A First-Timer’s Picks for NewCo’s Bay Area Festival

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I joined NewCo a little under a year ago to help tell the story of capitalism at a crossroads. The role of business in society is being redefined by innovative, missi0n-driven companies that are measuring their success by more than just profit. We think this is the biggest shift in business and culture since the Industrial Revolution, and we connect and celebrate these purpose-led companies through both our media and our festivals across the world.

Next week, we’re hosting our largest event yet: the Bay Area Festival, from Feb 6th to 9th. I’m really exited to actually experience the story myself for the first time, and visit the companies on the front lines of this shift towards purpose-driven business. There couldn’t be a better moment: businesses are transforming faster than ever before, industries are being reshaped, and we’re all trying to stay ahead of the curve and chart a better course forward. Our festival offers the one-of-a-kind event that lets attendees personalize their experience and visit the companies they’re most inspired by. Here are companies on my list:

Monday, February 6 — Masterclasses at the St. Regis in San Francisco

10:00 AM: Twitter for Executives

KF
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Introducing NewCo Shift Forum, and Our 5th Annual Bay Area Festival

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NewCo Shift readers –

The first month of 2017 is coming to a close, and we’ve been busy publishing stories that outline the trends are reshaping business, politics, and culture. As always, thank you for reading — we’ve broken well past 50,000 followers (WOW!!) and are coming off our biggest month ever in traffic. It seems you particularly liked Peter Lyden’s positive take on why Trump isn’t the beginning of an era, but rather, the end. Clearly, you’re an optimistic bunch. We are too.

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A Co-Founder’s Picks for NewCo’s Bay Area Festival

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NewCo is blowing out all the stops for our fifth annual Bay Area Festival! Not only are we running the event concurrent with our first executive forum, we have added a day of “masterclasses” where attendees can learn directly from the brightest business leaders in Silicon Valley. We also have three full days of sessions where attendees will get to go inside the most innovative companies in the Valley to learn how they are changing the world. For the first time ever, our event is showcasing companies from all over the Bay Area. Without further ado, here are my recommendations for sessions to check out:


Monday, February 6 — Masterclasses at the St. Regis in San Francisco

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Manufacturing Jobs One Bag at a Time

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Manufacturing jobs take center stage every campaign season, but the reality is that when manufacturing leaves the country, it doesn’t come back. This is even more accurate for “low tech” manufacturing such as textiles, an industry decimated in the US by low-cost labor pools around the world.

Richshawbags.com

But even as these low tech industries left the country, a new Maker Culture has arisen, driven in large part by DIY tech culture. This Maker movement can be as simple as crochet and pickled vegetables, and as complicated as bee keeping or making your own drones. While many see the maker community as mostly hobbyists, driving little impact in the economy, Mark Dwight, CEO and Founder of Rickshaw Bagworks, sees an opportunity to revive local manufacturing. By using high-tech tools and focusing on labor efficiency, Rickshaw Bagworks is thriving in San Francisco, a city with some of the highest labor costs in the world. The company produces custom-made bags in a brick and mortar factory in the San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood, the epicenter of San Francisco’s Maker movement in recent years.

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Six Hidden Gems to See at NewCo’s Fifth Annual Bay Area Festival 2017

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This coming February, we’re excited to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Bay Area NewCo festival. Over 150 NewCo’s — from established players to scrappy startups — will open their doors and show how they’re transforming industries and shaping the future of business. While it’s certain that sessions at Slack, LinkedIn, Uber, and Pinterest will sell out early, here are six less well known, but truly fascinating companies I’m particularly excited to see.

1. Exygy


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These Electric Bikes From Faraday Will Make You Smile

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NewCo Spotlight — One Minute Video

There is no doubt that transportation is linked to technological innovation, but can better transportation lead to more innovation? Some argue that public transport improves economic opportunities, enhances personal opportunities and drives economic growth within cities. But large infrastucture projects are expensive and can leave underserved neighborhoods behind. Here is when bicycles come in handy, which advocates say can greatly improve movement in urban areas, and they come with great health benefits for the riders. But getting more people on bikes has its challenges, like the fact that no ones wants to end a commute with the need to shower immediately after.


Faraday Bikes wants to solve that problem with their electric bikes, which they hope will brighten our commutes, help make our cities cleaner and more vibrant, and bring a smile to our faces. They want make people ride more bicycles, not because it is cheaper, faster, or better, but because people actually want to ride them. This is why the San Francisco-based company focused their efforts on the design, electric motor and app integration. Their goal: now you have no excuse not to use a bike to run errands, commute, or just go on a joy ride. — Octavio Raygoza


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NewCo Festivals

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Six Hidden Gems to See at NewCo’s Fifth Annual Bay Area Festival 2017


This coming February, we’re excited to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Bay Area NewCo festival. Over 150 NewCo’s — from established players to scrappy startups — will open their doors and show how they’re transforming industries and shaping the future of business. While it’s certain that sessions at Slack, LinkedIn, Uber, and Pinterest will sell out early, here are six less well known, but truly fascinating companies I’m particularly excited to see. Read more …


Bay Area Companies in the Spotlight


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