What sparks innovation? A clash of ideas, a fresh perspective, a fusion of expertise?

NESTA Connect seeks to stimulate innovation through collaboration, in part by exploring the participatory culture of the web. On Tuesday 11 September 2007 they are hosting Mass Collaboration? in partnership with the Institute of Creative Technologies at De Montfort University, where we will hear from Howard Rheingold, and Mark Earls, writers who examine and challenge traditional perceptions of mass behaviour change and cooperation.

This event is intended as the start of a conversation on how to optimise the potential social impact of technology, and its impact on how we should think about mass collaboration for innovation in the UK and beyond. We hope you can join us.

Speakers will include:
– Jonathan Kestenbaum, Chief Executive, NESTA
– Howard Rheingold, UC Berkeley, Stanford University, Annenberg School for Communications, and Visiting Professor at the Institute of Creative Technologies; and author of ‘Smart Mobs’
– Mark Earls, Author of ‘Herd: How to change mass behaviour by harnessing our true nature’
– Roland Harwood, Head of Connect, NESTA

When: Tuesday, 11th September, 2007
Where: NESTA, 1 Plough Place, off New Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1DE
Refreshments from 5.30pm and presentation to start at 6.00pm

This event is an experiment in word-of-mouth marketing. Roland Harwood, event organiser and Head of NESTA Connect, explains:

From our recent experience we know that this event will be heavily oversubscribed. Therefore, we hope you will join us in a mini experiment to generate the right audience for this event through word of mouth, as follows.

On receipt of this invitation, if you are interested and able to attend please register here. Please then forward this invitation to a few key contacts in your network who may be interested in attending.