The new CEBIT 2018 technology trade show holding next month in Hannover, Germany will help to put a bright spotlight on the digital transformation of commerce and society, organisers have announced.
The new CEBIT has a radical new concept and a new mid-June timeslot and is about to star as Europe’s business festival for innovation and digitization, uniquely combining business and lead generation with festive happenings.
“CEBIT’s success is clear even before the gates have opened: Somewhere between 2,500 and 2,800 companies from around 70 countries are taking part, and everyone is enthused about the new approach designed to put a festive spin on business activities. Our bold move to a totally new concept is already bearing fruit.”
“The new CEBIT gives tangible shape to the potential of the digital present and the digital future. The new CEBIT is a trade show, conference and networking event all in one, and this format makes the digitization journey a truly immersive experience”, Oliver Frese, the Managing Board member at Deutsche Messe responsible for CEBIT, says at the international CEBIT Preview held recenty in Hannover, Germany.
The new CEBIT 2018 holding June 11-15, features everything involved in the digital transformation of business and society, e.g.: artificial intelligence, blockchain, security, IoT and 5G, human robotics, VR/AR, drones, collaboration and workspace 4.0 and future mobility.
According to Frese, “CEBIT’s success is clear even before the gates have opened: Somewhere between 2,500 and 2,800 companies from around 70 countries are taking part, and everyone is enthused about the new approach designed to put a festive spin on business activities. Our bold move to a totally new concept is already bearing fruit.”
The four sections of the new CEBIT all add up to technology with passion, lead generation with fun and business interaction in a festive spirit.
The d!conomy showcase gives attending professionals all the products and solutions they need to tool up for the digital revolution and make their operations more responsive, more effective and more profitable. For governments and public administrations, the Digital Administration part of d!economy provides best-fit approaches to digitizing processes and operations.
The d!tec section of CEBIT puts the future on center stage, and the stars of the show are game-changing technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, human robotics, VR/AR – also as presented by more than 350 start-ups with new business models. Top international research institutes will also be on hand to share the fruits of their latest digital technology research. Part of the equation is also the Scale11 startup showcase – an inspired place where established companies and startups can get together and talk shop in new ways.
CEBIT’s d!talk conference programme features an international lineup of more than 600 speakers, with talks held on 10 stages throughout the 5-day event. At multiple in-hall locations, the d!talk stages are geared to inspiration, debate and networking.
The d!campus serves as the beating heart of the new CEBIT – a place roughly the size of 10 soccer fields that will soon come alive with dazzling tech and brand presentations and the finest in relaxed networking and personal interaction. DJs and live music by international bands will contribute to the creative and festive feel of the event. The stands in the exhibition halls are open until 7 p.m., but the d!campus is open until 11 p.m. Last but not least, the Digital Street Festival on the d!campus will be rounded off by appealingly international food and drink.
Take-off Monday
The new CEBIT opens on 11 June with a conference boasting a series of talks and events for decision-makers and experts from business, science and politics. The opening address by Dr. Dieter Kempf, President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) will be followed by a speech delivered by Jaron Lanier, a US-born author and co-founder of virtual reality technology.
On day one of the show, right up until the CEBIT Welcome Night begins in the evening, the stage will be taken by such illustrious personalities as Janina Kugel (Chief HR Officer and Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG), Dr. Auma Obama , Adel B. Al-Saleh (the new CEO of T-Systems), Amir Faintuch (Intel), Gesche Joost (professor of design), Reimund Neugebauer (President of the Fraunhofer Institute), Frank Riemensperger (CEO of Accenture), Dr. Robert Mayr (CEO of Datev), Dr. Dieter Spath (President of Acatec), Ursula Morgenstern (CEO of Atos) and Andrew Filev (company founder). These high-caliber speakers will address the topics of digital transformation, the future of work and the challenges faced by Germany as a business location. Three German government ministries will also be involved in the program for day one.
The Welcome Night will take place in Hall 11 in a setting boasting an entirely new design and set-up. Around 2,000 invited guests will hear a welcoming address by Ginni Rometty, President & CEO of IBM. Germany’s Federal Minister of Education and Research, Anja Karliczek, will present the CEBIT Innovation Award together with Bitkom President Achim Berg and the Premier of the German state of Lower Saxony, Stephan Weil. CEBIT will be officially opened by the German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Peter Altmaier
On Tuesday June 12, the exhibition halls will then really come to life with a world of experiences and visions, e.g. driverless cars, air taxis, humanoid robots, blockchain solutions, professional drone applications, intelligent rail platform edges, exciting new business models, the latest applications from the Internet of Things, potential applications of super fast 5g radio technology, fiber-optic networks, work process organization software, the SAP Ferris wheel, digital twins, new data center technology and security concepts, as well as Mars landscapes.
For the entire run of CEBIT, the d!talk conference program will deliver information and inspiration, encouraging mindsharing and debate relative to the possibilities and challenges of the digital transformation of business and society. Separate summit meetings are planned on Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Blockchain, Customer Centricity, Women in Digital Business, Digital Health and Future Mobility. More than 600 speakers from all over the world are expected. Speakers who have already confirmed their attendance include Marc Raibert (founder of Boston Dynamics), Stacia Carr (Head of Engineering at Zalando), Chris Barton (founder of Shazam), Michael Bolle (Head of Research at Bosch), Victor Meyer-Schönberger (Oxford Internet Institute) and Josh Tetrick (founder of the Silicon Valley company Just).
During the day DJs will perform on two stages at the d!campus, thus ensuring pleasant background music conducive to relaxation and networking in the lounge areas and the street food mile. Then, in the evenings, the site will come alive with an open-air festival. For example, on Tuesday the German band Giant Rooks will perform, followed by the headline act from the first day, Swedish alt rock band Mando Diao. On Wednesday evening, the Israeli Noga Erez will perform her latest compositions at d!campus. She will be followed by Jan Delay, a pioneer of German hip-hop. The headline act on Thursday will be the electronic house music duo Digitalism, well known to international festivalgoers.
Digital Friday
The closing day of the new CEBIT – “Digital Friday” – features special new formats designed to appeal to additional target groups. More than 1,000 bloggers and opinion-makers are expected to take part in Germany’s biggest influencer conference, Signals, which for the entire day will offer insights into diverse aspects of this new area of marketing. In addition to various recruiting platforms, drone racing will be another highlight on Friday. Special formats have also been created specifically for SME developers and decision-makers.
CEBIT City
As the city hosting the all-new CEBIT, Hannover is truly rising to the occasion and taking on a totally new role: Throughout the week, the d!lounge will be staged at a central inner-city location – the Kröpcke Square, which will serve as a kind of CEBIT outpost. A purpose-built street cafe has been built on location where the happenings on the d!talk stages will be screened. In the afternoons there will be “digital chat and coffee” meet-ups, where guest speakers talk about everyday aspects of digital technology. On the evening of CEBIT Friday – from
6 p.m. until midnight – a big, open-air closing party will take place on the Kröpcke Square site. Emma Lanford, Munique and Tom Gregory are playing live, DJ Ferry Ultra will play his sets, and partygoers can also look forward to a surprise guest.
Among the premium partners to exhibit this June are Huawei, IBM, Salesforce, SAP, Vodafone and Volkswagen. Other major-league participants are Atos, Datev, Intel, Software AG, Deutsche Telekom, Facebook, HPE, Rittal, Oracle, Atlassian, Lancom, AVM, Materna, LG, the German Federal Printing Office (Bundesdruckerei), the Fraunhofer Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, DFKI, Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Bank, ADAC, Ionity, Secusmart, Aldi Nord, BASF, Bundesbank, Continental, EY, Lufthansa Industries, the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, German Intelligence Service, Redbull, Melitta, Bio-Zisch Goldberg, etc. – not to mention an anticipated 350+ start-ups.