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Keynote To Be Announced
Stay tuned for an exciting keynote announcement

State of the Learning Game Market and Selling to Schools
A lifelong love for learning is essential for a 21st century education and according to GlassLab, we are failing at this task as eighth graders spend less than six hours a week on homework and up to 23 hours a week playing video games. Jessica Lindl of Glass Labs and Esteban Sosnik of co. lab will discuss how gaming companies can reach the 90 percent of 2-17 year olds who play video games by re-engaging them through school. Their reliable hard statistics on size, opportunities and trends will be an eye-opener.
- Jessica Lindl, Executive Director, GlassLab
- Esteban Sosnik, Executive Director, co.lab
- Speaker To Be Announced

Session to be Announced
Stay tuned for an exciting keynote announcement

User Interface Design: Bridging Digital and Tactile Play
A new hot gaming device called Osmo attaches kid-friendly games to an iPad and with the help of a small mirror, expands play outside the screen. Its natural user interface encourages both real-world and online social interaction. Google Engineer turned CEO Pramod Sharma will discuss marrying tactile toys with tablets and the theory behind intuitive user interface. (UI) Find out why user interaction should be simple and productive for our touch screen generation we are creating for.
- Pramod Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO, Osmo

Educational and Institutional Disruption: Reinventing Today’s Library
In an effort to make libraries relevant, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awarded eight libraries and four museums $1.2 million in grants to design learning labs. Tune in as one of the 12 winners, the San Francisco Library 21st Century Lab, explains how to teach youth various topics, including how things work in our everyday lives; how Smart phones have altered how younger generations think; and why education and libraries must reinvent themselves in order to survive.
- Speaker To Be Announced

Learning to Code – Is it an indispensable digital skill for our kids?
According to Code.com, in 2020 there will be 1.4 million available computer-related jobs; yet only 400,000 students are majoring in computer science. However, interest in coding amongst kids (and their parents) has increased as technology continues to infiltrate our lives. Kids can learn basic programming concepts and game design with both online tutorials at home and group software at school with companies like Tynker. Join the company’s CEO in a discussion about how Tynker has captured the attention and discipline of schools, teachers, and parents alike.
- Krishna Vedati, Co-Founder and CEO, Tynker

Learning is Everywhere Case Study: Incorporating a Virtual World Platform for Effective Common Core-Based Education
Digital content often falls short by differing from its print version with skill and drill exercises that are only slightly more effective than a paper and pencil. In order to capture students’ technical expertise as well as deepen their enthusiasm for learning long after the school bell rings, schools need curriculum like Common Core that extends traditional classroom subject matter into students’ after-school, weekend and personal time. Discover how teachers and parents can use social communities, virtual goods and global classroom collaboration to make learning more meaningful.
- Jori Clarke, CEO, Circle 1 Network/KidsCom.com

A Tapestry of Research on Kids and Digital Media
The author of much sought after research will sew together some of her recent work for us. Vicky Rideout will discuss parenting in today’s world by highlighting the findings of various studies on the topic such as: a report from Northwestern University, Parenting on the Age of Digital Technology, Common Sense Media’s Zero to Eight study and a research brief charting trends in reading rates and achievement over time and among different demographics for children and teens and the Cooney Center’s study on educational screen media and parents’ attitudes toward them.
- Vicky Rideout, Editor of Reviews and Commentary, Journal of Children and Media

Step Behind the Curtain Into the PlayMatrix and Power Will Belong to You:
Have you heard of the PlayMatrix where age, developmental stage, content and context, device(s) and platform(s), culture and business intersect? David Kleeman of PlayCollective will reveal how anyone who works with children, including large and small companies, educators and families and communities, will benefit from the think tank’s research initiative this fall.
- David Kleeman, SVP, Insights Programs and PlayVangelist, PlayCollective

Crowdfunding: Who Has Been Successful and Why?
Crowdfunding, the practice of funding a project or venture by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people, is a popular practice among both individuals and companies. Jose Chan, CEO of LightUp and Alice Brooks, CEO of Roominate as well as the representatives other new generation growing companies, will share their secrets for reaching Kickstarter goals within the campaign’s first week. Sebastien Borget will also discuss how the Pixowl broke from gaming into learning market with VC funding to add a different perspective. This is an opportunity to learn how to break through the marketing clutter with effective, targeted programs that turn ideas into thriving businesses.
- Sébastien Borget , Co-Founder and COO, Pixowl Games
- Alice Brooks, Co-Founder, Roominate
- Josh Chan, Co-Founder & CEO, LightUp
- Reyne Rice, CEO, Toy Trends, Inc. (Moderator)

Level Up – Designing Games That Grow With a Child
A child’s neurons are quickly connecting between the ages of 4-8, as they first master the alphabet and are soon solving long division problems. This panel will explain how game developers are working to create challenging educational games and enhanced interactive e-books that continue to appeal to kids as they age, including the entire family in the fun. According to the Kids and Family Reading Report, 80 percent of kids 6-17 who read ebooks still read books for fun primarily on print. Noelle Millholt, Co-Founder and COO of Speakaboos and Teri Rousseau, Chief Education Officer, Reading Rainbow will discuss how the number of children reading e-books also retain and comprehend as much as then they read print books.
- Nancy MacIntyre, CEO, Fingerprint (Moderator)
- Noelle Millholt, Co-Founder, COO, Speakaboos
- Teri Rousseau, Chief Marketing & Education Officer, Reading Rainbow
- Abby Jenkins, Director of Content, PBS KIDS Digital

Session To Be Announced
Stay tuned for an exciting session to be announcement

Identifying Digital Trends and Kids’ Trends – How and Where Do They Converge?
Statistics continue to predict that integrating physical toys and video games will have a high success rating. Come hear the experts identify and summarize the broader digital trends and kids’ trends —Michel Cai, Senior Vice President of Interpret, will share valuable numbers on a recent syndicated GameByte study by his company, showing more than 72 million kids expressing an interest in ownership. He will discuss growth opportunities in other countries, including China, Brazil and Russia, where 90 percent of gamers, ages 6-12, are interested in smart toys. Reyne Rice will take a plunge into analyst and market research to learn about unexpected changes in trends. Amy Henry, Vice President of Youth Insights, will not only share valuable information about what parents and kids currently love from her YouthBeat “Trendsetter Report,” she will also explain the values and ideas that will matter in the future.
Michael Cai, S VP, Interpret
Reyne Rice, Toy Trends Expert
Amy Henry, Vice President Youth Insights, C + R Research

Apocalypse Now: Surviving (and growing) in the Digital Kids Market
Collins is the CEO of SuperAwesome, one of the fastest growing digital kids companies today. He’s also an active investor in several other digital (and non-digital) kids companies. With this rare both-sides-of-the-table perspective he talks about the challenges facing the digital kids industry across web and mobile. Who will succeed and who will die? Is the industry even sustainable in its current form? What will the next Disney look like? What are all the mistakes which startups are making? What are investors looking for?
Dylan Collins, CEO, Super Awesome

Who Will Create the Next Great Toy Company?
The toy industry is not known for celebrating innovation in the same manner as technology industries. Yet, a renaissance is occurring within this mass production-based industry, fusing robotics, electricity, hardware and software and even artificial intelligence to the conventional business model. In this panel, Adam Adelman, Co-Founder and CEO of Mighty Cast, Paul Berberian, CEO of Orbotix and Inventors and Innovators will discuss the key to success, examples of what is required to build a sustainable business model that allows for both innovation and engineering and whether national distribution is possible for the growing list of toy startup companies that are doing it right.
Paul Berberian, CEO, Orbotix
Adam Adelman, Co-Founder, CEO, Mighty Cast
Speaker To Be Announced

Session To Be Announced
Stay tuned for an exciting session to be announcement

How to Develop Intellectual Property for Digital vs. Traditional Media
Creating lovable digital characters with entertaining storytelling through video games and apps rather than a TV show might sound daunting. Learn how to marry engaging IP and gameplay for a memorable gaming experience, using the Digital First business model. Billy Macqueen from Darrall Macqueen and Donnie Kerrigan from Chunk will explain how they approached developing Digital First IP, the challenges of storytelling and creating characters with games in mind and how creating a mobile brand differed from launching a TV show. Art Roche of Charles Schultz Creative Associates will describe how he is ushering the PEANUTS traditional media IP into the digital age.
Billy Macqueen, Co-Director, Darrall Macqueen Ltd
Donnie Kerrigan , Founder and MD, Chunk
Art Roche, Content Director, Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates

Collaboration in an Era of Competition
Companies such as Leap Frog will discuss their role as both developer of their own IP of licensed content for their platform, as well as serving as a distribution channel for third-party partners. Mattel and American Greeting will discuss how working with Budge Studios on monetization strategies, such as creating app purchasing strategies rather than simply charging for apps, impacted their companies. Learn how partnerships ultimately drive revenue, creating valuable positive consumer experiences.
Noemie Dupuy, Co-Founder, BUDGE Studios
Henry Hsiao, Head of Digital Media, Hit Entertainment
Derek Roberto, VP, New Media, American Greetings
Kimberly Verbonitz, Senior Director, Digital Media & Content Acquisition, LeapFrog

Session To Be Announced
Stay tuned for an exciting session to be announcement