My 3.5-month contract with the Imagination Catalyst is over, and it’s been an amazing experience. I’m planning to discuss what role I could have with the IC on an ongoing basis, but my focus in the past few weeks has been to wrap up the deliverables attached to my original contract, and the other things that popped up along the way.
In these last two weeks:
- I helped organize the Imagination Catalyst’s first open house, on February 28th. Six participants presented and demo-ed their projects, to a curious crowd from both inside and outside of OCAD. I helped the participants prep for their presentations, and set up their tables. They did a great job!
- I also helped organize the FounderDating & Extreme Startups event ‘The Value of Designers in Tech Startups.’ Eli and Mani from FounderDating gave a great presentation introducing designers to the tech startup space, and moderated a panel discussion with designers currently working in startups. Everyone I spoke to said they really enjoyed the content, as well as the conversations afterwards. (Many people said to me, “there need to be more events like this.”)
- I worked on developing the IC’s intake strategy, including a promotion/communication plan, application process, criteria, etc.
- I launched the IC’s (mini) website.
- I met with Deanne Fisher, OCADU’s AVP of Students.
- And finally, I worked on the discussion paper, and my final report. (Still not quite yet done; I plan to finish that in the next few days.)
