Business
Thursday, 07 January 2010 09:01
Written by Stuart Geraghty

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TEDxGuangzhou puts the focus on social networking
TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a private nonprofit known for its annual, invitation-only conference devoted to "ideas worth spreading." and for its lectures, known as TED Talks, which deal with a broad set of topics including science, arts, politics, education, culture, business, global issues, technology and development. Previous speakers have included Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Bill Gates, Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page and zoologist Jane Goodall. Its offshoot program TEDx allows people around the world to organize their own TED-like events.
On Dec. 5, TEDxGuangzhou was organized by Manav Gupta from FabriQate and Lonnie Hodge from CFM to offer a similar platform for Guangzhou’s brightest minds to come and share this eye awakening experience.  Sponsors included the British Council, the Netherlands Embassy and Tudou.  The event was themed “The Fabric of Imagination” and featured 17 speakers who captured the audience’s imagination.  The idea of community and the importance of social media were two of the main themes at TEDxGuangzhou, which was attended by more than 700 people, and watched by more than 50,000 people around the world.

KEVIN LHOSTE
Speaking as a member of the audience, French PhD student Kevin Lhoste discussed his pioneering “Ideastillery” product; a think tank for innovative ideas to help people and make money through a collective interest in science. Lhoste said he felt that “benefits should be reinvested into charity and sustainable projects.” “One idea, as demonstrated by Lhoste, is a “Raincycler,” which works as a funnel for recycling water to re-use in watering the garden. His website, wiser-u.net, is a social platform for science lovers and works as a network for idea sharing, creating a worldwide community, in which people can be inventive and pave the way for new products that can also aid charitable causes.  

PING CHU
“If you build it, they will come” was the message offered by eco-innovator Ping Chu. Chu cited the social enterprise sector as the one attracting the most talented entrepreneurs in the 21st century. He said he understood the “freedom of living in a simple commune” and was keen to be a model to inspire those who wanted a “life and not just a living.” Chu’s friends have produced innovative ideas, such as Tony Yet’s TED website for China, and Ping himself has helped friends pursue their own projects. A true drive for success, hard work and risk taking were Chu’s ingredients for living a business dream, according to him: “We’re not a company, we experiment with the impossible.”

JEFF LYNDON
A pioneer of new generation digital technology, Jeff Lyndon is excited by the impact of social networking and by the importance it gives to new concepts. At the young age of 24, Lyndon was celebrated by the Hong Kong government for his contribution to the digital entertainment industry. Considered to be “Hong Kong’s new generation” and a gamer extraordinaire, he was quick to express the advantages of sharing ideas through social networks. He reiterated the fact that social networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook have been copied, but the original concept is far greater and effective. In a business sense, this kind of idea sharing can lead to new innovations and spark further business ventures.

DAVID FENG
“What is Twitter?” asked China’s most active Twitter user, David Feng. “Twitter is all about you!” he quipped as he presented his take on the social networking trend. A student of media, and currently working in city mass transit and infrastructure, Feng showed how he capitalises on his obsession with Twitter: “If I’m shopping and I don’t know what to get, I Twitter to get my friends’ vote. It’s called Twitter kindness!” Twitter can also offer companies an insight into  potential employees: “Employers can check peoples’ suitability for jobs and see if CVs match.” As Twitter allows people to post specific details about themselves, thoughts and decisions within the network could affect career success.

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