Session 1: Youth and Culture
Video
Presenting Companies
BlahGirls
"Blah Blah Blah" is a new original content Web property that delivers a unique perspective on popular culture from the vantage point of the Blah Girls. The Blah Girls are an animated clique of teenagers who enjoy providing their commentary on the latest entertainment themed news and happenings. With this initial foray into the digital medium, Katalyst Media is applying their expertise in content creation in a new form, and providing a compelling offering to advertisers. |
Tweegee
Tweegee.com is a pioneering destination site that empowers Tweens to express themselves creatively and safely in an innovative and customized online environment. Tweegee integrates social networking, digital content, and interactive tools to offer a complete online platform for Tweens. Tweegee provides Tweens with the ability to take full ownership of their online activities, to create their full personal web sites, communicate via web based email, organizer, and more , engage in rich multiplayer games, interact with a webcam games and application, read news most relevant to them, and author their own articles and much more, all at one destination. Tweegee’s novel approach offers a creative and independent outlet for Tweens to construct their online characters. All communications are protected with technologically advanced safeguards, such as the patent pending "WordUp!" feature, human and automatically moderation and more Tweegee equips Tweens with a genuine web 2.0 experience; addressing Tweens interests and concerns yet allowing them to experiment with the "real internet". |
Shryk
Shryk has developed a new generation online banking platform that allows clients to build "flavors" of online bankings systems for discreet demographics. We have built versions for youth (5 to 11) teens (12 to 17) and young adults (18 to 24). These are the first real online banking systems for kids. We provide a strong emphasis on teaching financial literacy through the system, and have created a free Website for schools that gives them a simulated banking experience and all our financial literacy content. By doing this, we provide communities a way to create a path where kids can use our system in school with play money, and then move to banks and credit unions to open real money accounts. This allows schools, financial institutions, kids and their parents a single platform to that can dramatically improve financial literacy for the next generation. The next flavors that will be developed will be targeted as senior citizens, and the Spanish community. |
Hangout Industries
Hangout enables 16-24 year olds to bring off-line, social hangout activities on-line by combining the casual Web with immersive 3D. Think MySpace becomes Myplace where each user has their own room or room(s) that are highly personalized, stylized and private virtual 3D rooms where they can invite their friends to hang out and share their media experiences together (voice chat, magazines, photos, videos, gifts and music) in real time. Hangout members get a far more immersive, synchronous and realistic (read mainstream) experience than the 2D+ worlds of Gaia or Habbo without any of the privacy and usability concerns that come from trying to download and use virtual worlds like Second Life. Hangout leverages cross platform, browser-based and Web 2.0 technology that plugs-in to the larger social networks and web content to provide kids with a natural on-ramp to far more engaging and immersive social and media experiences with their friends. With Hangout, even a static profile page becomes a full-blown 3D immersive experience. |
Expert Panelists
 Ron Conway |  Chris DeWolfe |  Chad Hurley |  Marissa Mayer |
