Calling all idealists . . .

September 30th, 2009

It's hard to believe that it's already been 3 months since we celebrated ideaCity's 10th Anniversary. For those of you who were able to attend, I hope that you found it as inspiring as I did, and are as excited about entering what I am confident will be another illuminating decade of stimulation, creativity and extraordinary ideas.

Since our last correspondence, the ideaCity team has been working diligently on preparations for next year's conference, and we'd like to share some insider information with you about what you can expect in June 2010.

New Venue
First, we are bidding a fond farewell to the Isabel Bader Theater where we celebrated 10 years of dialogue, rebuttal and repartee and are announcing as our brand new venue for 2010: The dazzling Koerner Concert Hall of the TELUS Centre at The Royal Conservatory. Located on trendy Bloor St, Koerner Hall is as stunning in its architecture as in its utility. Please take a moment to visit their website and see for yourselves!

An idea that needs your feedbak:

While we have been diligently bringing to light "the biggest ideas and smartest people" over the last 10 years, the most consistent feedback, the most frequent criticism and suggestion over the years has to do with the number (or lack thereof) of women that grace our stage. Despite our conscious effort, only 15 - 33% of the presenters each year have been women; and Moses has been mindful that the audience, and he, would like to see that number higher.

In response, Moses has floated the idea of an All Star, All Girl roster for ideaCity10! Clearly, it would be a "stunt" that will likely generate some controversy. But Moses thinks it could be a fascinating first. What do you think? Though the concept is new, you can be assured that the format will remain unchanged; ideaCity will be presenting the biggest ideas and the brightest women.

We're looking for your feedback; what would you think if every one of the speakers on stage was a woman? Would this concept - assume the same quality of presentation and the same broad range of topics - encourage or discourage you from buying a ticket or recommending it to friends, colleagues or clients? Send your thoughts, opinions, accolades or oppositions to info@ideacityonline.com, and be sure to visit our online poll to cast your vote.
 
New Major Sponsor
ideaCity would like to extend a warm welcome to our new major sponsor, Foundation Capital who will be presenting one of our post-conference galas. While Foundation Capital, and its very own idealist-in-Chief, Mr. Adam Grosser, are no strangers to ideaCity or our stage, this is a new and exciting partnership for both parties. Anyone lucky enough to have been in attendance at ideaCity09 will remember Adam on stage during Free-For-All on Day 3, as he described how his company's venture capital helps entrepreneurs with great ideas build great businesses. Given such a philosophy, we believe Foundation Capital is a natural fit for ideaCity; and we welcome them.

Don't Wait, Register for 2010!
As you can see, things have been pretty busy here at ideaCity central; and this is just a peek at what's to come. We're entering our Second Decade as Canada's Premier Meeting of the Minds, and you can be assured that it will more than live up to the first ten years in terms of innovation, distinction and of course, great ideas.

Tickets for 2010 are available for purchase by calling or emailing Nicole Litmola (416-362-IDEA or nicole@ideacityonline.com). Until December 26th, you can secure your full, three-day pass, plus parties, for $3,000 + GST, making ideaCity the value leader when it comes to conferences that stretch the cranium. Compared to TED ($6,500 CAD) and EG ($4,900 CAD) in California, ideaCity offers a savings of $1,000 - $2,500 per individual ticket.

Angel Package: Group of 5 Tickets, Get the 6th for Free for a Limited Time
Looking for even more savings? Individuals that can put together a group of idealists, or belong to a company or corporation looking for a superior educational and bonding experience, can become ideaCity Angels by buying 5 tickets and getting the 6th for free! Included in the Angel package is special company branding on our websites, as well as at the event. A ticket to ideaCity is a powerful way to extend the gift of ideas to your best business clients and most valued employees.

CARP Conference: A New Vision of Aging
Finally, as many of you will already know, among the many hats Moses wears, one of his newest is as President of CARP. This year Moses is presenting the Second Annual Aspirin 81mg CARP Conference on a New Vision of Aging.

Referred to as a mini ideaCity, this one-day event features 15 of the world's brightest minds speaking on matters important to Zoomers, including health of body, mind and spirit, finance for successful aging, and longevity. For a full speaker line-up, conference and venue information, please visit our website, www.carpconference.ca. Right now we are extending CARP Member only pricing to all of our newsletter idealists, only $189 + GST, or buy 5 tickets and receive a 6th for free. Call or email Nicole to reserve your seat and take advantage of this special pricing.
 
To keep abreast of all of the latest idealist news, check into www.ideacityonline.com regularly where you will find information and articles related to former ideaCity presenters and the most up-to-date information about ideaCity10. Also, for all the twitters, follow ideaCity at www.twitter.com/ideaCityNews