NAB Show returned to Las Vegas April 23-27 2022 after a 3-year hiatus with over 50,000 media and broadcasting professionals reunited to share their passion for the latest gear and insights.

One of the new elements of the show was NABiQ – a collaborative networking series, with participants from diverse business and tech backgrounds brainstorming solutions to industry challenges across Create, Connect and Capitalize Experiential Zones.

From Production Managers to Video Engineers and Data Analysts, via Content creators and Directors – curious participants came together to discuss hot topics facing the industry and imagined how to solve them. Leveraging hybrid workflows, imagining agile innovation hubs, or creating the streaming platform of the future – teams of like-minded people, explored opportunities through a user-centric lens, moving through a Design Thinking process that culminated in a solution pitch – all in less than 60 minutes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calling upon their own experience, industry insights and what had inspired them at NAB Show, small groups brainstormed ideas, exploring different ways to answer the challenge. Then, building on each others’ input and bringing multiple ideas to one core solution, teams defined: how this could work, who would use it and the impact the solution could have.  

 

“We all have so much to learn from each other and from our different experiences and expertise. And this emergent, collaborative, symbiotic environment is perfect for that.”

 – Ann Marcam, Director

 

 

As a Capitalize Media Partner, we reviewed the pitches selecting one of the following Top 3 winners:

 

CREATE: The Gumby

(Shirley Williams, Kyle Farnham, Jarred Hodgdon,  Stew Kirkwood, Jesane Jackson)

 

 

 

 

Foolproof curriculum outlining all the steps needed to attract people with the best soft skills

Users: HR Managers, Hiring Managers

How it works: We help hiring managers identify the soft skills needed for specific roles, then create curriculum + frameworks around these to help candidates nurture the soft skills then partner with like-minded businesses and organizations to share talent pools. 

Expected Impact: Inspire millions of leaders to attract and retain the best talent on their teams

Idea Originators: Kyle Farnham, Shirley Williams, Jarred Hodgdon, Jesane Jackson, Stew Kirkwood

Judge’s Comments: A tool that focuses on finding and developing soft skills while making new connections for teams and with talent pools is something this industry sorely needs. This name needs to go, and I don’t have a sense of how this solution will actually function, however, it’s something that is needed and would create value on every side, making it a clear winner.

 

CONNECT: NPP/IOS: No Plug ‘n’ Play – Internet over Satellite

 

(Wayne Shulmister, Wolf O’Rourc, Steve Shultis, David Costanza)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overcoming the digital divide – connectivity for all via satellite

Users: Consumer and Content Producers

How it works:  Blanket the earth with satellites to provide internet

Expected Impact: Streaming for all – anywhere

Idea Originators: David Constanza, Wolf O’Rourc, Wayne Saulmissen, Steve Shultis

Judges comments: Universal internet access could be a great leveling up for a lot of the world that still struggles for connectivity. Would this be in the nature of an international/intergovernmental project rather than a privately run enterprise

 

CAPITALIZE: Test Studio

(Angie Yarusso)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lab replicating the studio’s workflow to quickly Identify + solve key issues and bottlenecks or test out new tech solutions 

Users: Tech team, Leaders, Ops Teams

How it works: Digital input from employees (Tech, problems, new ideas) paired with a Physical place to test potential solutions and design possibilities.  Physical studio, Whiteboard with framing to plug into existing workflow to wuickly determine if solutions work using Test Studio Funded by Vendors: Identify and solve key issues and bottlenecks. Can even host hackathons on specific pain-points. 

Expected Impact: Create more content, Decrease Production time, Decrease Future cost of production. Create new viewer experiences, Build organization buy-in

Team Members: Angie Yarusso

Judges comments:  Encouraging employee input at every level enables managers to identify production issues and exposes them to fresh thinking. Great concept for companies to test ideas.

 

NABiQ’s real success however, was gathering people from different backgrounds and specialities with a purposeful networking event. Find the idea pitches on Amplify  and see you there next time!

NABiQ Participant Testimonials 

“We took a topic that we were all very interested in and took it in such a different direction – we really love doing it! It put a real personalized spin to the NAB conference.” – Donald Eastman, Chief Broadcast Engineer.

“We came from such a diverse background, such great expertise and insight. When you have a crew like that, that allows for creative story building to just flow naturally. I thought it was amazing. And I thought I couldn’t have asked for a better workshop to come to at the NAB Show.” – Sean Parenteau, Director & Founder