i.am angel Foundation TRANS4M Gala
For the seventh year, Empire teamed up with visionary artist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist will.i.am to produce the annual TRANS4M Gala, benefiting his i.am angel Foundation.
This year’s gala honored Sean Parker, Chairman of the Parker Institute, for Cancer Immunotherapy, which is responsible for uniting laboratory and clinical efforts that will lead to the immunological treatment, control and prevention of cancer. The evening was co-hosted by Marc and Lynne Benioff, Ron Conway, Dean Kamen, Laurene Powell-Jobs, Van Jones, Ken and Teri Hertz and The Anneberg Foundation.
The i.am angel foundation supports charitable activities and programs providing college scholarships (i.am scholarship), college preparation (i.amCollege Track), and opportunities in STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math), and remains committed to TRANS4M-ing will.i.am’s hometown neighborhood of Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles.
350 supporters gathered at Milk Studios for an intimate evening that showcased the foundation’s programs and students. i.am angel’s donors enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres as they engaged with students in a variety of demonstrations related to i.am angel’s STEAM programs.
After cocktails, guests made their way to The Hangar, which was transformed into an elegant dining room with long rustic wooden tables juxtaposed with the venue’s steel and urban vibe. Flourishes including hanging greenery, pin-spotted tabletop florals, and flickering candlelight for a warm yet forward-looking style.
The program was emceed by the Roast Master General, Jeff Ross. As the evening progressed, guests listened to heartwarming student testimonials and a fireside chat between will.i.am and honoree, Sean Parker. Later in the night, auctioneer Zack Krone took the stage with special guest auctioneer and comedian, Chris Tucker. Together they led guests to bid on VIP experiences that ranged from a VIP U2concert experience to a vegan dinner and lifestyle experiences with Moby and will.i.am. The evening raised more than $1.6 million that will support ongoing STEAM education programs..
The evening finished with a high-energy double-bill performance by Black Eyed Peas and Earth Wind & Fire.
Empire is honored to continue our long-term partnership with the i.am angel Foundation and to serve as producer of this exclusive event.
For more information on this innovative foundation, please visit www.iamangelfoundation.org
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
