ITU Digital World 2021
Event calendar

 

Past sessions

Wednesday, 01 December 2021

ITU Digital World 2021 SME Awards Ceremony
SME Award
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Join the finalists of the ITU Digital World 2021 SME Awards, our expert jury and ITU Deputy Secretary-General Malcolm Johnson as the Award winners in each category are finally announced!

Keynote speakers

Malcolm Johnson

Deputy Secretary-General

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Phan Tam

Deputy Minister

Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC)

Viet Nam

Moderator

Maximillian Jacobson-gonzalez

Senior Communications Officer

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Panelists

Neha Satak

Chief Executive Officer

Astrome

India

Eleanor Sarpong

Deputy Director and Policy Lead, A4AI

World Wide Web Foundation

United States

Simon Schwall

Founder and CEO

OKO Finance

Israel

Pedro Beirao

Co-founder and CEO

Appy Saude

Angola

Serge Conesa

Founder & CEO

Immersion4 SA

Switzerland

Reto Malacrida

Counsellor (Head, Government Procurement and Competition Policy Group

World Trade Organization

Switzerland

Christopher Clark

Head, Marketing and Partner Relations

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Anthony Palmieri

Chief Business Innovation Officer

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Austria

Duleep Deosthale

Founder & Vice President

Admission Table College Lens Technologies

United States

Tuesday, 30 November 2021

Securing cyberspace and protecting privacy: meeting the challenges of a digital world

Forum session
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Adoption of digital technologies and internet use have hugely increased since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Far greater connectivity, with all the benefits of access to information and services it brings, and far higher numbers of connected devices and supporting software, have increased the attack surfaces for cyber criminals. Attackers have become ever more sophisticated, opening up new fronts online for governments, industry and individual consumers. With the shift in the cybersecurity landscape. how can governments, companies and users keep up? Should users become the first line of defense? How can public awareness of the potential dangers of cyber-attack, and defenses against it, be increased? Who is responsible for building awareness - companies, governments, regulators or the end users themselves? Can companies properly handle user data? Are governments securing critical infrastructure sufficiently? Is it in the interest of governments to have cyber-immunity? Should governments be able to access encrypted data to pursue criminals? How have newly developed COVID-19 apps performed in terms of privacy and security over the last year? Should countries cooperate more, and if so how?

 

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Moderator

Ioana Stupariu

Executive Director

ReadyTech Consulting

Romania

Panelists

Marco Gercke

Director

Cybercrime Research Institute

Germany

Ivana Bartoletti

Global Data Privacy Officer

Wipro Limited

Germany

Annabel Lee

Head of Digital Policy, APJ

Amazon Web Services, Inc.

Singapore

Gene Yoo

CEO

Resecurity Inc.

United States

Ruixin Gao

Director of the Data Protection Compliance Department

ZTE Corporation

China

Irene Kaggwa Sewankambo

Ag. Executive Director

Uganda Communications Commission (UCC)

Uganda

Rois Ni Thuama

Head of Cyber Governance

Red Sift

United Kingdom

Monday, 29 November 2021

Finding the perfect connectivity product to market fit for SMEs 

SME Masterclasses
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One of the greatest challenges in launching a new company, or scaling-up an SME, is achieving the perfect product to market fit. This is as true in the connectivity domain as in any other industry sector.  What aspects of new space, IoT, AI/ML, 5G, DLT and the numerous other emerging technologies can be blended to achieve the perfect solutions for demanding market needs? Will the solution be technically and economically scalable? Will the product IP be defensible from the competition which success inevitably attracts? Will investors see the business as a compelling investment opportunity? These and other product-market fit questions will be discussed by the expert members of this SME Masterclass panel.

 

Panelists

Neha Satak

Chief Executive Officer

Astrome

India

Mansoor Hanif

Executive Director, Emerging Technologies

NEOM

Saudi Arabia

Amru Alamoudi

Director, Satellite, Operation & Space Program

Saudi Space Commission

Saudi Arabia

Ruth Pritchard Kelly

Senior Advisor, Regulatory & Space Policy

OneWeb

United Kingdom

Ahmed Al-Saidi

Director of Manufacturing

Middle East Propulsion Company

Saudi Arabia

Charles Miller

CEO

Lynk Global Inc

United States

Friday, 26 November 2021

2nd Joint ITU/WHO Workshop on Digital COVID-19 Certificates
Forum Session
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The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the need for interoperable digital COVID-19 certificates (DCC) that can be used across organizations and jurisdictions. DCC-based services should support various use scenarios and formats of DCC from immunization and testing data collection, to storage in digital health data repositories, and to expression at control points, in order to allow end users access to facilities, venues, travel and other uses.

Building on the first workshop outcomes, we will

  • share implementation experiences and best practices on DCC, including implementation of WHO's technical specifications and implementation guidance on Digital documentation of COVID-19 certificates;
  • discuss guidelines on interoperability and usability of DCC and related digital services;
  • raise awareness of importance of federated trust and privacy preserving technologies;
  • highlight equity concerns that arise with various technological approaches​;
  • focus on identifying ITU-T and other SDO’s standards to support internationally interoperable DCC; and,
  • identify gaps and directions for further technical standardization.

Please refer to the TSB event webpage for the detailed programme with speakers or to TSB Circular 351 for more information.

Wednesday, 24 November 2021

Greening our own house: addressing the environmental footprint of digital technologies

Forum session
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Sustainability and climate change are among the defining issues of our time. The ICT sector and cutting-edge digital technologies such as AI, IoT and robotics are increasingly important in enabling governments to tackle these challenges and meet major global targets such as the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the ITU’s Connect 2030 Agenda. But in parallel, the negative environmental impact of digital technologies continues to grow – including the issue of e-waste. Is the ICT sector doing enough to reduce its own environmental footprint? What is the role of policy makers in shaping carbon-neutral digital markets? How can producers and operators reduce the industry’s carbon footprint and create tools and systems friendly to the environment? What happens to decommissioned equipment? How can we tackle the e-waste challenge and achieve a circular economy? How can governments best support, promote, and implement digital technologies in a sustainable manner? And are global standards key to accelerating digital transformation whilst meeting the ICT sector’s net-zero goals and sustainability targets?

 

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Opening Remarks

Bilel Jamoussi

Chief, Study Groups Department, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Moderator

Máté Mester

Managing Partner

Mspire

Hungary

Panelists

Eugenio Androvetto Villalobos

Director, Directorate of Radiation Protection and Environmental Health

Ministerio de Salud

Costa Rica

Serge Conesa

Founder & CEO

Immersion4 SA

Switzerland

Marie-Noël Bruné Drisse

Technical Officer

World Health Organization

Switzerland

Nevine Tewfik Loutfi

Head of Research, Studies and Policies at the International Relations Division

Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT)

Egypt

Daisy Zhu

VP of Wireless Marketing

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

China

Muath AlRumayh

Manager of international collaboration and negotiation

Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST)

Saudi Arabia

Pernilla Bergmark

Principal Researcher, ICT Sustainability Impacts

Ericsson

Sweden

Serge Abiteboul

Member of the Board

Autorité de Régulation des Communications électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP)

France

Tuesday, 23 November 2021

Pitching Day 05: Digital Finance
SME Award
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Follow live as our SME Awards finalists from around the world pitch online before an expert jury of tech and industry specialists, investors and mentors. SMEs present their short-listed Digital Finance solutions for 5 minutes - and then face 5 minutes of questions from the jury.

Jury members

Ifunanya Chiegboka

Director, OPay Group Business Strategy

Opay

China

Martin Labbé

Senior officer, Trade Support Institution Development

International Trade Centre

Switzerland

Claudia Marcusson

SC Ventures

Singapore

Speakers

Gerson Zandamela

Chief Business Officer

IMali

Mozambique

Antonella Perrone

COO

Xcapit

Argentina

Joshua Businge

Founder and CEO

FYNIXWAVE LIMITED

Uganda

Gabriel Saunyama

Managing Partner

Chromepay

United States

Abraham Banaddawa

Founder and CEO

Utilis Ventures

Uganda

Joaquin Patron Sr

Executive Vice President

URBIT GROUP LLC

United States

Rasha Ibrahim

Founder and CEO

Kashati

Egypt

Tahir Mammadov

Business Development Manager

Insure.az

Azerbaijan

George Marealle

Founder and CEO

Afri-Solutions Limited

Tanzania

Ahmed Babalola

Platinum Easy Solution

Nigeria

Thursday, 18 November 2021

Beyond chocolate: cutting-edge digital solutions from Switzerland

Partner session
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Why do people choose Switzerland? For the mountain sports, the cosmopolitan cities or the chocolate and cheese?  Whatever the reason, the heart of the country’s appeal lies in its attention to detail – whatever the Swiss do, they do it properly. The digital technology sector is no different. From connectivity to cybersecurity, digital finance, smart cities, e-health, e-commerce and e-education, Swiss companies are working with the highest of standards at the cutting-edge of technology. Join us to find out more on high-growth solutions and partnership potential – and to explore exciting new developments from a world-leader in innovation.

Keynote speaker

Ivo Sieber

Ambassador

Embassy of Switzerland

Viet Nam

Speakers

Lennig Pedron

Executive Director

Trust Valley

Switzerland

Pascal Marmier

Secretary General, Economy of Trust Foundation

SICPA

Switzerland

Marco Brienza

Business Developer

Calyps SA

Switzerland

Chantal Aubort

Inventor & CEO / Tégrégé

Ecodt SĂ rl

Switzerland

Benedikt Schuppli

Co-Founder & Co-CEO

FQX AG

Switzerland

Serge Conesa

Founder & CEO

Immersion4 SA

Switzerland

Nitin Palande

Head of Sales at Partnerships APAC

Netcetera Pte Ltd

Singapore

Didier Helal

Senior Director, Strategic Accounts. Co-founder

ORBIWISE

Switzerland

Stiepan A. Kovac

Founder & CEO

QRCrypto SA

Switzerland

William Dew

Managing Director, APAC Markets

ZĂĽhlke Engineering AG

Switzerland

Shahirah Skavenborg

Regional Director of Scientific Partners

Labster

Denmark

Carina Schönenberger

Senior Marketing Manager APAC

CREALOGIX

Singapore

Wednesday, 17 November 2021

Human at heart: privacy, transparency and accountability in AI

Forum session
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The digital technologies surrounding us and informing every aspect of our lives provide us with enormous benefits, convenience and enjoyment. Rapidly evolving digital development opens up tremendous potential to improve lives further – but is accompanied by a growing awareness of potential danger. This includes fear of losing control, privacy concerns, feeling threatened or displaced by increasing automatization, and a mistrust of technology or the use to which it is put by governments and corporates. This balance between great technological promise and human concern is particularly obvious in the expanding field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). What current and upcoming solutions in AI are guaranteeing greater security, privacy, transparency, and accountability for citizens? Can those who monitor citizens also be monitored, and would this help create user trust? Can AI be used to fight corruption and fake news? Are we tackling the bias in AI fast enough? How much are we aware of AI in our daily lives, should we know more, and who should be responsible for educating us? What existing solutions put humans at the center of development, and what can be learnt from them? What will happen if we ignore the human aspects of AI development?

 

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Moderator

David Kirkpatrick

Editor-in-Chief

Techonomy Media

United States

Panelists

Dalith Steiger

Co-Founder & Managing Director

SwissCognitive - The Global AI Hub

Switzerland

Phaedra Boinodiris

Executive Consultant, Trustworthy AI and Responsible systems

IBM

United States

Wojciech Samek

Head of Machine Learning Group

Fraunhofer HHI

Germany

Iveta Lohovska

Principal Data Scientist and AI Ambassador

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Austria

Zee Kin Yeong

Assistant Chief Executive (Data Innovation & Protection Group)

InfoComm Media Development Authority

Singapore

Tuesday, 16 November 2021

Pitching Day 04: EHealth
SME Award
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Follow live as our SME Awards finalists from around the world pitch online before an expert jury of tech and industry specialists, investors and mentors. SMEs present their short-listed e-Health solutions for 5 minutes - and then face 5 minutes of questions from the jury.

Jury members

Jakir Hossain Bhuiyan Masud

Expert Member on WHO Digital Health Technical Advisory Group's (DHTAG) Roster of Experts

WHO

Switzerland

Elora Gupta

President

Drug and Device Advisory Group

United States

Lynette Reeves

Executive Producer

Miroma Project Factory

Australia

Fiamma Panerai

Entrepreneur

swell

Spain

Speakers

Amir Bozorgzadeh

Virtuleap

Portugal

Ngoc Tien Hoang

THIEN PHUC HUNG SOLUTIONS COMPANY LIMITED

Viet Nam

Kulin Shah

Co-Founder

Onsurity Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

India

Melissa Salyk-Virk

Vice President for Transnational Project

Trust Stamp Malta Ltd.

United States

Umuhany Zuhudi

General Manager

AfyaRekod

Kenya

Hadeel Mohamed Elsayed Diab

Biomix

Egypt

Mouzinho dos Santos Zacarias

DST Business Solutions

Mozambique

Oscar Ofumbi

Insure Small Small

Uganda

Dumin Sahiet

Yenasys Pvt Ltd

Sri Lanka

Mohammed Alhumali

Mawidy

Saudi Arabia

Thursday, 11 November 2021

The 10th GTI Spectrum and Technology Online Workshop
Partner session
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Under the theme of “5G Innovation and Sustainable Development”, the 10th GTI Spectrum and Technology Online Workshop will be held during ITU Digital World 2021. 

This workshop will bring together delegates from governments, organizations, operators and industry partners to not only share their views on 5G spectrum efficient and reasonable utilization to promote 5G wide application in industries, but also to discuss the development strategies, current status, cooperative practices and challenges of global 5G to B commercialization and empower digital transformation in various industries. 

Opening Remarks

Houlin Zhao

Secretary-General

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Speakers

Mats Granryd

Director General

GSM Association

United Kingdom

Zheng Zhao

Deputy Director General, Bureau of Radio Regulation

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)

China

Tongqing Gao

Executive Vice President

China Mobile Communications Co. Ltd.

China

Ralf Irmer

Chief Innovation Architect

Vodafone GmbH

Germany

Wasit Wattanasap

SVP of Nationwide Operation and Support Department

Advanced Info Service Public Co. Ltd.

Thailand

David Wang

Executive Director, President of ICT Products & Solutions

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

China

Chris Johnson

Principal Engineer

Nokia Corporation

Finland

Ziyang Xu

Chief Executive Officer

ZTE Corporation

China

Tuesday, 09 November 2021

Pitching Day 03: Smart Cities
SME Award
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Follow live as our SME Awards finalists from around the world pitch online before an expert jury of tech and industry specialists, investors and mentors. SMEs present their short-listed Smart cities, smart living solutions for 5 minutes - and then face 5 minutes of questions from the jury.

Jury members

Ziqin Sang

Technical Director

China Information Communication Technologies Group

China

Tania Marcos

Programme Manager

SecretarĂ­a de Estado de Telecomunicaciones e Infraestructuras Digitales

Spain

Marco Carugi

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

China

Speakers

Sylvain Denoncin

President and CEO

Okeenea Digital

France

Joaquin Di Mario

CEO and Co-Founder

Ualabee

Argentina

Ayendra Silva

Sales Engineer

Asilla Vietnam

Viet Nam

Hisham Elbanna

Founder and CEO

Efresh3d

Egypt

Trang Hanh Tran

Founder and CEO

KuuHo Joint Stock Company

Viet Nam

Nonso Opurum

Founder

SOSO Care

Nigeria

Long Do

CEO

Vietnam Blockchain Corporation

Viet Nam

Hassan Aboelleil

Founder and CEO

Biobekia

Egypt

Lucas Mohaswa

CEO

Reslocate

South Africa

Mohammed Alhassan

CEO

Shuttle

Saudi Arabia

Daniel Hark Sohn

CEO

SCE Korea, Inc.

Korea (Rep. of)

Emilie Röell

Social Entrepreneur and Consultant

Doh Eain Limited

Singapore

Friday, 05 November 2021

Upskilling us all: digital skills for a digital world

Forum session
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Connecting as many people as possible to the internet and all the benefits of the digital economy means more than providing infrastructure and affordable devices, as critical as these elements are. Access alone is meaningless without the skills, knowledge, and compelling use cases to take full advantage of connectivity. How can we ensure that developed and developing markets alike are equipping their citizens with 21st century digital skills? Who should be responsible for delivering and funding digital skills training – the public, private or civic sector, international organizations, or a combination of all? Who is currently investing in and driving digital skills training around the world, and with what success? What underlying issues may need to be resolved, from infrastructure and equipment to relevant content and services, affordability, literacy, and electricity supply? How can traditional educational systems best incorporate digital skills – and what should the role of digital tech be within basic education? What is the role of Digital Transformation Centres? How do priorities and approaches vary between developed, developing and least developed countries? What solutions, partnerships or programmes already exist to bring people online in a meaningful way, maximize their experience and ensure a roadmap to the digital future?

 

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Moderator

Paul Conneally

Head of Global Communications

Livetiles

Ireland

Panelists

Shergaun Roserie

Digital Youth Envoy of Generation Connect Americas Youth Group and Founder of

Orbtronics

Saint Lucia

Naria K. Santa Lucia

General Manager of Digital Inclusion and US Community Engagement

Microsoft Corporation

United States

Valarie Waswa

Digital Youth Envoy of Generation Connect Africa Youth Group and Program Director at

Village Pillars Empowerment Project (VIPEP)

Kenya

Christopher Patnoe

Head of Accessibility and Disability Inclusion

Google Inc.

United States

Alfie Hamid

Corporate Affairs Senior Manager for Global Partnerships

Cisco Systems

South Africa

Dorothy Gordon

Chair, Information for all Programme

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

France

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful

Minister

Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation

Ghana

Tuesday, 02 November 2021

Pitching Day 02: Education Technology
SME Award
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Follow live as our SME Awards finalists from around the world pitch online before an expert jury of tech and industry specialists, investors and mentors. SMEs present their short-listed EdTech solutions for 5 minutes - and then face 5 minutes of questions from the jury.

Jury members

Blandine Angele Messa

Co-founder

Educlick

Cameroon

Leticia Maimann - Roland

Co-Founder and CEO

Poikilingo

Denmark

Vesa Perälä

CEO & Founder

Claned

Finland

Danielius Stasiulis

CEO and Co-founder

BitDegree

Lithuania

Duleep Deosthale

Founder & Vice President

Admission Table College Lens Technologies

United States

Speakers

Jo Anne Yang

glyph+

Singapore

Marwa Soudi

Cofounder

Al.Searag for Content and Innovation Services - IdeasGym

Egypt

Jean Confident Irene Niyizibyose

Managing Director and Tech Lead

Augmented Future

Rwanda

Peter Nicholson

Cofounder

Baobabooks Education SĂ rl

Switzerland

Maximiliano Monzon

Founder

The Fifth Wall

Germany

Badral Sanlig

Founder

Chimege Systems

Mongolia

Endre Elvestad

Founder

SignLabs AS

Norway

Mohamed Algawish

Business Development Manager

iSchool

Egypt

Jennifer Kwakwa-Sarpong

Business Development Officer

Developers in Vogue

Ghana

Ruth Yu-Owen

Co-Founder

Connected Women MettaMatch

Philippines

Que Nguyen Ngoc

CEO

EDMICRO Education

Viet Nam

Carolina Godoy

Pre-Professional Psychology Practitioner

DICTA Colombia

Colombia

Thursday, 28 October 2021

Sustainable startups and SME-corporate collaboration

SME Masterclasses
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Start-ups and SMEs have much to gain from working with corporate partners, including funding, access to markets and valuable skills transfer. Corporates also stand to win from collaborating with innovative small companies with bright ideas, fresh talent, in-depth local market knowledge and quick turnaround times. How can SMEs leverage partnership and support from larger companies seeking to engage with start-ups? What are the challenges and potential pitfalls? And how can start-ups reconcile a commitment to sustainability with the need to be profitable? This masterclass will feature real life cases and examples, including the story of how eco-friendly data cooling start-up Immersion4 successfully won corporate partners such as HPE, and will be rounded off by an open question and answer session from the online audience.

Speakers

Stéphane Gorjux

Directeur, HPE Suisse Romande

HPE

Switzerland

Serge Conesa

Founder & CEO

Immersion4 SA

Switzerland

Wednesday, 27 October 2021

Regulatory Roundtable - Ensuring participatory regulation for an equitable and safe digital future
Forum session
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The global pandemic has underlined the critical importance of digital technologies in every aspect of our lives and led to a massive uptake of digital services. But the benefits of digital are shadowed by concerns over data usage, consumer privacy, content moderation and the concentration of power in digital platforms. As the pace of innovation and digitalization accelerates, existing legal tools such as competition law, net neutrality and data protection may no longer be enough to protect consumers. Regulators and policymakers have an ever more important role to play in ensuring that consumers are protected while using the digital services which are so beneficial to businesses, societies and individual lives. Strong public support for tighter industry regulation puts additional pressure on companies to change the way they conduct business – and on government and regulatory bodies to enforce change. For regulation to be fair, equitable and supportive of innovation and growth, all stakeholders must engage and collaborate. What are the biggest challenges facing regulators and policy-makers in the pandemic digital era? What is needed today to change the dynamic of regulation? Have the priorities shifted? How is the industry, including digital service providers, responding to user concerns and reacting to more and tighter regulations? Will users really be able to continue benefitting from the innovation in the digital space if there is more regulation? Where does the balance lie in the post-pandemic digital space?

 

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Moderator

Sofie Maddens

Head, Regulatory and Market Environment Division

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Speakers

Mieke De Regt

International Affairs Advisor

BIPT Belgian Institute for Postal service and Telecommunications

Belgium

Amir Algibreen

VP Regulatory Affairs

Saudi Telecom

Saudi Arabia

Ekaterine Imedadze

Commissioner

Georgian National Communications Commission

Georgia

Danielle Jacobs

Chief Executive Officer

Belgian Association of CIOs and digital technology leaders

Belgium

Nicolás Silva Cortés

Commissioner of the Communications Session

ComisiĂłn de RegulaciĂłn de Comunicaciones (CRC)

Colombia

Christopher Calabrese

Senior Director, Privacy and Data Policy

Microsoft Corporation

United States

Maria Alexandra Velez

Senior Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs

SBA Communications

Brazil

Chenda Thong

Chairman

Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC)

Cambodia

Tuaha Mote

Chairman of the Board of Directors

Autoridade Reguladora das Comunicações de Moçambique

Mozambique

Tuesday, 26 October 2021

Pitching Day 01: Connectivity
SME Award
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Follow live as our SME Awards finalists from around the world pitch online before an expert jury of tech and industry specialists, investors and mentors. SMEs present their short-listed Connectivity solutions for 5 minutes - and then face 5 minutes of questions from the jury.

Jury members

Betty Bonnardel-Azzarelli

Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR)

France

Peng Zhao

Government Affairs

OneWeb

United Kingdom

William Ijeh

Managing Director

Crosswings

Nigeria

Eleanor Sarpong

Deputy Director and Policy Lead, A4AI

World Wide Web Foundation

United States

Speakers

Adrian O'Connor

Chief Executive Officer

Benetel

Ireland

Jean Stephane Davy Yoro

Chief Executive Officer

Wirco Technologies

CĂ´te d'Ivoire

Beatrice Mok

Marketing Director

Kacific Broadband Satellites Ltd

Singapore

Israel Koffman

EVP and Cofounder

RunEL

Israel

Ricardo Rios

Project Manager

AsociaciĂłn Civil Estrategia Ciudadana NOTITEXTO

Venezuela

Paritosh Prajapati

Chief Executive Officer

GX India Pvt Ltd

India

Alexandra Kalinina

Acting Chief Marketing Officer, Marketing Division Head at IPification

Benefit Vantage Limited -- IPification

China

Dario Maccarrone

CMO

LORIOT

Switzerland

Armando Aguirre Ezquerro

Partner - Founder and COO

WIWI

Mexico

Thursday, 14 October 2021

Ministerial Roundtable - Digitalizing daily life: government services and content driving digital transformation

Forum session
Read more

Digital technologies are transforming every area of our professional and personal lives. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process, including a huge increase in working from home, government information and healthcare programmes, test and tracing apps and digital vaccination passes. How has the pandemic affected the take up of digital services and content? What is the role of government services in general in driving digital transformation? Who is responsible for ensuring the availability – and awareness – of relevant digital content in local languages to encourage the use of digital services? How can citizens best be equipped with the appropriate digital skills for a truly digital future? Are we in danger of a new level of digital divide within societies, where marginalized groups such as the elderly are unable to access essential healthcare and government services without digital devices and knowhow? How can government, industry and civic organizations work together to mitigate digital inequality and ensure no citizen is left behind?

 

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Opening Remarks

Houlin Zhao

Secretary-General

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Moderator

Stephen Bereaux

Deputy Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau

Speakers

Iurie Turcanu

Deputy Prime Minister for Digitization

Government of the Republic of Moldova

Moldova

Vojin Mitrović

Minister of Communications and Transport

Ministry of Communications and Transport

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Eisa Zarepour

Minister

Ministry of Information & Communication Technology (MICT)

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Paula Ingabire

Minister

Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Innovation

Rwanda

Janusz Cieszynski

Secretary of State, Government Plenipotentiary for Cybersecurity

The Chancellery of the Prime Minister

Poland

Oshada Senanayake

Director General

Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Ann Aerts

Head of Novartis Foundation

Novartis Foundation

Switzerland

Erik Ekudden

Chief Technology Officer

Ericsson

Sweden

Anders Aeroe

Director, Division of Enterprises and Institutions

International Trade Centre

Switzerland

Ministerial Roundtable - Digitalizing daily life: government services and content driving digital transformation

Forum session
Read more

Digital technologies are transforming every area of our professional and personal lives. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process, including a huge increase in working from home, government information and healthcare programmes, test and tracing apps and digital vaccination passes. How has the pandemic affected the take up of digital services and content? What is the role of government services in general in driving digital transformation? Who is responsible for ensuring the availability – and awareness – of relevant digital content in local languages to encourage the use of digital services? How can citizens best be equipped with the appropriate digital skills for a truly digital future? Are we in danger of a new level of digital divide within societies, where marginalized groups such as the elderly are unable to access essential healthcare and government services without digital devices and knowhow? How can government, industry and civic organizations work together to mitigate digital inequality and ensure no citizen is left behind?

 

Join speakers and fellow participants in an informal online networking session immediately after this debate.
Simply click on the link in the debate chat, log in and continue the conversation.

Moderator

Chaesub Lee

Director of ITU's Telecommunication Standardization Bureau

Director's Office - TSB

Switzerland

Speakers

Hadja Fatimata Ouattara Sanon

Ministre

Ministère de la Transition Digitale, des Postes et des Communications Électroniques

Burkina Faso

Tsoinyana Rapapa

Minister

Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology

Lesotho

Agnė Vaiciukevičiūtė

Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications

Ministry of Transport and Communications

Lithuania

Mira Tayyiba

Secretary General

Ministry of Communications and Informatics

Indonesia

Salim M. Al-Ozainah

Chairman and CEO

Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA)

Kuwait

Majed Sultan Al Mesmar

Director General

Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA)

United Arab Emirates

Le Dang Dung

Chairman and CEO

Viettel Group

Viet Nam

Thomas Davin

Director Office of Innovation

United Nations Children's Fund

United States

Closing Remarks

Nguyen Manh Hung

Minister

Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC)

Viet Nam

Houlin Zhao

Secretary-General

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Wednesday, 13 October 2021

Ministerial Roundtable - Boosting infrastructure: rethinking the role of government in digital transformation
Forum session
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Much of the world already has broadband infrastructure in place to enable digital transformation. But network existence, deployment rates and status vary dramatically within and across countries and regions. And as the number of users and devices, data usage and expectations of speed and quality continue to increase rapidly, existing networks need to be updated or replaced to meet future demand. How can broadband infrastructure deployment best be accelerated and optimized? How do good practices and successful case studies differ between developed and developing countries? If the necessary backbone is already in place, what are the roadblocks to reaching the end-user? What is the role of infrastructure sharing, both within the telecom sector and with utility providers? How can regulators and government work with private sector to incentivize collaboration, create technology-neutral level playing fields and expand markets? How has the ongoing pandemic affected policymakers’ decisions and impacted upon national broadband strategies? What are current best practices in broadband deployment, how can countries learn from each other – and what are the pitfalls to be avoided?

 

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Moderator

Doreen Bogdan-Martin

Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Speakers

Mustafa Jabbar

Minister

Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology

Bangladesh

Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn

Minister

Ministry of Digital Economy and Society

Thailand

Karma D. Wangdi

Minister

Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC)

Bhutan

Nguyen Huy Dung

Deputy Minister

Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC)

Viet Nam

Roberto Sanchez

Secretario de Estado de Telecomunicaciones e Infraestructuras Digitales

SecretarĂ­a de Estado de Telecomunicaciones e Infraestructuras Digitales

Spain

Yuji Sasaki

Vice Minister for Policy Coordination (International Affairs)

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Japan

Bolor-Erdene Battsengel

Ministry of Digital Development and Communications

Mongolia

Mohammed Saud Al-Tamimi

Governor of Communications, Space & Technology Commission

Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST)

Saudi Arabia

Yuhong Huang

Secretary-General, GTI & Deputy General Manager

China Mobile Research Institute

China

Ziyang Xu

Chief Executive Officer

ZTE Corporation

China

John Giusti

Chief Regulatory Officer

GSM Association

United Kingdom

Ministerial Roundtable - Boosting infrastructure: rethinking the role of government in digital transformation
Forum session
Read more

Much of the world already has broadband infrastructure in place to enable digital transformation. But network existence, deployment rates and status vary dramatically within and across countries and regions. And as the number of users and devices, data usage and expectations of speed and quality continue to increase rapidly, existing networks need to be updated or replaced to meet future demand. How can broadband infrastructure deployment best be accelerated and optimized? How do good practices and successful case studies differ between developed and developing countries? If the necessary backbone is already in place, what are the roadblocks to reaching the end-user? What is the role of infrastructure sharing, both within the telecom sector and with utility providers? How can regulators and government work with private sector to incentivize collaboration, create technology-neutral level playing fields and expand markets? How has the ongoing pandemic affected policymakers’ decisions and impacted upon national broadband strategies? What are current best practices in broadband deployment, how can countries learn from each other – and what are the pitfalls to be avoided?

 

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Moderator

Mario Maniewicz

Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Speakers

Minette Libom li likeng

Minister

Ministère des Postes et Télécommunications

Cameroon

Vianna Maino

Minister

Ministerio de Telecomunicaciones y de la Sociedad de la InformaciĂłn - MINTEL

Ecuador

Iyad Al Khatib

Minister

Ministry of Communication and Technology

Syrian Arab Republic

Hassel Larry Bacchus

Minister

Ministry of Digital Transformation (MDT)

Trinidad and Tobago

Petr Ocko

Deputy Minister

Ministry of Industry and Trade

Czech Republic

Ali Bin Amur Bin Ali Al Shidhani

Undersecretary for Communications & Information Technology

Ministry of Transport, Communications & Information Technology

Oman

Artur Coimbra

Secretary of Telecommunications

Ministry of Communications

Brazil

Ahmad Al Hanandeh

Minister

Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship

Jordan

Lacina Koné

Director General

Smart Africa

Rwanda

Huynh Quang Liem

President & CEO

Vietnam Posts and Telecommunication Grou p (VNPT)

Viet Nam

Melissa Schoeb

Chief Corporate Affairs Officer

Nokia

Finland

Tuesday, 12 October 2021

ITU Digital World 2021 Opening Ceremony
Opening Ceremony
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The official event launch, opening ITU Digital World 2021 in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, in the presence of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Information and Communications, Viet Nam, the ITU Secretary-General and an invited audience of high-level participants from public and private sectors.  The Opening Ceremony will mark the 50th anniversary celebrations of ITU Telecom events and the launch of the Virtual Exhibition.

The Opening Ceremony will be streamed live on the ITU Digital World 2021 homepage.

Ministerial Roundtable - Cutting the cost: can affordable access accelerate digital transformation?
Forum session
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Meaningful connectivity - access to and use of relevant internet services - is critical to digital transformation. Ensuring universal access is fast becoming an issue of affordability and capacity rather than infrastructure or technology. According to ITU data, over 90% of the urban population and over 70% of the rural population globally were covered by 4G, satellite or other technologies in 2020 – yet only 51% of the world’s people are using the internet. Barriers to internet adoption include affordability, digital skills, public awareness and the existence of relevant content in local languages. How can governments address the affordability piece of the puzzle? Do manufacturers produce enough affordable devices to allow citizens to connect and use the internet? How can governments work with manufacturers to incentivize cheaper plans or ensure greater availability of low-cost devices? Should governments subsidize access or even provide free connectivity for all? Is there a greater role for more efficient recycling throughout the supply chain? How should governments address the underlying demand-side issues, including the cost of electricity? What innovative policy and regulatory measures or successful public-private models can best reduce the cost of connectivity for end-users?

 

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Opening Remarks

Nguyen Manh Hung

Minister

Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC)

Viet Nam

Houlin Zhao

Secretary-General

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Keynote speaker

Phạm Minh Chính

Prime Minister

Government of Viet Nam

Viet Nam

Moderator

Malcolm Johnson

Deputy Secretary General

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Speakers

Rashad Nabiyev

Minister

Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan

Vandeth Chea

Minister

Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Cambodia (MPTC)

Cambodia

Paola Vega Castillo

Minister

Ministerio de Ciencia, InnovaciĂłn, TecnologĂ­a y Telecomunicaciones

Costa Rica

Devusinh Chauhan

Minister of State

Ministry of Communications

India

Boviengkham Vongdara

Minister of Technology and Communications

Ministry of Technology and Communications

Lao P.D.R.

Admiral Tin Aung San

Union Minister

Ministry of Transport and Communications

Myanmar

Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy

Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy

Nigeria

Ramiro Camacho

Commissioner

Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFT)

Mexico

Jean Philbert Nsengimana

Honorary Chairperson

Alliance for Affordable Internet (Web Foundation)

United States

Karim Lesina

EVP Chief External Affairs Officer

Millicom International Cellular S.A.

Luxembourg

Wednesday, 22 September 2021

Managing growth, managing spectrum: best practices in spectrum harmonization
Forum session
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Spectrum harmonization in particular, and spectrum management in general, have a major impact on spectrum availability for next generation networks. Why is it so important both now and in the future to ensure globally harmonized spectrum for satellite, science, broadcasting, mobile, fixed and other radiocommunication services? How can we ensure services have enough spectrum for current and future needs?
Frequency bands for IMT-2020/5G were identified in the course of recent World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC), yet countries continue to use different bands. How can we ensure countries limit the number of frequencies and spectrum to the minimum essential to provide the necessary service?
Harmonization of IMT frequency usage can only be successful if national authorities are prepared to coordinate, collaborate – and prioritize. What are the challenges of spectrum harmonization? Is spectrum harmonization achievable, and if so, what are the best practices and methods? Is there a role for regional telecommunication organizations, and what initiatives are currently being implemented? What licensing models are in place around the world, and can they be used to promote greater spectrum harmonization?

 

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Moderator

Joanne Wilson

Panelists

Alexander Schwarz

Vice-chair-elect, Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR)

International Maritime Organization

United Kingdom

Ruy Pinto

CTO

SES

Luxembourg

Uwe Baeder

Director, International Relations

Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG

Germany

Luiz Felippe Zoghbi

Spectrum Policy Manager

GSM Association

United Kingdom

Loftur Jonasson

Chief/CNSS

International Civil Aviation Organization

Canada

Osamu Kamimura

Vice President and Head of Spectrum Policy Office

SoftBank Corporation

Japan

Victor D. Sparrow

Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN), Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate

National Aeronautics and Space Administration - NASA

United States

Stephen Michael Talbot

Head of International Spectrum Policy

Office of Communications - Ofcom

United Kingdom

Kenneth Holmlund

Head of Space Systems and Utilization

World Meteorological Organization

Switzerland

Nan Li

Deputy Director of Wireless and Terminal Technology Institute

China Mobile Research Institute

China

Elena Puigrefagut

Senior Project Manager, Technology & Innovation

European Broadcasting Union

Switzerland

Wednesday, 15 September 2021

Space for change: satellites in the service of digital transformation
Forum session
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Advances in satellite technology, changing business models and growing demand for services are making satellites more relevant than ever. An array of options from non-geostationary orbit satellites (NGSO) to geostationary orbit satellites (GSO) in low, medium or geostationary orbits (LEO, MEO, GEO) are evolving to meet needs for commercial services, as well as specialized applications for earth stations in motion, broadcasting, satellite Internet of Things, and providing cost-effective broadband to rural and remote areas. How is the evolution of satellite technology affecting space orbit allocation – is there space in space? Which satellite constellations have already launched, what challenges have they faced and who are they serving? How can satellite networks coexist, compete with or complement current networks? Are there opportunities for partnerships between satellite technologies, with other industry sectors and with government? What new services will satellites enable beyond connecting the unconnected in underserved areas? What is the vision and unique value proposition of the satellite industry – and how can it be achieved?

 

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Keynote speaker

Mohammed Alotaibi

Deputy Governor for Radio Spectrum

Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST)

Saudi Arabia

Moderator

Alexandre Vallet

Chief, Space Services Department, Radiocommunication Bureau

Panelists

Arman Biturganov

Head of Division

Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan

Yulia Kulikova

Head of Regulatory Affairs

Astrocast SA

Switzerland

Luke Ibbetson

Head of R&D

Vodafone Group Plc.

United Kingdom

Julie Zoller

Head of Global Regulatory Affairs, Project Kuiper

Amazon

United States

David Goldman

Director of Satellite Policy

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)

United States

Kevin Choi

CTO

KT SAT

Korea (Rep. of)

Sonia Jorge

Executive Director and Director of Digital Inclusion Programs

Alliance for Affordable Internet (Web Foundation)

United States

Friday, 10 September 2021

Future networks and standardization for “Beyond 5G”

Partner session
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This session will discuss the expectations and challenges of future networks and standardization for “Beyond 5G” from a global and multi-stakeholder perspective.

An expert panel of system vendors and mobile operators will share their perspectives on future network development, standardization, issues and prospects.

What is the current status of 5G in terms of deployment, corporate efforts and global market trends – and how will the industry move from 5G launch toward 6G and beyond?

What new services will future networks provide and how will these services improve people’s lives across the world?

What are the requirements for realizing future networks, including extremely high bit rates, low latency and low power consumption?

What role should standardization play in delivering future networks - and what does the roadmap to the post-5G era look like?

Moderator

Memiko Otsuki

Assistant Director, Global Strategy Division

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Japan

Speakers

Masayoshi Shintani

State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Japan

Seizo Onoe

Chief Standardization Strategy Officer of NTT CORP. and Fellow of NTT DOCOMO, INC.

NTT Corporation

Japan

Erik Ekudden

Chief Technology Officer

Ericsson

Sweden

Durga Malladi

SVP & GM, 5G, Mobile Broadband & Infrastructure

Qualcomm, Inc.

United States

Ryosuke Takahashi

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Acompany Co., Ltd.

Japan

Wednesday, 08 September 2021

5G: fuelling digital transformation today - or tomorrow?
Forum session
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5G promises a paradigm shift in network potential: massive connectivity, capacity, low latency, and enormous value add in both industrial and consumer applications. First launched in 2018, 5G networks are becoming available commercially in more and more countries, but its use is still in its infancy. Where has 5G been successfully deployed, what are the main use cases to date and how many people currently have 5G-enabled devices? What difference is it making to user experience and users’ lives? Has the global pandemic, with its massive economic impact and renewed interest in EMF dangers, delayed or even accelerated 5G deployment? Is the future of 5G in industrial applications and extreme automation more than in the consumer market? Who is investing in the networks – and what is the role of government? What partnerships are developing across sectors, technologies and market players to make 5G a reality? Is the leap from 3G to 5G economically viable, in particular in low and middle-income countries? How can the ecosystem develop to enable widespread access to 5G in developed and developing economies – and how much of a priority is affordability anyway?

 

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Moderator

Diana Tomimura

Panelists

John Omo

Secretary General

African Telecommunications Union

Kenya

St Liew

Vice President

Qualcomm Technologies

Singapore

Seizo Onoe

Chief Standardization Strategy Officer of NTT CORP. and Fellow of NTT DOCOMO, INC.

NTT Corporation

Japan

Jessica Rosenworcel

Chairwoman

Federal Communications Commission

United States

Sanjay Kaul

President, Asia Pacific & Japan

Cisco Systems

Singapore

Jemin Chung

Task Force Leader, Institue of Convergence Technology

KT Corporation

Korea (Rep. of)

Ayeong Im

Head of Sales and Marketing Group of Southeast Asia

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Korea (Rep. of)

Andreas Mueller

Chief Expert Communication Technologies for the IoT

Robert Bosch GmbH

Germany

Rodney Croft

Chair

ICNIRP

Australia

Wednesday, 01 September 2021

Wired, wireless, worldwide: what’s next for networks?
Forum session
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More and more people are connecting to the internet every day, looking increasingly for high quality services, rich content, speed, and reliability.  Many organizations and most countries are working on connecting everyone by 2030, further pushing the demand for fast and dependable networks. How will network operators cope with this demand? How are they enabling new technologies to function and improve user experience online? Is network deployment still viable? How should network operators balance falling consumer prices against the need to invest heavily in upgrading networks? What sort of wired connectivity or backhaul will future wireless networks require – and could this be key to universal access? How can network operators apply automation and machine learning to improve network functionality, cost efficiency and security?  Wired, wireless, fronthaul, backhaul, 5G, HetNet: what will the next generation of networks look like?

 

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Keynote speakers

Houlin Zhao

Secretary-General

International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Phan Tam

Deputy Minister

Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC)

Viet Nam

Moderator

Vaishali Rastogi

Global Head, Technology, Media and Telecommunications

Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Singapore

Panelists

Jocelyn Karakula

CTIO

Orange Middle East and Africa

Morocco

Konstantinos Masselos

President

Hellenic Telecommunications & Post Commission (EETT)

Greece

Mikael Rylander

Nokia

Finland

Miro Salem

Global Head of AI and Autonomous Networks

Rakuten Mobile, Inc.

United States

Aarti Holla-Maini

Secretary General

Global Satellite Operators’ Association GSOA

Belgium

Neha Satak

Chief Executive Officer

Astrome

India

Friday, 30 July 2021

Bidding for government procurement opportunities abroad: the lowdown for SMEs
SME Masterclasses
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Government procurement - when government bodies purchase goods and services to meet public service responsibilities - is of considerable economic significance. It accounts for 15 - 20% of GDP on average across most economies, and offers important business opportunities for SMEs in the tech sector. This masterclass will feature international expert guests reviewing opportunities and challenges faced by SMEs in winning foreign government contracts. Discussions will include the legal framework and best practices for policies designed to promote SME participation in government procurement, practical advice and tips.

Panelist

Yu Ling Mah

Director of ICT Procurement

Government Technology Agency (GovTech)

Singapore

Wednesday, 14 July 2021

Quality customer service & innovation
SME Masterclasses
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The premier global organization known for excellence in customer service is the Disney Company. Dr Jim Poisant has created and run well-received seminars on the Disney Approach to Quality Service and the Disney Approach to People Management, analysing how the company has achieved this excellence. Drawing on this experience, and on his current role as Secretary General of the World Information Technology & Services Alliance, Dr Poisant explores the key role of innovation and excellent customer service in building success - and presents eight different ways to innovate.

Speaker

James H. Poisant

Secretary General

World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA)

United States

Wednesday, 30 June 2021

Partnering for Good in eHealth
SME Masterclasses
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Global tech leader HPE outlines its approach to co-innovation and cooperation with promising startups and scale-ups around the world, focusing on its Business Innovation Strategy in Switzerland and its Swiss Startup Program. HPE partners with NGOs, companies and startups across the industry spectrum, including financial services, smart cities, Industry 4.0 and smart retail. This session presents HPE’s work in e-health and healthtech through two leading programmes: the Dengue Fever Project and the Solar Aid Project. It will explore how to achieve outcomes and create value based on concrete use cases, the key role of partnership, and how to succeed by being better together. HPE will also highlight how startups benefit from applying for the “Partnering for Good” part of the Swiss Startup Program

 

Speakers

Iveta Lohovska

Principal Data Scientist and AI Ambassador

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Austria

Anthony Palmieri

Chief Business Innovation Officer

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Austria

Thursday, 10 June 2021

How to design for disability inclusion
SME Masterclasses
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Companies which embrace inclusive designed products and services with diverse users in mind reach a more significant number of the intended audience - and outperform their peers. Globally, more than one billion people, or 15% of the world population, experience some forms of disability, representing a significant portion of untapped resources due to design exclusion. This training session explores why businesses should invest in accessibility and the potential return on having an inclusive design in mind, as well as providing practical advice on how and where to start the journey of inclusive design.

Speakers

Laurie Henneborn

Research Managing Director

Accenture

United States

Dafydd Henke-Reed

Senior Accessibility and Usability Consu

AbilityNet

United Kingdom

Wednesday, 26 May 2021

Fundraising for tech startup founders
SME Masterclasses
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One of the main challenges encountered by tech startup founders is the lack of funding - whether at the ideation stage to develop a minimum viable product, or at the point when they are ready to scale and grow abroad. This 90-minute training session explores the various sources of funding founders can try to tap into, including grants, loans, business angels, venture capital, crowdfunding and more. Participants will receive practical advice on how to prepare and apply for different sources of funding and the mistakes to avoid, alongside concrete examples of good practice.

Speakers

Martin Labbé

Senior officer, Trade Support Institution Development

International Trade Centre

Switzerland

Adramé Ndione

Founder

VERTIS CAPITAL

Senegal