The Austin Cup

(Community Matters) On Saturday, we celebrated the ninth Austin Cup, organized annually by Lynne Skinner & Jeff Browning – sponsored by Austin Ventures, Ernst & Young, Vinson & Elkins & the Entrepreneurs Foundation, and most importantly, benefitting the Center for Child Protection. I suspect we busted the $500,000 mark in funds raised yesterday, though monies were still being counted when I left. Thirty six high-tech & sponsoring companies participated in yesterday’s event.

Austin Cup founder, Lynne Skinner & Sailpoint CEO Mark McClain (also an EF advisory board member)
Lynne was one of EF’s founders

360 Training’s team – the Nerds

Austin Ventures

What’s a party without a balloon guy – especially when participants are encouraged to bring their families. Ernst & Young sponsors the kids bowling lanes. You see kids 2 to 15 bowling and having fun, though admittedly the older kids mostly played pool, had their cards read, face painted and hung out.

BazaarVoice went all out

BazaarVoice

Grandecom – The Broadbandits

Epiphany read cards. I had two readings, one from a Cosmic Tribe tarot cards, another from the Goddess deck.

My first question – if I was going to implement a focus for my work, what should it be? Challenge card: Art. I should find the art thread underneath my work. My focus shouldn’t be on a cause, organization or topic but on what I bring to the activities/initiatives. Action card: Strength. clarity of vision. art & creativity at my core. need to start saying no. Overview card: 10 of Swords. sometimes stuck and don’t know how to exit. Need to build team that can leave in charge and move on.

My second question – how should I further engage young people. Challenge card: Six of Stave. create excitement or buzz. figure out how to excite. Action card: Eight of Pintacles about growing things. Plant seed & lay foundation. empower. Overview card: Wisdom card toot own horn a bit so kids can find me. Define what want to pass along & hang out my shingle.

Lifesize – Hi Def Rollers

Other companies which participated include: NewComLink, Zilliant, CSIdentity, FameCast, SiteStuff, Newgistics, Pervassive Softward, Surgient, HyPerformix, HomeAway, ReachForce, Pluck, Affiniscape, Dresser Wayne, Troux Technologies, Net Qos, Cisco, Augmentix, Tipping Point, Lombardi, Zarlink, AT&T, QuickArrow, 21st Century Technologies, Convio, LibreDigital and Open Labs.

Way fun and wayyyy great cause.