Ecomobility fair @ Belgium: exhibitors to propose?

[ggdorm]

Hello everybody

I am working on the organization of a small "eco-mobility fair" in Belgium. This should accommodate:

- A series of exhibitors
- An Ecomarathon challenge: open to individuals and schools.
- A 24-hour race of human-powered vehicles accessible to all.
- Conferences.

I have not yet sent out invitations because the forecast date is set for a weekend in April 2016 and the place is being negotiated with the City of Brussels but should offer a lot of traffic!

I plan to invite eco-mobility players such as:

- Vehicle manufacturers (Twike, MDI, Renault, Tesla, ...), motorcycles & electric bicycles.
- Vélomobile: the main dealers.
- Rental of electric or shared cars: Zen Car, Cambio, Carpool, Schoolpool, VAP, autopartage.be.
- Bike rental: Villo!
- Manufacturer of tires for their research on the reduction of consumption.
- Public transport (SNCB, STIB, TEC)
- Bicycle parcel deliverers such as EcoPostale, Dioxide of Gambettes, PedalBXL, Hush Rush
- A manufacturer of solar carports.
- Manufacturers of charging stations.
- La Cordiante type non-profit organizations (garbage collection with draft horses), bicycle promotion, ...
- Greenpeace-type NGOs
- Actors of different Sun Trip type projects.
- Green electricity suppliers
- Crazy inventors & handymen who hack solutions at home!

If you are interested in coming to exhibit a product, if you are thinking of an exhibitor to invite, if you are at the head of a project promoting eco-mobility, ... I am open to all your suggestions, proposals and remarks.

Ditto for themes and people to invite to conferences.

Have a great day.

Jérôme

[I Citro]

Congratulations on this great project.

[Grelinette]

If some have the desire, the time and the means, I would be happy to lend the prototype of the electric horse-drawn carriage for this exhibition! (especially as she shamefully languishes under tarpaulin)

[ggdorm]

Great! You're welcome! By cons, you do not live next door!

If the places which I would like to have for the organization are granted to me, they will be distant of approximately 1 km (Bois de la Cambre and ULB).

In this context, I think paying a person (to be determined) to make shuttles between these two places in a carriage! However, it will certainly require a larger carriage!

[elephant]

Good luck....

Especially to interest the press.

Because I could see: no advertising budget, no editorial that goes with it, no journalist at your press conferences, no articles on the visit (or after when it's too late)

Know it: it is practically necessary to bribe the journalists so that they speak about you (even for an event of the technical and artistic level of the Queen Elisabeth Musical Competition)

[ggdorm]

We'll see! I embark on the project and if within 2 months I notice that it is not feasible, I will put it in parenthesis.

On the other hand, the Belgian media seem to me perhaps more interested. I already had pages in these for simple projects. I am also betting on the two challenges (ecomarathon + 24 hours HPV) to attract the public.

However, for the sponsors, I am amazed. I participated in the ecomarathon and we raised 15 euros in sponsorship in a very short time.

To see!

[elephant]

I spoke well of the Belgian media of 1st row: RTBF, RTL, the evening, south-press, the future, the alive one, etc, to speak only of the French speakers.

Don't forget either: 60% of the population and 70% of the purchasing power "spreekt vlaams".

[ggdorm]

I know. If the organization takes off, I will surround myself with people who are comfortable with Dutch, which is not my case at the moment ...

Ultimately, I would need a manager for each branch:
- Ecomarathon
- 24 h HPV
- Exhibitors and conferences (one person)

If some are interested

The circuit will be secured by two members of each team available to the organization (2 members / 2h / team).

Student jobs will be used to run the points of sale (drink tickets, bar, snacks), parking, waste management.

Everything will depend on the number of participants in the activities, the forecast number of visitors and the budget released for sponsorship.

I am awaiting an appointment with a Brussels alderman who would like to discuss the event to validate temporarily the authorization to occupy the Bois de la Cambre. Provisionally because the City could give an agreement in principle but not a final agreement more than a year in advance. Once this agreement in my pocket, I could start registration for the challenges, contact the sponsors, the exhibitors and ask the ULB for the possibility of using the central aisle of the campus as an exhibition space + renting an audience for conferences.

I believe that a year and a half is a suitable time to offer a quality organization, to convince schools and allow them to build a proto ecomarathon or HPV.

I chose the month of April because statistically, it is the least rainy month in Belgium and 75% of the activities will be outside. In the event of rain, it may be possible to build a covered courtyard along the visitor stands.

Visitor entry will of course be free. Exhibitors will cover the rental costs of the arbors if they are not equipped. Participants in the challenges will also pay the costs for arbors and timing chip according to the sponsorship budget available (=> maybe 0 euro).

I would like to make the exhibition "alive" by offering multiple demonstrations and tests to visitors. I would like exhibitors to offer, according to certain criteria, a series of test tickets for one of their vehicle during the show. Some will be available on site. A test circuit would also be available.

This project is created around a personal desire: to become aware of all the most ecological alternatives possible to conventional means of transport and their way of implementing them.

Here's some more info!

[ggdorm]

Hello everyone!

Things are gradually moving! The City of Brussels supports my event and offers me access to the Bois de la Cambre for a whole weekend to organize the two challenges:

* the 24-hour HPV challenge: a 24-hour race of human-powered vehicles (velomobiles). Objective: raise awareness of the performance of this mode of travel through fun. Already several participants ready to register!

* Eco challenge: run a prototype that must consume as little energy as possible. Objective: challenge by results and generate debate. Record at 10 km / liter of petrol!

For the exhibition & conferences part, I contacted various people to obtain access to the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Answer in the coming days ... I also have several manufacturers who say they are ready to come and exhibit!

So much for the news of the moment!

See you soon!

Jérôme

[elephant]

Congratulations on .... the energy deployed!

Thank you for keeping us informed.