Countdown time: New CEBIT promises excitement in spades

2018-3-21

Hannover. Goodbye trade fair, hello business festival! CEBIT 2018 will be radically new – new theme areas, new in-show events, an optimized hall layout and a new, early-summer time slot. The show will retain its uncompromising commitment to business and leads, but will pack a heightened emotional power and freshness that will give it even greater impact. Its focus will be on the eight keynote themes of digitization: Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Security, Blockchain, Drones & Unmanned Systems, Future Mobility, and Human Robotics.
 
“With its winning threefold mix of innovation-rich showcases, quality conferences and informal networking opportunities, the new CEBIT will provide a 360 perspective on the digitization of business, government and society,” commented Marius Felzmann, Senior Vice President CEBIT. “As well as attracting IT experts, industry professionals and top-level decision-makers from the digital and IT user industries, our aim with the new CEBIT is increasingly to reach the next generation of business decision-makers.”

Market-ready innovations and future visions across four platforms
The new CEBIT format comprises four main sections: d!conomy, d!tec, d!talk and d!campus. The innovations on display in the d!conomy section give IT professionals and decision-makers from business, trade and the public sector the tools they need to futureproof their operations through digitization. The key d!conomy exhibition topics include Digital Business, Digital Administration, Internet of Things, Security, Communication & Networks, Channel & Distribution, Mobile Solutions, and Data Centers. The d!tec section of the show is all about pioneering developers, cutting-edge innovations and startups. The d!talk conference platform will be home to visionaries, lateral thinkers, experts and creatives from all around the world. And then there’s the d!campus, the emotional heart of CEBIT, where everyone can mingle freely and network while chilling to live music and street food.

Thought leaders and IT legends live on stage
The first speaker highlight will come at the opening of the show on the new Take-off Monday (11 June) – in the form of a keynote by Jaron Lanier. The American computer scientist, who works for Microsoft Research, is an absolute legend of the VR scene, not to mention one of the World Wide Web’s fiercest critics. Another keenly anticipated speaker is Dan Lyons, author of the “Secret Diary of Steve Jobs”. On 14 June, Lyons will lift the lid on the high-tech industry when he shares his experiences as an employee in what he calls “startup hell”. “Who’s programming who?” Ranga Yogeshwar will be posing this highly provocative question at CEBIT on 13 June. Yogeshwar, Germany’s best-known science journalist, will share his deepest thoughts on AI and where our relationship with computers is headed.

The presentation by “memory hacker” Dr. Julia Shaw promises fascinating insights into the human psyche. On 13 June, the London-based memory researcher will show CEBIT attendees how human memory can be manipulated and outline what this means in practical terms. On 12 June, Mikko Hypponen will explore the biggest risks associated with the booming Internet of Smart Things and explain how companies can protect themselves against cyber attacks. Hypponen is an internationally renowned cyber security expert and the Chief Research Officer at the Finnish IT security company F-Secure. 

Opening hours and key events outdoors
The first day of CEBIT, Monday 11 June, is reserved for conference attendees and journalists. Monday’s events will center on the digital challenges facing Germany and Europe. The Welcome Night, featuring high-ranking political leaders from Germany and abroad, will round out the day’s program and set the scene for the three business-centric show days that follow.
 
On the “Digital Friday” (15 June), CEBIT will target the digitally-minded general public with an attractive lineup of events plus reduced admission charges. The Friday d!talk and CEBIT!Signals platforms will be central meeting hubs for the international blogger scene. The organizers are also planning to run hackathons for coders and developers, competitions for drone pilots, and recruitment events for students and digital professionals.

This year’s CEBIT will also feature a completely revamped layout: Halls 9 to 13, 14 to 17 and 25 to 27 as well as the central open-air site around the EXPO canopy will be the venues for a whole host of exciting new activities, showcases and networking events. The exhibition stands in the halls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The d!campus will stay open till 11 pm and feature a vibrant program of digital culture, street food and live performances by popular artists, such as German hip-hop star Jan Delay, who will be whipping up a storm on Wednesday evening (13 June).

In short: As Europe’s business festival for innovation and digitization, CEBIT 2018 will provide a fun and engaging new perspective on B2B networking and showcase digital solutions for everyday life in a way that’s never been done before.