs" can't be put effectively onto the road.

... so is it true that "Culture is the Way to Innovation"? What's your personal experience?

Today I once more have been reminded that life is a theatre. 

On the flight back from Oman sitting next to Charles van der Haegen, I first learned about SERENDIPITY. A word that does not really exist in German language. Mostly "glücklicher Zufall" (lucky coincidence) is used and yet this diminishes the power of the concept the split second it reaches your audience.

Serendipity - unknown setting, known people, shaking emotions, upcoming memories

>>> MAGIC happens!

Let it allow to happen :)

Yesterday, once again for me, it happened here in Dresden during the reopening of the Army Museum redone by Daniel Libeskind. A short story Semperoper Ballett "On the Move" and ConfronTension Sparking to Think - and Act!

PS.: One question I do have to you - do you know of any good picture that frames Serendipity beautifully? Thank you so much.

As written earlier Saxony Economic Development Corporation (AKA Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH or in short WFS) has played a major role in facilitating the economic success of Saxony over the last twenty years. Last week 20 journalists were about to learn more about it depth. The lean thinkers amongst us would have said, "Going to the GEMBA (where the real stuff happens)":

Waiting and letting the experiences from last week settle in my mind and the business context has been more than interesting. We saw global players like BMW Plant Leipzig (H), Freiberger Compound Materials GmbH (G), rather locally embedded ones like Wätas (F), and Gerber Spitzen GmbH (E) - and were surely surprised.

Just to have a feeling what we have covered of Saxony - only a small fraction of what really is going on in the field of innovation (in various fields) here link to the route. For a visual quick glance the following gives some feeling


View Larger Map

The whole trip was -in retrorespect- beautifully choreographed by PR Piloten and WFS even though while being in the midst of the trip it was difficult to see the broader picture. Starting off with Eickhoff Antriebstechnik GmbH (B) with its new production plant in Klipphausen, producer of gearing for wind energy installation, steel and heat grounded everybody. Tangible things to quite familiar to the engineers amongst us. Quite contrary -concerning the weight of the products- next station was Mittweida. There we learned, in the middle of town of a formerly racing sports car producer, at which plant location now parts of the new Airbuses are produced in ultra-light composite materials. Composite Technology Saxony, shortened to COTESA GmbH (C) was the first twist in perception. The Brandeins magazines sitting on the visitor area tables put an explanatory light on what entrepreneurial power and vision lies in the laid-back countryside.

After this rather hightech orientated first day almost finished day, a stitching company in the former stitch center of world (its brand name still quite famous, "Plauener Spitze"). Gerber Spitzen GmbH (E) was our last visit for the day. 20 minds were thinking, "What might expect us there?" - Tuning in over coffee and cake, a perfect "chess move" to arise the curiosity. We heard of High Stick & High Stick+ and that stitching as a means of reinforcing material stability (with at the same time lower weight) is what the future is about. Curiousness tension rose even more.  Moving on over to the production area was like coming back to early times of Toyota, when loom machines was their main business. Amazing to the machine in action, learning about the loads of punch tapes in the archives - innovation is not always about technology in the first place, it is all about human creativity to be put to work. .... the future of stitching is certainly closer than we all could see that afternoon. Automotive usage just one area and as Stitch World (a special issue by Technology Review) shows.

With that experience and freed-minds the crowd stayed at Plauen with continuous conversation over what was seen that first day of the trip.

Next day's morning travels for about 90 min brought us to Olbernhau, a small town right in the forest. An old and authentic entrepreneurial villa invited the group, the wood framed conference room brought back some of the spirit that was famous for the time before World War II as the region was sparked by innovators (on the edge). Listening to the short presentation for a minutes in it became quite clear that Wätas (F) is just another lean-orientated "hidden champion" in Silicon Saxony. During the first minutes of the presentation it became quite clear that the lean mindset is not just brought in by Porsche Consulting (which offered support due to the fact that Wätas earned an innovation prize lately) but entrenched in an old Saxonian mindset: making more with what you have at hand (in other parts of the world, this runs under the label 'Lean Thinking').

After a rushed visit through the premises and production line the next point of interest during the tour was Freiberger Compound Materials GmbH (G) in Freiberg - actually where Silicon Saxony was sort of kickstarted and originated some 50 years ago almost on the date. The two days should close with a visit to the newest BMW plant in Leizpig (H) also visiting their logistics partner Kühne & Nagel (H). There we not only saw what economic "side-"effects a major player in the automotive arena has initiated in terms of economic growth of the region and the uprise of new supporting industries close by. Quite a few suppliers of complex car parts are based around the production area in close vicinity even based on the premises.

Wrapping up, these two days enabled all participants to learn about a wide range of innovative companies in Saxony, which Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH has helped in one or the other way to make the setup a successful one. As we could see innovation comes from the most unexpected sidelines from fields where a competitiveness towards the global market would not be obvious at first sight.

In one sentence to grasp the experience: Saxons make their on-the-edge setting away from the big thriving business centers into an innovation hot spot with a centuries-long history dating well back to the 16th century. Passion, Pride, and Pursuing rules!

One year back in time, fresh like plugged today. Thoughts to be thought about.

Last Monday, on September the 5th 2011, the Economic Development Agency Saxony (Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH AKA WFS) had invited to its press talk due to its 20 year anniversary. The event took place at a small, yet technologically up the rank "hidden champion" in the wireless network applications in Dresden, dresden elektronik ingenieurtechnik GmbH.

Surprisingly the audience of about 20 journalists and relevant media connector learned once again and for their audience, what really is cooking on the sideline of Germany, in so-called Silicon Saxony.

• In what way WFS will outcompete other internationally active economic development agencies the minute the new social tools are taken into account as boundary objects to connect across the globe with almost no cost? 
• How would the entrepreneurial spirit of Saxony which once was driven by constraints, which led then to innovations we still use today, e.g. tubed tooth paste, the SLR camera, the PAL TV system, and more? 
• Being a high-tech hot spot of its day now in all the relevant fields of technology, from robotics, nano-tech, bio-tech, mobile computing, energy efficiency, sun energy,   ... what effect would have one or more (networked and closely working together) institutions like Singularity University to the economy of the region? 
• What impact on future economic growth would a combined screening of Connected and TranscendentMan (both with crowdsourced translation to German) in Dresden fuel?

For four days Dresden is host of a unique conference. The sub-conferences bound neatly together create Wissensgemeinschaften 2010 (Knowledge Communities 2011) - #delfi11 #geneme11 #gmw11 or #wige11 (which combines all).

A two-day meeting down in Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne made the difference. Thanks to Annalie Kilian, David Hood, and especially Marigo Raftopoulos (for hosting me two day in her beautiful home in Melbourne).

Utopia?

#iot = Internet of Things (or may it be Internet of Thinking?)

"Gutenberg invented the printing press (with variable letters) -
considered the most important event of the modern era
1455 he published the bible.
Soon later he was bankrupt.
1517 Martin Luther put the 95 theses on the church gate.
Knowledge about the bible spread across Europe."


>> Fate of an innovator?

1. What was good? powerful morning start with "Thrivable World" video by Jean Russell, the power of passionate and dedicated people in the room, the beauty of the venue (which reminded me of CoOrpheum), connecting with people whom I only knew across Facebook, a wide range of passionate change makers (in discipline, age, profession, role, etc.)
2. What was tricky? holding the emergy power feeling the sort of "overheating" 
3. What have I learned? Connections are most easily made with name badges (in the size we had been given - where the heck did I put it? Found just now :) ), technology (e.g. my question on the gathering11 Flickr) is not yet playing a larger part in the collaborative action across boundaries (whether in distance, time zone, or field of expertise/ experience)
4. Action to be taken? more than happy to engage in making a "thrivable world" become happening in the days ahead (even though away in distance and time (8 hours delayed to Melbourne)) - technology provides the tools to do so. "How Small Moves, Smartly Made, can Set Big Things in Motion" - subtitle of "The Power of Pull" and my personal philosophy in life (sometimes I call it Lean Thinking ;))

Yesterday I got reminded that having too much drive in bringing things forward can be a constraint. Being passionate about sharing and connecting people and ideas I often stumble across "unseen" barriers. People get overwhelmed and step aside from my network.

Reminds me of my own behavior of processing information. Rather I like to jump into the "Lake of Wisdom" where I can capture information, people, and data in way I think is relevant. Isn't it therefore not possible to create this opportunity where who wishes can create his/ her own "lake of wisdom"?

Over the course of the past six days the term "Edge" was mentioned by various speakers at #amplifyfest and #gathering11 (such as Gunter Pauli and John Hagel).

... UNEXPECTED.

As with all big changes, intended to make a difference, you have to change the structure. Often it is not easy to find the "right" leverage point.

One of those (a day in autumn 2010) was the beginning of love for ballet and seeing beyond the pure show, but rather the deeper intentions and interactions of the dancers - an awesome expression of the Power of WE.

••• Help us to use the Power of WE to share and inspire •••

Dresden not only attracts tourists that sprawl into the city center (or downdown as we say in the North American plains) - it is also an attractor to mobile computing developers, web designers, and researchers in the field.

Last weekend Dresden was for the third time hosting Mobile Camp (currently only in German, but at the closing ceremony the crowd pretty much favored the extension of the event into the international sphere (!)), where questions, new developments around mobile computing were the driving forces. All Friday already the venue of the Faculty of Computer Science of the Technical University of Dresden was flooded by hordes of IT folks, students, and lots of cool projects (cyber-physical systems, 3D visualizations of large-scale ionic accelerators, and the IT crowd of the region - named Silicon Saxony).

• Good: even short clips of a few minutes induce vivid conversation, immediate feedback from audience on implications and thought side-effects, emotionally touching story (enabling much more open conversation - only what touches us is worth to be talked about)
• Tricky: not knowing how the audience reacts (as I had to cancel a semi-public event screening the complete movie just the week earlier, due to lack of interest)
• Learned: it doesn't need the complete movie to get the conversation going, focus of conversations shifts due to the experience and background of the people (Sat: more on implications on education, Sun: more the fear of "allowing" bots to capture our body (in a sense mobile phones already are an extension of our body ;-))
• Action: will provide more show times in Dresden (first of the movie clips & conversation on implications) >> restarting OpenCoffeeClubDresden (a loose meeting of students, entrepreneurs, citizens on relevant questions of today)

Are you sometimes feeling that the information flow around you is killing you? What filters to put in place to stay focused and get things done?