The Country Club Plaza - Kansas City, MO
The Gigabit City Summit is officially open for business!
If you have a stake in a city or metro area where a fiber-to-the-home network is available or in the planning stages, this conference is for you.
You will learn how Kansas City has leveraged the gigabit opportunity, first brought about by the arrival of Google Fiber to the region three years ago. You'll find out how we amassed a large and diverse group of community stakeholders – mayors, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, educators and more – all interested in how this technology can be used for community good.
You'll also hear from leaders and innovators in other gigabit cities about their experiences, you'll learn from some of the world's foremost smart city experts whose ideas stand at the intersection of humanity and technology.
After all, as we say in Kansas City, innovation is 90% sociology and 10% technology.
You can read more about the conference and peruse the agenda on other parts of the site. For now, here are some details for getting around the conference and the city.
VENUES
The Gigabit City Summit will take part in a variety of venues. Shuttles will be provided to get you to each location.
Day 1 takes place at the University of Missouri Kansas City's elegant Henry W. Bloch Executive Hall for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Check out a video tour:
Day 2 starts at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. One of the most influential institutions working in the entrepreneurship space, the Kauffman Foundation advances the education and success of entrepreneurs all over the coutnry. It's also the originator of the nationwide startup-storytelling phenomenon 1 Million Cups – of which you'll get heaping dose at the Summit. The Summit then moves back to the Bloch Executive Hall for the remainder of the day.
Day 3 begins at the Intercontinental Hotel (where attendees receive a group discount - see below) with a keynote speech from Susan Crawford, noted telecom analyst who has served as President Obama's Barack Obama's Special Assistant for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy. Then, attendees who are able to stay in town a few more hours will be treated to guided tours of local tech hubs that show the gigabit in action. We'll be taking you on a whirlwind tour of exciting places like the Google Fiber Space, KC Startup Village and the Sprint Accelerator. Please register for the free KC Tech Tour so we know how many buses to rent!
PURCHASING REGISTRATIONS
We offer two tiers of pricing: Individual Registration and Metro Delegation rate for parties of five or more. (Read about why there's a difference)
Earlybird pricing is available now through November 1st, offering a savings of 20% off Individual and 30% off Metro Delegation admission.
Individual Registration: $695 (Before Nov. 1: $549)
Metro Delegation of Five: $2,995 + $599 per additional member (Before Nov. 1: $2,095 + $419 per additional member)
View the Registration page to Purchase.
TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATIONS
Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is located about 25 miles north of town. Taxis, buses and airport shuttles are available to book separately from the conference. See a list of ground transportation options.
Discounted rooms are available through January 4, 2015, at the Intercontinental Hotel. Book your room online using the conference promo code or call 816-756-7500.
We strongly recommend choosing the Intercontinental, as several activities will take place here. However there are many good hotels nearby, including those a 5-10 minute walk away at the Country Club Plaza.
SPONSORSHIPS
A conference's quality often hinges on the generosity of its sponsors, and we are lucky to have some great ones. However, to ensure that the experience is a rich and valuable as possible to attendees, we are always looking for more.
If you know someone who would be interested in sponsoring the Gigabit City Summit, please send them our downloadable Sponsorship Packet (PDF) or have them contact KC Digital Drive Managing Director Aaron Deacon at adeacon@kcdigitaldrive.org or 913-475-9885.
We at KC Digital Drive look forward to welcoming you this January in Kansas City at the Gigabit City Summit.