Techies line up for sold-out summit
Drone pizza delivery, driverless cars, robots replacing professional services – these are some of the topics to be explored at the 14th annual Canterbury Tech Summit today.
A few years ago organisers often had to encourage the staff of local companies to attend but this year they had to turn away sponsors and attendees after hitting capacity at about 650.
Keynote speaker Michael Trengrove said the recent news that Christchurch’s convention centre won’t be delivered until after 2020 posed challenges for future summits.
Trengrove will talk about the increasing pace of technology change with breakthroughs in biotechnology, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. He said the summit brings together local and international ‘‘thought leaders’’ to discuss the ‘‘fourth industrial revolution’’.
‘‘Billions of people around the world are using mobile devices that are millions of times more powerful than the computers that helped man land on the moon.’’ This means more possibility of rapid change, Trengrove said.
New Zealander of the Year scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Sir Ray Avery will talk about developing businesses and future-proofing organisations.
Topics and exhibitions include augmented reality, robotics, wearable technologies, guidance for startups, security, and the future of work.
Trimble, Assurity, Callaghan Innovation and Jade are companies backing the summit.
The Canterbury tech sector contributes $2.4 billion and 14,837 jobs to the local economy, according to New Zealand Technology Industry Association chief executive Graeme Muller. Familiar Christchurch firms include SLI Systems, Diligent Board Books and Wynyard, Tait, Trimble and Dynamic Controls.