Dream Blog
Read about Dream Tank news and recent events,
watch archived content, and more!
Hacking for Heroes
Dream Tank 2 day Social Impact Camp
Kids Save Lives with Tech!
This entrepreneurial, action-packed accelerator offers the unique opportunity for kids and teens ages 10-17* to creatively rise to their potential, learn how to collectively launch a social impact business, and share their ideas to shape the future.
Entrepreneurial, mission driven kids and teens ages 10-17, their families, and local veterans were invited to a design challenge sponsored by Debi Stack, a female Fortune 100 executive with extensive AI, VR and AR experience.
These two days of fun and learning were hosted by Dream Tank at the Idea Forge, CU Boulder.
How can we use VR, AR, and AI to improve quality of life, enrich human connections, nourish healthy families and build thriving community?
Attendees worked on:
- Identifying problems and solutions
- Conceptualizing and design software
- Inspiring the creation of a software company
- Learn about, and collaboratively realize a for benefit, or ‘B corporation’.
- Learn about, and apply emerging technology like artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality…
…to save lives in Boulder, and build software to save lives in communities worldwide.
All kids going through this program will be realized by Dream Tank, and Debi’s new VR/AR/AI project and be certified as a Dream Maker in our youth advisory squad. This qualifies them to join boards of real world companies and start or join advocacy campaigns.
Debi’s new VR/AR/AI project selected the best project designed by the group, choose advisors, board members and entrepreneurs to collaborate in the new enterprise at the event.
We highlighted the challenges of our heroes / veterans throughout the 2 days, and young people, with the help of mentors, went through a DREAM – DESIGN – LAUNCH process to come up with their own entrepreneurial solutions to invent, design, or launch a project, product or business related to SDG3: Good Health and Wellbeing, and happiness, worked on a design challenge to help launch a real Virtual Reality and AI benefit corporation and receive rewards for doing so.
We applied the use of STEAM skills and tools, especially tech in all aspects, including AI, VR, Gaming, blockchain, and brain science to come up with solutions. Includes help with individual projects and group design challenges. Mentors and experts in sustainable development, software, gaming, climate science, blockchain and more will be present throughout the week. Local and Seattle based tech companies and Virtual Reality Alliances have agreed to provide equipment for immersive, engaging experiences with A/R and V/R.
FRONT PAGE OF DAILY CAMERA: Youth share visions at Boulder Dream Tank to solve local problems
DREAM TANK – FRONT PAGE OF DAILY CAMERA
We are so honored to have been featured on the front page of the Daily Camera today. From article:
Entrepreneurial spirit encouraged among 17 kids set on protecting the environment
When 8-year-old Boulder resident Valentina Palumbo learned eight million tons of waste makes its way into the ocean every year, she wanted to find a way to clean it up.
Over the past week at the Dream Tank camp hosted at the Boulder Museum, she came up with a way she thinks can solve the problem.
Valentina on Friday afternoon at Riverside on Broadway in Boulder stood before an audience of several dozen people, including her camp peers, business leaders in the area, friends and family members, to pitch a device she hopes to invent called the “Recycling Bird.”
Read more here for the full article.
We couldn’t be prouder of our Dream Makers for standing up and sharing their ideas with the community. We can’t wait to see what’s next!
Dream Tank is raising funds and support to expand year round programs, develop an online platform and scalable toolkit to provide access to more kids and teens nationally as well as internationally. Please inquire to become a volunteer, donor or sponsor today!
MAYOR ZAN JONES VISITS DREAM TANK KIDS DURING ACCELERATOR
BOULDER MAYOR SUZANNE JONES VISITS DREAM TANK KIDS AT MUSEUM OF BOULDER
The Dream Makers made their own campaign videos to provide momentum to different movements they thought would improve their lives and the lives of those around them. They pushed to change state law, ban styrofoam and single use plastics, and incorporate more school field trips. They were very excited to learn that Mayor Jones, the Mayor of Boulder, would be coming to see their videos in person and give them advice on how to follow through with their hopes.
Here’s some of the feedback and suggestions from the Mayor to the Dream Makers, collected by Lori Preston, ED of the Museum of Boulder:
“People like you can make change”
“Talk to Casey Becker – Speaker of the House —a Museum neighbor”
“Talk to State Legislature members”
“Change happens when people don’t give up on ideas and join with you“
“Try to make dreams come true!”
“Explore Growing Up Boulder – open space”
The Dream Makers were over the moon to meet the Mayor and be able to share their ideas. One little Dream Makers, the youngest of the group, 7 year old Jaia Bliss Hottinger, had learned about power poses convincing our minds and bodies to be confident during Dream Tank. As she was nervous to meet the mayor, she stood in the corner doing a power pose for 2 minutes before meeting her. Dream Tank youth power training, activate!
DREAM TANK AND THE MUSEUM OF BOULDER
Dream Tank held its last accelerator of the summer at the Museum of Boulder, who had a new Director, Lori Preston, start on the same day of our accelerator.
Lori asked the kids for advice on her first day. Here’s an excerpt of her report to her new team and board:
“A meaningful experience within the first fifteen minutes of my first day, was after Heidi Cuppari of DreamTank introduced me to the museum campers. I asked the young explorers if they had any advice for me since it was my first day:
“If you’re the Executive, it will be your job to make sure that everyone is doing their jobs, and we thank you for doing this”;
“Get some more experts on the tech parts of the museum”; (we had just been experiencing tech difficulties starting off the day)
“Be natural…just be yourself”
I must say, these are wise words to absorb and also share with you as Muse team members… out of the mouth of Boulder babes.
Dream Tank is mentioned in the article announcing Lori’s new role. We look forward to more collaboration with the Museum of Boulder.