Internet-Enabled Coffee Machine Demonstrates Singapore's Ability to Facilitate Business Ventures

Here's a pretty cool idea. Working with Strawberry Frog, The Secret Little Agency and Tellart, EDB, a Singapore-based government group which promotes the city as a business destination debuted The Coffee Connector at The Economist Big ReThink Conference last month.

Leveraging the notion that grabbing a cup of coffee is a great way for a couple of people to build a relationship and coupling that with EDB's goal of facilitating companies to create successful business ventures, The Coffee Connector demonstrated the value of strong relationships. Each party is then rewarded with a freshly brewed cup of Highlander Coffee and the beginning of a lasting connection.

The Coffee Connector is an ingenious, internet connected coffee maker that only works when two people are standing together squarely in front of the machine. In order for the machine to dispense coffee, the two people must introduce themselves by entering their names and indicating their interests.

The Coffee Connector is, of course, a metaphor for EDB's purpose and intent which is to present Singapore as a place for global companies to come together and connect in meaningful ways.