Magical Mystery Tech Bus Tour

By Alistair Houghton on May 17, 09 11:19 AM

MERSEYSIDE digital entrepreneurs have found a new way to make use of a long trip to a conference - holding their own "unconference" on the bus journey.
Last Thursday saw the first-ever Tech Bus Tour collect people from Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds to take them to the Thinking Digital conference in Gateshead.
The tour was the brainchild of Katie Lips, of Liverpool web and mobile technology firm Kisky Netmedia, who says she wants to bring together creative and digital entrepreneurs from across the North.
She realised people from across the region were looking for ways to get to Gateshead for Thinking Digital, which runs until tomorrow, and decided to charter a coach to allow people to meet and share ideas before the event.

Tech Bus Tour is designed as an "unconference" similar to the Barcamp technology event held in Liverpool in December. There was no formal agenda, but people could choose to give presentations or demonstrate products.
Ms Lips said: "This came about because we were trying to connect the Northern technology scene. In global terms, the distance between Liverpool and Newcastle is tiny, but some people perhaps have a reluctance to go outside their own territory and might not know who's who in the next city.
"This is a good way for delegates to get to know people beforehand. We wanted to put on events on the bus - not speakers, as such, but networking and people doing demonstrations, on a Barcamp model.
If somebody wants to speak, they can - it's not for me to say what the entertainment is.
"Going to a brilliant conference is one thing, but arriving at a conference already having been introduced to, and having spent quality time with fellow delegates, press, speakers and organisers is even better."
Travellers yesterday included internet consultant Adrian McEwen, who has built the Bubblino machine.
Bubblino, already a popular draw at technology conferences, blows bubbles whenever certain words or phrases are used in messages sent on social networking service Twitter.
The event was supported by ICDC, BBC Backstage and Sun Startup Essentials. The coach was chartered from St Helens firm, Ellisons.
Ms Lips says she will help anyone else who wants to create a similar tour anywhere else in the UK, but has no plans to organise them herself.
She said: "We've had a lot of interest from other conferences in having a Tech Bus Tour to their events.
"We have a website and it's attracted a lot of attention. If you want a Tech Bus Tour, we can offer some support. But the idea is up to you."

Click here to see LDP Creative reporter Alistair Houghton's video of the Tech Bus Tour