1. Corporate Hubs and Advice Jody Snow Cowtown BEST

2. What IS a Corporate Hub? Any hub that is run by a team of industry professionals and not solely affiliated with a college or university. – All fiduciary and leaders responsibility is held by the hub team. Cowtown BEST, Dallas BEST, and CoCo BEST are examples of this model.

3. How to Get Started Form a standing hub leadership team – Recruit co-workers, spouses and friends – Network within professional societies Determine how many teams you can support Determine potential funding sources – Caution: if funding falls short, the hub leadership team often finds itself in the position of making up the difference personally. Better to plan more than you need than be too ambitious.

4. How to Determine Funding Make sure your license fee is covered Estimate how many teams to host. Determine ROM field expenses. Get estimates from potential event host locations. Estimate how many volunteers are required. Volunteers require care and feeding. Determine what resources you already have available (AV, tools, storage space, etc) and what you will need.

5. Things to Remember Even on a limited basis, partnering with a local college or university can still be beneficial. Most of the work to host a competition will be after-hours on week days and on weekends (i.e. most of your volunteers have a day job). There is no offseason or summer vacation for most industry professionals. Be sure to plan some time during working hours during the season for meeting facility hosts, vendors or sponsors. Be prepared for robotics to take over space in your house and team members’ houses.

6. Last, but Not Least Remember that everyone in this with you is a volunteer. The benefit to the kids’ future and their joy at the competition makes all the work worth it.