Conference News: SEMI Headed to Arizona; CES CFP Open
The Atlantic Festival 2024 – The Atlantic Festival is returning to The Wharf in Washington, D.C. this fall. This year, the conference team plans to kick off the festival with a special event called A Night Out With The Atlantic, on the first day of the gathering Wednesday 18 September. They haven’t released many details yet but promised to post them on their website within the next month.
SEMICON West Goes… East: SEMICON West which just wrapped another successful show in San Francisco announced that in 2025 it would be changing both the timing and location of its 2025 event. The gathering will take place next year from 7 -9 October in Phoenix, Arizona. The official announcement stated that “Arizona has long been a leader in semiconductor advancement since Motorola established its facility in Greater Phoenix in 1949. SEMI’s decision to host SEMICON West in Phoenix highlights a strategic shift to further technological advancements and industry expansion.” The gathering will be not only be at the Phoenix Convention Center in 2025, but also in 2027 and 2029.
Submission Opportunity: The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) opened its call for speakers for CES 2025. The annual tradeshow and conference that features has grown beyond consumer electronics and will cover everything from transportation, to AI to health care tech when it returns to Las Vegas from 7 – 10 January. If you have a speaker/topic to suggest, complete their online form before the 16 August deadline. Topics that will be highlighted in 2025 include 5G; Accessibility; Advanced Air Mobility; Artificial Intelligence; Augmented & Virtual Reality; Cryptocurrency & NFTs; Design, Sourcing & Packaging; Digital Health; Entertainment & Content; Family & Lifestyle; Fitness & Wearables; Food Technology; Gaming & Esports; Home Entertainment; Marketing & Advertising; Robotics & Drones; Smart Cities; Smart Home; Space Technology; Sports Technology; Startups; Sustainability; Travel & Tourism; Vehicle Technology; Web3 & the Metaverse.
Conference Organizer Q&A: The Women in Work Summits were conceived to help senior leaders institute equitable workforces to drive business growth. We recently spoke with its creator, Melissa Ashley (Co-Founder and CEO, Intuitive Events US) and learned about the event’s priorities.
Speaker Strategies: What differentiates Women in Work from other women’s events? The Women in Work Summit stands out from other events by being one of the few dedicated business-to-business programs designed to empower corporate executives to tackle gender health inequities in the workplace. The Summit hones in on providing employers with actionable insights and real-world case studies to drive meaningful change. Its overall mission to equip leaders with the tools, data and knowledge needed to better attract and retain female talent distinguishes it as a critical resource for companies committed to creating more equitable environments. The Women in Work Summit ensures that the strategies shared are practical and implementable, fostering a direct impact on workplace culture and policies.
Speaker Strategies: How did you determine when/where to host the events this year? In deciding where to host our events, we initially focused on major markets where we knew there was a significant local target audience. We are slowly adding events based upon market research, audience demographics and feedback from attendees to ensure we select locations that maximize engagement and impact. We also always look for a key partner before we enter a market.
Speaker Strategies: What is the most important piece of a successful presentation abstract/topic description? The most important piece is a clear outline of the unique insights and/or actionable takeaways that the session will provide. While it is crucial to briefly establish the significance of the topic, the focus should be on what the audience will learn and how they can apply these insights in their own work. A strong abstract quickly sets the stage (most attendees already know why the topic is of import by virtue of having chosen to attend the event) and then concentrates on the key deliverables.
Speaker Strategies: What do you love most about your job? I love that my job enables me to continuously learn and share that knowledge in a constructive way that can help others. To say that women’s health is underfunded, under-discussed, and under-supported is an understatement. The mission of Women in Work is to shape a future where businesses view gender equity both as a competitive advantage and a moral imperative. I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to creating more equitable, fair, and inclusive workplaces.
Coming Up Next Week: SIGGRAPH kicks off 28 July in Denver, providing a content program, expo floor, and job fair for the computer graphics industry, including those working in gaming, arts & design, production & animation, and in research. At the Bloomberg Sustainable Business Summit in Singapore (31 July), delegates will explore themes like the financial case for sustainability and how to accelerate ESG efforts while keeping urgency, transparency, and data at the forefront. Also taking place in the Lion City next week, the inaugural Fortune Brainstorm AI Singapore gets underway 30 July, exploring the profound impacts of AI on business, society, and the global order, as well as its rollout in Asian markets. Digital Summit DC marks a decade of marketing thought leadership when it’s held 31 July – 1 August at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. And finally, Seattle Interactive Conference explores “diverse ideas at the intersection of art & commerce” from 31 July – 1 August at the Arche at 800 Pike Street.