Digital Festival in Wales has big hitters as keynote speakers
THE founding editor-in-chief of Wired, established fintech leaders and a Silicon Valley investor are some of the names Welsh businesses can learn from as at this year’s Digital Festival.
The international tech event, headline sponsored once again by fintech pioneer GoCompare, returns in 2018 for its sixth year.
Digital Festival, organised by Innovation Point in partnership with Welsh Government, is expecting more than 2,000 delegates to attend the event at the iconic Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, on Monday, May 21 and Tuesday, May 22.
Keynotes from big names in the tech world will be delivered from the main stage, including speakers from GoCompare, BT, Sony Europe, TechUK, British Blockchain Foundation, Garmin and BBC, sharing their insight into how the latest innovations can impact on the way Welsh organisations operate.
A series of workshops will explore how megatrends like 5G, artificial intelligence and digital privacy can benefit businesses in Wales.
Jackson Hull, chief operating and technology officer at headline sponsor GoCompare, said: “We’re proud to support Digital Festival and further our shared ambition of putting Wales on the map as a tech hotspot.
“This event is a catalyst for great ideas and important conversations between start-ups and established organisations, and this sharing of insights and collective problem solving can help take innovation from concept to reality.
“As a tech company we’re always on this journey ourselves, and we’re excited to share what we’ve learnt and learn from others too.”
Panels and round-table discussions at the event will look to solve contemporary challenges to the tech sector, such as barriers to women reaching high-level roles.
Barclays Eagle Labs and the Centre of Excellence in Mobile and Emerging Technologies (CEMET) join this year’s list of sponsors, and the festival will boast an expo showcasing the latest tech products and services with experts to explain how they can add value to organisations of all sizes
Start-ups will have the opportunity to pitch to investors from a Dragons’ Den style showcase stage, collaborate with industry leaders in a start-up clinic, and work together in group sessions to problem solve challenges against the clock.
The event also offers the opportunity to meet contacts and potential customers with 6,200 new connections made at last year’s event by organisations looking to do business.
Wales Millennium Centre will be divided into unique “worlds” for delegates to explore.
The World of Data will see talks on the data economy, personalisation, privacy and GDPR. The World of Innovation takes in topics like blockchain, artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
The Smart, Connected World will explore future Internet of Things (IoT) technology and smart cities. And the World of Opportunities will consider tech bridging gaps in societies, crowdfunding and the trends investors are backing for the future.
■ Online ticket registration for the event is at www.innovationpoint.uk/ digital-festival