In response to feedback from our participants, we are creating an opportunity for open discussions in a similar format to the one popularised by BarCamp and our friends at VinoCamp. Great conferences are about a balance of content from inspiring speakers and of networking and interaction amongst participants and speakers.

We are happy to announce that on Thursday 13th at 3pm at the Hotel Vittoria for anyone who is already in Brescia there will be a 3 hour session of focused networking. What we are asking is for you all to pitch your projects, ideas you want to explore or areas of interest in the comments below. We’ll take all these into account and during this networking session those with great ideas will be given a table to set up their laptop and create a space to discuss an idea based on their interest or project. During the 3 hour session, we the organizers will time 15-20 minutes sessions and ask everyone to rotate so that everyone gets a chance to interact with new people.

We are calling this session “Pirlo Talks* with Vinocamp, named after Brescia’s local aperitif made with Franciacorta wines and Aperol. Tables for gathering around, and plenty of power cords, will be made available along with the Hotel Vittoria’s free WIFI. This is your chance to share what you’re working on, thinking about while creating discussions before the main event!

Anyone who wishes to participate is welcome to come and discuss matters of interest with their peers. We hope that all of you make it and share in this pre-EWBC networking opportunity. Please leave a comment below and tell us what you want to talk about. Our friends at Vinocamp will work with us to make sure we get all of you a place to set up, and share!

So what are you working on?

* Free Pirlo cocktails will be on offer for all participants

What is VinoCamp?

VinoCamp is essentially an extension of Bar Camp, a spontaneous and international network of user-generated technology conferences. Also known as “unconferences” they are geared towards people passionate to exchange ideas as to how they can evolve their industry, but in a more relaxed and informal setting.

VinoCamp has taken that very same model and merged technology with wine. Tomorrow, Saturday, July 10, 2010, wine and tech geeks from around the world will be meeting at La Cantine in Paris. The objective is, essentially, not to have an objective. Though there are several speakers from the tech and wine world, both attending and skyping in, to pitch their individual projects, what will actually be debated and discussed is up for grabs – which is what makes the unconference model so unpredictable and exciting!

How is the EWBC Participating at VinoCamp?

At 6:30pm, Parisian time, our very own Robert McIntosh will be skyping into La Cantine to make a heartfelt pitch as to why each and every one of the attendees should join us in Vienna this fall. Robert has told us that he’ll courageously put his best foot forward and give his speech in French, though we’re not entirely sure if he won’t be speaking in English with his best French accent

We wish everyone at VinoCamp the best of luck, and truly hope we’ll see many of you this coming fall!