Obtiva President and Founder Kevin Taylor Selected as Keynote Speaker at Lean Startup Machine Chicago

CHICAGO, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Kevin P. Taylor, President and Founder of software development firm Obtiva, has been named a keynote presenter and judge at Lean Startup Machine Chicago November 5-7, 2010.

The Lean Startup movement is having a significant impact on how companies are built, funded and scaled. Its principles are based on less waste, speed to market and a disciplined approach to testing new products and ideas. The Lean Startup movement has gained increased awareness and momentum since it was first conceptualized in 2008. Following a successful Lean Startup weekend event in New York, founder Eric Ries and a team of organizers took the show on the road to San Francisco and now Chicago.   

Lean Startup Machine Chicago kicks off Friday, November 5 with initial six-minute pitches and presentations. Participants then select ideas and form teams to work on their project for the next 52 hours. On Sunday, teams pitch their business and Minimum Viable Product to a panel of respected entrepreneur judges for cash awards and mentoring. The event is limited to 60 participants.

Kevin Taylor of Obtiva was chosen to be one of four keynote presenters and judges that will select a winning startup business concept following an intense weekend of business development.

"If you are involved in a technology company and you don't know Lean Startup theory, you are in deep trouble. It is reshaping how startups succeed. Succeed at what matters, providing value to clients and showing profits," Taylor said. "Lean startups are those that utilize Agile software development to build exactly what is needed, leverage open source software platforms, and engage in Customer Development, a structured process of developing business model hypotheses and validating them with potential customers before burning money on product development and marketing. Regardless of the industry they're in, lean startups are better positioned to succeed with lower development costs, faster time to market and, most importantly, the right product or service.

"I'm honored to be a judge and speaker at Lean Startup Machine Chicago and look forward to a weekend filled with exceptional talent and ideas," he added.

The other keynoters and judges are Brant Cooper, a leading advocate of the Lean Startup movement and co-author of The Entrepreneur's Guide to Customer Development; Patrick Vlaskovits, VP Business Development at ELC Technologies and co-author of The Entrepreneur's Guide to Customer Development; and virtual speaker Eric Ries, creator of the Lean Startup methodology and author of the blog Startup Lessons Learned.

Registration is $50 and is open to the first 60 registrants. The event is not-for-profit and registration fees are used to cover expenses and the winning cash prize.

About Obtiva

Obtiva ignites ideas to bring web and mobile applications to life. A full service Agile software consultancy specializing in Ruby on Rails, Obtiva's technical mastery shines through in its work. Obtiva's studio team of developers, project managers and mobile technology experts provide full-service web application development, from product vision to user experience design to development and deployment. Obtiva's co-development services will bring specialized skill sets to your existing team, while infusing it with creativity and energy. Training programs deliver cutting-edge topics, led by senior consultants with real-world experience, in private sessions at your location or in public classes. For more information call 630.588.8622 or visit www.obtiva.com.

SOURCE Obtiva