Michael Karnjanaprakorn

While planning and producing The Feast, I looked at a lot of other conferences all over the world.  I compiled a list of my favorite conferences, and since there’s nothing like this on the web anywhere, I thought I would share it with all of you! Feel free to leave a comment with any conferences that I may have missed.

Here’s my list of conferences I would like to attend (ordered by date):

TED Conference
February 27 – March 1, 2008
Monterey, California
$6,000 but invite-only
1000 attendees

“An annual conference in Monterey devoted to Technology, Entertainment and Design. Brings together 1000 of the world’s most remarkable people. The format is fast-paced, with 50+ speakers over four days (plus short talks, performances and evening events). In 2005, an additional conference, TEDGlobal, was inaugurated. It’s held every other year, in a different location, focusing on a different theme.”

PSFK Conference
March 27, 2008
New York, NY

GEL
April 24 – 28, 2008
New York, NY
$1,200
400 attendees

“Gel (“Good Experience Live”) is a conference and community exploring good experience in all its forms — in business, art, society, technology, and life.”

D Conference
May 27 – 29, 2008
Carlsbad, California
$4,495

“Since its debut in 2003, The Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital conference has brought to life the energy and excitement of the digital revolution in an unscripted, upfront and unparalleled way.

Conference creators and executive producers Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher put the industry’s top players to the test during informal but pointed conversations about the impact digital technology will have on our lives now and in the future. The results are critical insights and relevant advice that stay with you well after the conference ends.”

Sustainable Brands Conference
June 2-5, 2008
Monterey, California
$2,295

“The global move toward innovation for sustainability is alive and well, and leading companies big and small are capitalizing on this new opportunity to build sales and brand equity.  How can you join their ranks? Come find out at Sustainable Brands ’08—your number one, highest value opportunity to learn how to translate a commitment to sustainability into revenue growth, improved customer and employee retention, and new brand value.”

ideaCity
June 18 – 20, 2008
Toronto, Canada
$2,750 – $3,500+

“ideaCity, also known as ‘Canada’s Premiere Meeting of the Minds’, is an eclectic gathering of artists, adventurers, authors, cosmologists, doctors, designers, entertainers, filmmakers, inventors, magicians, musicians, scientists and technologists.

Fifty of the planet’s brightest minds converge on Toronto each June to speak to a highly engaged audience. Only 497 are privileged to attend.”

Cusp Conference
Chicago
September 10-11, 2008
$1,750

Interesting New York
New York City
September 13, 2009
$35

Picnic
September 24 – 26, 2008
Amsterdam

“PICNIC brings together and disseminates the ideas and knowledge of the world’s best creators and innovators, through a top-class conference, a broad selection of seminars, a series of hands-on workshops and many many other events.”

Idea Festival
September 25 – 27, 2008
Louisville, Kentucky

“Founded in 2000, the IdeaFestival (IF) is a world-class event that attracts leading and highly diverse thinkers from across the nation and around the globe to explore and celebrate innovation, imagination and cutting-edge ideas.

The IdeaFestival is a unique non-linear program designed to stretch people’s horizon’s and promote breakthrough thinking… utilizing multiple venues to showcase, discuss and “connect” important ideas in science, the arts, design, business, film, technology, education, etc.”

The Feast: Creativity for Good
New York City
October 16
$395

“On October 16th in New York City, alldaybuffet and our closest friends are coming to dinner. “The Feast” will gather 150 of the world’s leading creative mavericks, entrepreneurs, revolutionaries, radicals, and innovators together to inspire action to change the world.

Our mothers always told us “there’s good in everything” so we’ve curated a series of inspiring, mind-expanding, and innovative talks that will showcase a look at social innovation from all angles. From design to business to science, and everything between, our speakers will share insights on the power of creativity to propel social change within and across industries.

Anchored in innovative ideas with a focus on action, The Feast will take a cross-disciplinary look at executions, strategies and concepts – digital answers to global problems, social design solutions and successful triple-bottom line business models. And more than just watching, The Feast will connect this remarkable network through “matchmaking” networking breaks, group projects, and one legendary after-party! Our hope is to leave you high on possibilities with a new menu of connections to get it all done.”

Business Innovation Factory
October 15-16, 2008
Providence, Rhode Island

“More conversation than conference, BIF-4 will bring together many oftoday’s most compelling innovators, business model renegades and truetransformers to reveal the secrets of innovation success throughpersonal storytelling.”

Pop!Tech
October 22-25, 2008
Camden, Maine
$3,500
600 attendees

“For the twelfth year, the Pop!Tech Conference will again convene a network of 600 remarkable thinkers, doers, leaders and global change agents in science, technology, social innovation, business, environmentalism, globalization, media, education, and many other fields for a four-day exploration of ideas shaping the future.”

Opportunity Green
November 8-9
Los Angeles, California

“Opportunity Green is a convergence of the prime movers & shakers and the up & coming innovators driving today’s green economy.”

EG ’08 Conference
December 11-13 2008
Monterey, California
$4,000

“This is the conference for the most influential and creative minds in the world.”