Conference News: What I learned this week – March 1, 2019
FT + TNW = FTW! The Next Web recently announced they will partner with Financial Times on this year’s TNW Conference (9-10 May; Amsterdam). The organizations believe their “similar vision but different audiences” will add new viewpoints and shape the conversation surrounding the future of technology and business. So what that mean for attendees? Expect a new track on commerce, SaaS, and transactional business models called Trade, an exclusive invitation-only roundtable, and a media hub called the FT Live dome.
Global Equality: Last year Bloomberg launched a conference which complemented its investment in creating the Gender Equality Index (GEI), a tool that tracks key elements of gender and equality balance, allowing companies to drive accountability around diversity initiatives. Named the Bloomberg Equality Summit, the conference brought together business, academic and political leaders as well as nonprofits and activists to discuss “the future of equality, how we get there and what is at stake for the economy and society at-large.” After a successful US launch, Bloomberg Equality Summit will now become a global franchise. In 2019, the conference will again host its flagship conference in March in New York, add a London event on 16 May and add a conference in Mumbai on 15 October.
Speaking Opportunity: O’Reilly Strata Conference, self-described as the event that “helps you put big data, cutting-edge data science, and new business fundamentals to work,” returns to New York 23–26 September. If you’re interested in speaking or leading a training course or tutorial, you must apply via their speaker submission form by 12 March 2019. The conference organizers are interested in both technical and non-technical talks that fall within one of these tracks: Data science and machine learning; Data engineering and architecture; Streaming and IoT; Streaming and IoT; Automation in data science and data; Security and Privacy; Case Studies; Culture and Organization; Visualization and user experience; Executive Briefings; Law and Ethics.
Lunchtime Learning: Digital Marketing Exposition and Conference, better known as DMEXCO, has been held in Cologne, Germany, since 2009. After a decade, even despite some changes in conference management last year, DMEXCO, it is still committed to providing marketers, publishers, startups, agencies, and ad tech vendors with an overview on the state of the digital marketing industry. If you are interested in broadening your perspective on how brands are connecting with consumers and learning about new technology innovations, listen in on a few of last year’s talks. Sessions include: The Explosive Growth through ESports & Gaming; The Internet, AI and keeping Marketing Human; How to become a Platform in E-Commerce; and Driving Global Business: Act global – understand local (to name a few).
Coming Up Next Week: With a goal of empowering the collective “we” in the cybersecurity industry, RSA Conference/US kicks off 4 March in San Francisco. Organizers promise increased representation of diverse voices throughout this year’s program along with other investments designed to spark an inclusive dialogue. At SXSWedu (4-7 March Austin), the education-focused sibling to South by Southwest so big it needed its own week, more than 7,000 will gather to advance the practice of teaching and learning. Las Vegas is the place to be for major retail brands next week when ShopTalk gets underway (3-6 March). Veteran brands like Nike and Lowes are joined by market disruptors like StichFix to envision the future of commerce. Down the road, public safety experts and innovators meet at the International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE), 4-8 March for education on cybersecurity, smart cities, and emergency communications. And on 6 March, the Montgomery Summit offers a destination for entrepreneurs, growth company executives, and investors seeking an insider perspective on the business impact of new technology.