Tickets go on sale Thursday for the third Glappitnova festival, Nick Brown’s vision of a “fresher” way for Millennials to connect. The event, which he aspires to grow into a Chicago version of SXSW, will take place July 8-16, with networking sessions, performances and a showcase night and party. Brown, CEO and co-founder of Glappit, explains how it’s also his chance to build a case for future investors and expansion.
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Q. What is Glappitnova?
A. It’s a collaborative community of 1,500 entrepreneurs, creatives and influencers. We share stories of these people online and have an eight-day (nine-night) festival that unites them offline. Whether you’re in business, technology, an artist, or whatever, we’re going to provide that voice for you. But we have to keep it fresh. That means not boring, but engaging, and something that shows a little charisma.
Q. Why do we need this?
A. It’s for people to learn through various experiences, whether through storytelling, performances, classes or panel discussions. We’re starting with my age group, which is the Millennial demographic. The main glue that binds them is their mindset. Diversity is the key. I’m not just talking about a race thing, but an intellectual thing, a cultural thing, a way of thinking and that’s what really sparks innovation.
Q. How does the festival work?
A. We look for some of the brightest creative minds in Chicago. We give them the stage for 10 minutes to do and talk about anything they want. Some of them have talked about their companies, some have shared moments of making the Olympic team, and some talked about how kids were using Instagram to increase violence. It’s very intimate, and the participants aren’t put on a pedestal. Everyone is a keynote.
Q. Who are some of the presenters?
A. We have Emerson Spartz, CEO of Spartz Media; Patrice Grell Yursik of Afrobella, she’s considered the godmother of blogging for African-American women; Tanner Woodford, co-founder of the Chicago Design Museum; and Anna Hovet, a fashion designer for Millennials.
Q. How has Glappitnova evolved?
A. The first one was in 2013 where I walked out on Milwaukee Avenue and asked the shops on the street if we could have a storytelling event. Four shops let me, and it grew from two hours to eight days. Last year was the first time we charged for it. This year, we’re adding more participants and we added forums. We had about 420 people attend last year over four days. We’re expecting 1,100 to 1,200 people this year.
Q. What’s your future plan?
A. After the festival we’re going to go for some funding. Now it’s about understanding the concept, making sure everything is documented properly and the market has been tested. I want to expand to additional events. We’re building a Chicago committee from people in various industries to make sure it taps into the entrepreneurship and artist realm.
Q. What’s your take on the lack of diversity in the startup community? Have you faced challenges as an African-American startup founder?
A. It hasn’t affected me that much. I’m still under the radar. But I’ve observed a lot. One of our panel discussions will be “The Good, Bad and Ugly of Minorities in Chicago.” Whether you’re a woman in technology or an African-American business, it’s a huge issue. Chicago has so many different races and cultures but it’s still segregated. I don’t want people to give me a handout because I’m African-American. I want people to say, “This guy is legit. Look at what’s going on here.”
Q&As are edited for length and clarity.
MacArthur is a freelance writer for Blue Sky.