Techfugees NY Creative Conference

Techfugees NY will bring together the smartest minds in technology, design, innovation, media and humanitarian work for a series of discussions and work sessions on applying American innovation expertise to solving challenges related to the global refugee crisis. We will harness this expertise to break down the crisis to understand the actual challenges facing refugees, and we will take real steps toward actual solutions.

The discussions and work sessions will focus on challenges within three major areas, as identified by NGOs on the ground and others in the refugee space:

Coordination: Addressing different aspects of the global refugee crisis will require improved coordination across sectors, and greater efficiency and sophistication in delivering aid and other support around the globe. This includes the ability to collect, analyze and share data among organizations that provide direct support for refugees and across the NGO community. Additionally, there is a need for better understanding/mapping of the refugee experience and the emergency response and relief experience, as well as opportunities to identify and anticipate specific needs that can be prioritized in the future.

Expansion: There are systems in place, new apps and other tools that have been developed in the immediate response to the crisis in Europe. Those tools must continue to evolve and improve as the crisis worsens, as well as scaled and sustained so that the solutions that have been deployed in Europe can also be applied to other areas of the world (Latin America, Asia, Africa, etc.) where there are equally serious refugee situations. There are also protocols that must be followed in order to protect refugees and standards that can be developed to help future innovation flow more readily.

Engagement: We need new and improved approaches to getting Americans engaged in efforts to address the global refugee crisis. It is more important than ever to improve how issues related to the global refugee crisis are communicated (going beyond storytelling and awareness raising), and to find better ways to measure and direct support - across all sectors - (beyond fundraising and simple advocacy). Entrepreneurs, tech innovators and others are needed to help tap into the values, skills, and ambition of the United States to support refugees around the world. It's an American story!

Representatives from leading NGOs, tech companies, VCs and others will be on hand to participate, provide guidance and support, as well as feedback and input on the ideas and solutions being developed.

Tentative Schedule

8:00am - 8:45am Registration/Breakfast

8:45am - 9:30am Briefing (Refugee crisis, innovation rules, project approach)

9:30am - 11:00am Planning Time (Small group brainstorms, prioritization, explore specific solutions)

11:00am - 11:45pm Lunch/Networking

11:45pm - 1:45pm Work Session 1 (three groups, discrete focus)

1:45pm - 2:00pm Break

2:00pm - 4:00pm Work Session 2  (three groups, discrete focus)

4:00pm - 4:30pm Idea Sharing/Wrap Up (Rapid presentations, group discussion)

4:30pm - 6:00pm Networking/Break

**Take a break, collect your thoughts, grab a coffee and meet us back at Spark Labs (833 Broadway) for drinks and debriefing**

6:30pm - 7:30pm Cocktails/Networking at Spark Labs

The Techfugees NY event is designed to:

- Build a community of innovators eager to solve complex problems and create social value through hands-on tactical sessions and interactions between peers and experts;

- Shape a process based on cross-sector collaboration and knowledge sharing among a diverse group of participants to create new knowledge and design sustainable refugee-led solutions;

- Promote and execute an integrated approach based on design thinking principles of ideation, validation and iteration through collaborative learning;

- Focus creative energies on building products for and with refugees in response to real social and economic challenges and market realities.