LEGO IDEAS Platform

SocialDevCamp Chicago

From unconference to meeting the web2.0 moment

Impact at a Glance

Conceived and co-led the vision and execution of the Midwest's first hybrid unconference and hackathon, scaling from a grassroots unconference in 2008 to a 400+ person multi-track event in 2011 that helped galvanize Chicago's tech ecosystem. As co-founder and lead organizer, I owned core elements that made the event successful: team leadership, sponsor relations, digital presence, and event production.

Event Evolution

2008: Launch

One-day BarCamp-style unconference held at at Illinois Institute of Technology, with two rooms and a flexible schedule focused on social web development.

2008-2011: Growth & Innovation

Evolved into the Midwest's premier social web development event combining:

  • Curated talks from industry leaders on Business & Marketing and Development tracks
  • Community-driven unconference sessions
  • Hands-on learning opportunities
  • 36-hour competitive hackathon with teams building social web apps, sponsored prize categories, and expert judges
  • Speakers from Facebook, Google, Rackspace, PayPal, Groupon, Reddit
  • Attendees from 37signals, Mashable, Threadless, Where I've Been

Leadership & Execution

As co-founder, I drove key aspects:

Strategic Vision

  • Developed hybrid event format that balanced curated and community-led content
  • Created sustainable volunteer-driven model
  • Maintained community-first values

Digital Presence

  • Developed event brand, oversaw design, development, and PR
  • Coordinated marketing efforts to drive registrations and ensure sponsor visibility
The SocialDevCamp Chicago 2011 team.
The SocialDevCamp Chicago 2011 team.

Community Impact

  • Connected Midwest tech talent during Web 2.0's emergence
  • Provided hands-on learning opportunities that influenced hundreds of attendees' career trajectories, resulting in talent pipeline for local tech companies
  • Inspired startup companies founded as a result of the event
  • Built lasting high-value professional networks
  • Strengthened regional tech ecosystem

Media Coverage