I am the organizer of a technology meetup group in New York that focuses on GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) technologies for supercomputing with 'big data' and 'big compute'. The group started with just one member (me!) on the 11th January 2011 and now numbers 338 people. We're all practitioners in GPU ... all experts ... and that's the problem!
Few people in my group understand the economics and business aspects of GPU as an emerging technology. I think, as practitioners, we should understand the market and business we are in. We don't. Basic facts such as market size, growth rate, areas of application, the companies involved ... just aren't at our fingertips, and they should be.
Moreover, there is a huge amount of talent in the meetup group. Gosh, we have people with algorithms named after them! But I fear that much of that talent is underutilized.
For these reasons, I have organized a special meetup on "The Business of GPUs" that brings together practitioners, GPU companies, analysts, VCs, Angel Investors, and talent scouts -- just to see what happens by putting all these people together in one room. I think the results will be interesting! I hope you think so too as I would like to invite any HN member who can make it along (and if you can't come, that you will send a friend or colleague instead).
You can find out more details and register to attend (if you want to come) by following this link: http://www.meetup.com/HPC-GPU-Supercomputing-Group-of-New-York/events/36237782/
Incidentally, if you are unfamiliar with GPU technology it may help to know that massively parallel processing -- specifically using GPUs -- is finding much wider application in many areas: finance, media, scientific, biomedical, defense, 'big data', 'big compute', Cloud computing and many others. GPUs spectacularly speed up many applications -- by x10, x100 ... even x1000 in exceptional cases -- and by doing so they are changing the rules of the business game. GPUs are a great technology for both 'big data' and 'big compute'; two challenges that these days most often go together. We are entering a golden age of computational discovery in which we will be able to ask -- and get answers -- to questions we never thought possible; GPU technology is helping bring that golden age about.
All the best, Shep