MY ROLE: Overall program creator and lead at GE PARTNERS: SubRosa and global GE teams
CAPABILITIES ILLUSTRATED: Digital transformation, digital design, experience design, technology, partnership and sponsorship strategy, marketing strategy, communications
SXSW Launch: 2012
The first-ever Garages space opened at SXSW in 2012 to start a conversation with some of the world’s leading technologist, digital leaders and innovators about the future of making things. The space was built in partnership with General Assembly, who provided educational programs, with Make, who is at the centre of the Maker community, with Inventables, one of the leading modern material providers, and Quirky, a company built to engage global innovators and give them means to build their ideas at scale. The week-long program saw thousands of SXSW attendees and local Austin residents join GE to explore what the future of manufacturing, making and invention looked like.
Growing Up: 2012-2014
After success at SXSW, the program became a conversation starter across the US to engage more audiences in the discussion around what the future of making could look like. This led to 10 partnership-based programs including the following:
CHICAGO: A 4 week-long Garage to complement a partnership with and sponsorship of Chicago Ideas Week. The campaign included hosting over 50 events in the space with local partners, influencers, communities and GE partners, daily technology and design classes, the launch of an Open Innovation Challenge with Quirky, and it was home to CIW’s HQ throughout their week-long activities. Beth Comstock was also a featured speaker at CIW exploring uncensored innovation.
NEW YORK: A 4-week long Garage landed in New York as a part of Story Space, a dynamic retail environment that curates commerce experiences based on monthly themes. The Making Story space gave access to Garages technology, hosted start-up events and classes, and engage with audiences GE would otherwise not reach, like fashionista after a laser cutting class with fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff.
WASHINGTON DC: A 2-week long Garage popped up in central DC to engage in conversation with the policy-makers and public that were influencing the future of manufacturing in the US. The space featured classes, public discussions with officials and became the meeting point for GE teams to illustrate the power of digital innovation in the manufacturing space .
Going Global: 2014-2016
After success in the US, the program expanded to over 10 global markets starting with a skills training program in Lagos, Nigeria before opening four permanent locations in the Middle East to support local skills training on modern manufacturing equipment, design systems and consumer level machine automation technology. Temporary programs ran across Europe, Asia and in the US.
Jenna Pelkey 