games-change-awards-winners-announced# Games for Change announced that Never Alone was named the winner of the "Most Significant Impact" and "Game of the Year" awards. during the Games for Change (G4C) Awards. Hosted by Schell Games CEO Jesse Schell, the Games For Change Awards took place at the 12th Annual Games for Change Festival yesterday in conjunction with the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. Bounden (developed by Game Oven) won the "Most Innovative" award, while This War of Mine from by 11 bit studios won the "Best Gameplay" award. This War of Mine also took home the first-ever fan award - the "Mashable + Games for Change People’s Choice Award." Tracy Fullerton won the "Game Changer Award," which recognizes the significant global contributions of individuals who inspire and mentor new generations of game creators and researchers. The Games for Change Festival also featured an onstage pitch session that gave developers of games that are still in development the chance to make their case to funders.
10 Tips for Staying Focused From 10 Very Busy Young Entrepreneurs Getting a business up and running is the opposite of the typical 9-to-5 job. There's no time to fully clock out, founders work endlessly and having to be a Jack-of-all-trades means maintaining focus can be difficult. Having just wrapped up their three-month stint working out of Techstars' New York City-based office, the entrepreneurs that make up the tech accelerator's graduating class know a thing of two about staying productive amidst chaos. Here, they share their top tips for refusing to succumb to distractions in order to get as much done as possible during the workday (and night). 1. Taking power naps. One of the biggest perks of working for yourself is not having to worry about face time. -- Sathish Naadimuthu, co-founder of Stefan's Head 2. Music works best for me. -- Joseph Fasone, founder of Pilot 3. Running a startup, there are a million opportunities to meet with people, customers, advisors, investors. -- Brandon Paton, co-founder and CEO of Localize 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
metaMeerkat : nog steeds bietjie sneeu op... 5 Ways to Know If Your Business Idea Is Brilliant or a Bust Fifteen years in the home-improvement business taught Matt Fineberg that no one pulls the trigger on a big-ticket project—such as a new roof or windows—without first getting a handful of estimates. When he began building his Philadelphia-based estimate marketplace, Bestimators, in 2013, Fineberg thought he knew what his potential customers needed, and how to deliver it. “I heard ‘I need to get a few more estimates’ daily for the better part of a decade, so I hired a contractor to build out a product to help homeowners do just that,” he says. A former design-build “aquascaper” (a landscaper with a focus on water features) who charged a consultation fee for his services, he assumed his new business would work on the same model. “A few people said they’d pay for that service, but most said, ‘Why would I pay for something I can do myself for free?’” Assessing and challenging initial assumptions is one of the most important tasks of a startup. Hit the pavement Join a program Find a mentor 1. 2.
Research roundup: Are video games good for learning? | Worlds Beyond Studios: Blog Scholars have long applauded the affordances that games provide in improving education. In fact, research in the early 1970’s produced significant discourse on the topic with advocates acknowledging that games could be used to promote interactive educational experiences (Abt, 1970) and simulations could improve pedagogical practices related to the enhancement of student motivation (Greenblat, 1973). Fast-forward to the mid 2000’s, and enthusiasm toward gamed-based learning was in full swing. One of the most prominent supporters in this area, James Paul Gee, published several thought-provoking and well-reasoned articles explaining the ways in which games could positively impact learning. Today, Gee’s work provides a useful foundation for exploring and understanding game-based learning and virtual world education. To answer this question, Gee explains six features of games that may facilitate learning in different ways. Abt, C. Gee, J. Greenblat, C. Like this: Like Loading...
Meet Some of the Most Promising New York City Startups The New York entrepreneurial ecosystem is BOOMING. A clear indication of this is in the numbers of new companies that are being created everyday. Not only are a ton of new companies being created, the quality is, in my opinion, getting better every year. I have a birdseye view on the market, being the CEO of AlleyNYC and having the awesome opportunity to mentor for Techstars. The other day, Techstars had its Winter 2015 NYC Demo Day, and the companies presenting were all amazing. (Special thanks to Alex Iskold, managing director of Techstars, for curating the descriptions which can be found in this post). Spoon University Mackenzie Barth, CEO of Spoon University was the first one to present. Cartesian Co Ariel Briner, took the stage next. Keymetrics Alexandre Strzelewicz, CEO of Keymetrics, came to Techstars by way of Paris. Related: The 8-Step Battle Plan to Succeed as an Entrepreneur Localize Stefan’s Head (PRO TIP: I am a lead mentor for this company. Data Camp Bento Box Stream Unique Sound
Feature - Not Science fiction – Science fact! Different use cases of holographic and virtual science | weHologram Messages: 31 Likes Received: 8 Oculus and Microsoft made clear that their head-mounted displays will be a helpful tool for scientific and medical research. Let us check the potential impact of Oculus Rift and HoloLens on that industry. Reality glasses have enormous potential in terms of entertainment. Even if experts think that neither virtual nor augmented reality will replace TVs and computers any time soon, reality glasses presented a fascinating way to consume movies and play games. But that's not all: this innovative technology offers more than leisure applications. Microsoft is already developing different applications with the NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Tags: this article has not been tagged Local Comments
The 7 Elements of a Strong Business Model Creating a business model isn’t simply about completing your business plan or determining which products to pursue. It’s about mapping out how you will create ongoing value for your customers. Where will your business idea start, how should it progress, and when will you know you’ve been successful? How will you create value for customers? 1. Targeting a wide audience won’t allow your business to hone in on customers who truly need and want your product or service. Related: The Science of Building Buyer Personas (Infographic) 2. Before your business can go live, you need to have an understanding of the activities required to make your business model work. 3. What does your company need to carry out daily processes, find new customers and reach business goals? 4. How will your company stand out among the competition? Related: How to Develop and Evaluate Your Startup's Value Proposition 5. 6. 7. Related: 5 Strategies for Generating Consumer Demand
12 facts that will make you look differently at Africa Africa is a vibrant and incredibly vast continent, home to many different ethnic groups and very diverse economies. But many of its countries face crises of various sorts. Here are six facts and counter-facts you may not have known, and that may change your perception of the continent. Africa is home to several thousand ethnic groups who speak around 2,000 different languages. Africa is a continent of contrasts and changes. Author: Peter Vanham is Senior Media Manager at World Economic Forum. Image: Children play in the water in the Mediterranean Sea REUTERS/Esam Al-Fetori
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