No, our last online meeting this Monday had absolutely nothing to do with fairy tales: unicorns and zebras are two different types of start-up companies! Facebook, Amazon or Skype would all be examples of businesses that build a monopoly on a market niche and attempt to make astronomical profits this way. Such startups are commonly known as ‘unicorns’. So-called ‘zebra’ companies are a more recent trend in the entrepreneurial (word of the day!) scene. They unite the profitability of a business with the cause of an NGO, that means, they also strive to be sustainable and serve the community.
During our warm-up, our members pitched their ideas of inventions or businesses they thought would enrich our world. A few examples: Elizabeth, being used to warmer climates, saw great potential for a solar-powered jacket that helps keep you warm in winter with extra built-in heating. Nic presented multiple ideas for turning people into cyborgs, including eye implants that extend the range of frequencies of light we can perceive. Dee even had a sketch on paper ready for her pitch of cavities below the street surface, where people deposit things of significance to them. Years or even decades later, when these time capsules are opened, the neighbourhood is having a big street party and the recovered contents are sold. What a creative idea – I think Dee can send off her draft straight away to have it patented!
Dee also gave her third speech today, which was all about implementing the feedback she had received from previous evaluators. As always, it was a pleasure to listen to and learn from Dee’s unique style.
Tonny also took an important step forward by delivering his very first evaluation – and what a carefully structured evaluation speech it was!
Nic challenged everyone with a fascinating range of creative and innovative topics for impromptu speeches. Among others, we had a chuckle about the exasperating challenges of controlling a TV and a DVD player with a single remote control (Pete), we learnt what a Zaczigaroo (???) is (Hiran) and why microwaves are overrated (Dee).
Next week, we should be back in the Erskine building, probably Erskine 235. Keep an eye out for updates on the exact meeting location!
Timm
U-CAN-SPEAK 