kidTECH Miami is taking place at Jungle Island in Miami, on the 3rd floor in the Bloom North Salon section of the ballroom. If you plan to do the Treetop Trekking later in the day, you’ll want to wear relaxed clothing and footwear for the thrilling ropes course and zip line experience. Of course, the amazing kidTECH programming will run prior to the adventuring, but the dress code is casual, so don’t feel the need to come with two outfits!

It should come as no surprise that the kids and family tech space continues to change rapidly. In our opening session, we will take a look at the moment we find ourselves in, while also looking at some research to help set the tone for the following sessions. Grab a lunch box, a cup of iced coffee, and join us as we kick off the kidTECH micro-conference.

Presenters:
- Rebecca Stringer (KidsKnowBest)
- Gastón Stochyk (Askids / Kids Corp)

The Metaverse is nothing new, right? Dating back to the first MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and The Sims (which were NOT kids’ games), virtual worlds like Club Penguin and Neopets, to current gaming platforms like ROBLOX and Minecraft, why has this become such a commonly discussed area, and how are some of the leaders in the Metaverse thinking about it?

While the topic often seems to be divisive, we’ll dig into what the Metaverse is and how brands might take advantage of the opportunities it brings.

Panelists:
- Shai Samet (kidSAFE Seal) - moderator
- Rebecca Danta (Cryptoys / OnChain Studios)
- Ross Targett (Suit Up Games)
- Jesse Schell (Schell Games)
- Camille Francois (Niantic)

Just like at past kidTECH conferences, our friends Barry and Jason will make sure things don't get too serious!

With AI now entertaining us and chatbots answering our deepest questions about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness, what’s next for this disruptive technology? It’s clear that the opportunities are endless, but the road ahead is not clear, especially for kids. In this panel discussion, we will talk about the opportunities artificial intelligence presents and discuss what the industry's responsibility is in developing products that seemingly come closer to the human experience than any previous technologies (or not?).

Panelists:

- Justin Davis (Spectrum Labs) - moderator
- Denise Campbell (Storyfile)
- Mike Klein (ChessKid.com)
- Noelle Silver Russell (Accenture)

Get your ice cream and sprinkles, watch a chess master play blindfolded, and find your group to partake in an outdoor adventure of your choice. See the options below.

Choose from:
(1) a lighter stroll of the Jungle Island Gardens while discovering wildlife and an Everglades replica (from 3:15-4:00pm).

(2) the Kangaroo Konnection, a private visit and feeding interaction with friendly kangaroos at their Jungle Island exhibit (from 3:30-4:00pm).

(3) the more adventurous Treetop Trekking for thrill-seekers, including a ropes course and zip lines (from 3:15-5:15pm). Easier courses (Discover, Treewalk, Explorer) available, too.

Sponsored by Zigazoo

Just when we thought that 2022 may come and go without a COPPA enforcement case, the FTC announced in December a whopping $275M fine against Fortnite (owned by Epic Games) for COPPA violations (compounded by an additional fine of $245M for misleading billing practices). That's more money than the fines from all 34 prior FTC COPPA cases since the year 2000, combined! What went terribly wrong with Fortnite's privacy practices, and how can you avoid making the same mistakes?

Hear from one of kidSAFE's privacy specialists as we break down the Fortnite case and leaves you with critical observations and lessons learned.

During COVID, there was no speed limit on growth in the kids' digital industry, especially for education technology and remote learning providers. For this reason, some companies experienced hockey-stick growth. This panel will explore how these companies benefited from this surge but also developed strategies to sustain the growth beyond COVID.

Panelists:
- Lily Hagen (Lingo Plaza) - moderator
- Edna Martinson (Boddle Learning)
- Vladimir Klimov (Lingokids)

Designing for children is more than usability; it’s about removing barriers and opening up the world to fun, playful, sometimes educational, and deeply human content. It’s also about designing products in a rapidly changing legislative environment.

In this presentation, you will learn some DOs and DONTs of building a compelling app or digital product for kids, one that is engaging, interactive, lasting, and age-appropriate across any medium.

Presenters:
- Shuli Gilutz (UX/UI Design Expert)

Grab some food and find a table with a topic you're interested in. Fancy another topic or another sandwich? No worries, feel free to move around, or if you're bored, go get some meaningful face time with the wildlife accompanying us for lunch.

Roundtable topics will include:

(1) The Creator Economy - if "they" build it, will users still come?
- Moderators: Ross Targett (Suit Up Games)

(2) Lunching with the VCs: Strategies for landing that big capital raise or getting acquired by a kid-tech unicorn.
- Moderators: Ashok Kamal (NuFund), Max Tuchman (Caribu / Mattel)

(3) Lunching with the Lawyers: Big developments in privacy and safety law.
- Moderators: Akhil Bhardwaj (kidSAFE Seal), Gary Kibel (Davis+Gilbert), Alex Stout (ZwillGen)

(4) Show Me the Money! Monetization, distribution, and discoverability strategies across all industry verticals.
- Moderators: Anthony Berrena (Playwire)
- Table Sponsor: Playwire

(5) Spanish Here, Chinese There, Lingo Products Everywhere: What's behind the proliferation of language learning platforms around the globe?
- Moderators: Lily Hagen (Lingo Plaza)

Digital civility, user wellness, and child safety on social platforms and games are no easy tasks. It truly takes a village of people, processes, and technologies to build and maintain a safe and trusted environment. This challenge grows as new forms of sharing (UGC, voice, and virtual reality) are introduced and expected across these platforms. Come and hear from some of the top companies leading the charge in protecting young people from harmful online content and interactions.

Panelists:
- Nathan Sawatzky (Supercell) - moderator
- Mike Pappas (ToxMod / Modulate)
- Henry Platten (GoBubble)
- Zak Ringelstein (Zigazoo)
- Matthew Soeth (Spectrum Labs)

Panel Sponsor: GoBubble

Squishmallows and Goo Jit Zus are among the latest must-haves for kids. They squeeze, they stretch, they smoosh, and they get you a lot of friends at school. But, do these toys trigger some kind of play pattern that appeals to kids or is it all about having the largest collection? And, what (if anything) can be gleaned about these toy crazes and transferred to the digital world?

Panelists:
- Ashley Mady (Zigazoo) - moderator
- Steve Ellis (Jazwares / Squishmallows)
- Tim Savas (Kinder Toy / Ferrero)
- Menal McGrath (Moose Toys)

Take a few moments to enjoy popcorn or cotton candy; find an old contact, or meet a new one, all while playing a challenging game with your peers.

Over the past few years, dozens of initiatives have been launched to develop creative tech solutions for modern-day challenges faced by children and students, whether physically, mentally, socially, or academically. But there are just a few standout products that are doing exceptional work and making a real impact. Hear from these companies on what it takes to build "tech for good!"

Panelists:
- Sara Berliner (Kinspire) - moderator
- Francisco Cornejo (Storybook)
- Calli Dollinger (GoNoodle / Mooderators)
- Marni Sandler (HOMER / BEGiN)

Panel Sponsor: Supercell

Five years ago, smart devices - made specifically for kids and families - appeared to be on the decline. Think family-friendly smart watches, smartphones and tablets, smart speakers, robotics, 3D printers, Wi-Fi-connected games and toys, and even arcade game systems. Now, several companies are entering the market again and launching new devices catering to kids and families. Is the industry making a comeback? Or is it still hard to make money in hardware? Find out in this panel.

Panelists:
- Sarah Natchez (Yoto)
- Ogi Todic (Keen Research)
- Ryan Werner (Pinwheel)
- Russel York (Cosmo)