Lets Build Bridges Between Communities And Our Dream LA By Celebrating LA County Innovation Broadly

Conduct research

Engage residents and stakeholders

Expand a pilot or a program

Mobilize for systems change

Rates of volunteerism

Attendance at cultural events

Number of public transit riders

Percentage of Angelenos that volunteer informally (Dream Metric)

Total number of local social media friends and connections (Dream Metric)

Attendance at public/open streets gatherings (Dream Metric)

Residential segregation (Dream Metric)

Los Angeles County Innovation week has grown exponentially in the two years since its inception, and it will continue to grow under the stewardship of the Center for Innovation at the LAEDC. LAIW focuses on creating an ecosystem of innovation where the brightest and most unique ideas can flourish. We accomplish this through connecting businesses, resources, organizations, and entrepreneurs across LA County to amplify innovation. LAIW also creates a greater sense of community among the innovators in Los Angeles, and builds bridges between groups and communities who might not otherwise collaborate or interact.

In the 15th century the Medici family brought together people from all disciplines, including sculpture, science, poetry, philosophy, painting, and architecture. This produced one of the most innovative eras in world history, the Renaissance. Los Angeles is currently in the midst of its own renaissance and Innovation Week allows innovators from the city to explore fields that they would not normally be exposed to and apply this knowledge to the innovation that is taking place at their own companies and organizations. LAIW celebrates innovation broadly. This year’s 150 events highlight innovation in myriad categories including: food, art, fashion, sports, entertainment, information technology, philanthropy, biotechnology, transportation, aerospace, environment, health, mindfulness and civic and social innovation. The breadth of innovation showcased serves to provide access to all communities and fosters a sense of inclusion and connectivity across the region.

Innovation is generally thought of as beneficial for profit maximizing, but the effects can also be realized through an increase in the sustainable impact that a company has on the city. Many of the companies highlighted at this year’s events have strongly integrated social responsibility into their business model. This further allows for the effects of innovation week to be felt through all communities in Los Angeles. Innovation in socially responsible practices creates a possibility for higher profits, as well as a positive effect on the diverse communities in Los Angeles.

As we move through LAIW2015, we are actively surveying all of our event hosts and participants.

For event hosts we are interested in understanding their successes, attendance and impact. We are also inquiring as to what we can do better to promote and support their individual events.

For constituents, we are interested in their overall experience, what they feel they learned and if they will come back next year. We are also asking what we can do better.

On the marketing front, we have established key performance indicators and are gathering metrics around reach, visibility and social influence.

Money (financial capital)

Volunteers/staff (human capital)

Publicity/awareness (social capital)

Community outreach

Network/relationship support