At the Courtyard San Francisco Downtown Marriott, 299 2nd Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Conference is from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (PDT)
This conference is for anyone working in the children’s app space. It is the go-to event for app developers, designers, illustrators, marketers, toy companies, funders, and other professionals who are working in kid tech media. The conference brings together industry leaders, top reviewers, and visionaries to offer advice on the business of kids’ apps.
“I was blown away by the conference!” Charine Gey Van Pittius, CEO, Ace Edutainment Apps, Inc.
“At the Developing Apps for Kids Conference, there are always lively discussions and opportunities to connect with the people shaping technology for kids.” Caroline Hu Flexer, Co-Founder and CEO, Duck Duck Moose.
This is a limited ticket event.
Tech with Kids invites speakers based on their expertise to contribute to the panels. The 24 speakers are:
“Developing Apps with Kids is one the best planned, informationally dense conferences in the kids and educational app sector. Focusing on the business of apps, this all-panel conference ensures that there are no “sales pitches masquerading as talks”, resulting in genuinely useful information being disclosed. Participants (and audience) are top notch, and again possibly due to the all-panel nature, Tech with Kids has attracted speakers that you simply don’t get access to at other events.” Barry O’Neill, Chairman & CEO, StoryToys.
It’s tricky to make money developing kids’ apps because most of the lucrative advertising models aren’t appropriate. Our panel of seasoned experts has successfully built businesses selling kids’ apps. And they are willing to share their insights on how to craft a business. They will talk about their experiences in using the various monetary models, including subscription, paid, free-to-try, and others. Is it worth it to port your app to Apple TV? How can you approach various international marketplaces? They will also talk about securing outside investment, partnering with others (including creating apps for popular big brands), and lessons they have learned along the way. Panelists are:
An app store feature is a great thing for marketing and discoverability. But let’s face it, very few apps get that coveted placement. Find out how to best position your app in the app stores. How can you market your app to get the most exposure for the least amount of money? This panel will share strategies that work, from Google Play insights to grassroots campaigns using social media to bigger budget campaigns using professional PR. Sago Mini is expanding its marketing of app characters into the toy market. Panelists will also share best practices on how to use media, bloggers, and other helpful programs. Speakers are:
What is the secret sauce that makes an app fun to play? Panelists will talk about how to create apps that engage kids and keep them coming back. How does age appropriateness come into play? Why is play so important? They will also share ways to put kids in charge so that they have ownership over the apps they play. How important is a sandbox mode or an area of open play? What do kids learn from play? Speakers are:
Is it possible to design a children’s learning app that works in both the consumer and school markets? This panel will discuss what it means for an app to be truly educational? What do developers need to do differently if they are targeting kids at home versus kids at school? Is it best to start in the consumer market? How do you break into the school market? Confirmed panelists include:
This panel showcases successful women app developers who are willing to share some of their killer app strategies. The panel will look at product development, branding, app launches, and balancing long-term business objectives with short-term needs. These CEOs will share their experiences in building a robust kids’ app business, where tackling sales fluctuations with cutting edge innovation is just part of their daily workload. From creating apps for Highlights Magazine to developing a series of apps for Crayola to building their own brand based on “Grandma” and “Grandpa,” these women have rocketed to the top of the charts in the app stores. CEO Ariella Lehrer will even give us a peek into developing for Project Tango. Panelists include:
At last year’s conference, the panel on Diversity in Kids’ Apps sparked an international interest in this topic. This year, Diversity in Apps, an initiative launched to address the issue of diversity and children’s app, will be sharing their new guidelines and DIG (Diverse and Inclusive Growth) Tool Kit that they are developing in partnership with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center. Using some of the criteria from that framework, panelists will discuss how they build apps that incorporate best practices. The panel will also discuss what it means to create gender-neutral apps. Panelists are:
The format:
The format is panel discussions with audience questions and comments encouraged at the end of each panel
The event will also provide many opportunities for networking, including a separate session at the end of the day.
During the complimentary lunch, participants can demo their apps for the attendees and speakers.
Attendees are encouraged to bring business cards and other materials to place on a “Sharing Table.”
Several attendees of past conferences have shared with Tech with Kids that new deals arose out of contacts made at this conference.
Food Provided: Tech with Kids will provide all attendees with a complimentary lunch.
No Sponsors: While hosted by Tech with Kids, this event is funded solely by admission costs. We do not offer sponsorships that allow companies to speak, rather we invite speakers who we believe will deliver the best insights on a particular topic. This event is not affiliated with Apple, although it is happening during the same week that Apple holds its WWDC and is within walking distance of Moscone Convention Center.
Photographs and Videotaping: By attending our conference, you are consenting to have yourself filmed by the event planners. No videotaping of the panels by attendees is allowed. The host reserves the right to videotape participants for use in publicity, advertising, and marketing.
Cancellation Policy: Since this is a limited ticket event, if you need to cancel your ticket, you must do so before June 9, 2016. There will be no refunds after that date.