Disruptathon featured in dcTechSource

dcTechSource, the Washington D.C.-region’s premier destination for technology business news, ran a feature article on innovators and events in the region that included Pete Erickson and Disruptathon. Below is an excerpt, or read the full article here.

D.C. Innovators

Washington, D.C. has a host of discovery platforms, event series, contests and entrepreneur centers designed to transform the region into the Digital Capital.
By Avery Fellow | April 12, 2010

Pete Erickson moved to D.C. two and a half years ago and immediately noticed a need for an innovation forum. So he started Disruptathon, an innovation discovery event series that “identifies and celebrates innovators and connects those innovators with people who will help that innovation survive,” he said. The series, which uses mobile apps to help attendees evaluate innovation, launched last summer.

Erickson describes the series as a “blend of a philosophy, technology and a process that results in human connection. It helps innovators know what is important about their innovation.”

According to Erickson, the name Disruptathon plays on the idea of disruptive innovation, doing something new and different in a better way, and marathon, an event that has beginning end takes place in a matter of hours.

“Disruption is not only good, it’s necessary,” Erickson said.

Erickson is using the D.C. mobile development community as a beta test for the concept, but says the platform will expand to include anyone “interested in innovating – regardless of the industry they are in.” Erickson names managers, developers and marketers as possible innovators. “That’s when the spark happens,” Erickson said, “When the business mind and the creative mind come together. That’s where I see Disruptathon going.”

Erickson also sees Disruptathon as a way to drive the country out of the economic slump. “Innovation is a pathway out of the economic situation we are in,” Erickson said.

The next few Disruptathon events will focus on mobile business apps, government apps and transparency, and clean tech and IT. “Were really gaining our stride as an innovation forum,” Erickson said.

Category: Disruptathon News