CeBIT in Hanover, Germany is the largest and most internationally renowned computer trade fair in the world. The catchy acronym is a little more of a mouthful in the original German – Centrum für Büroautomation, Informationstechnologie und Telekommunikation (loosely translated, Centre for Office Automation, Information Technology and Telecommunication), and as is the annual tradition, the event is held in the Hanover Fairground.
The aim of CeBIT is to provide insight into the core fields of IT, Telecommunications, Digital Media and Consumer Electronics, and the expo comprises a variety of keynote speeches, talks and panel discussions. 2017’s keynote theme is d!conomy – no limits, referring to the shift between the increasingly blurred lines between reality and possibility, and encouraging the decision makers and digital gurus of tomorrow to keep an open mind as they take further steps into this brave new world.
CeBIT has been outsourced to international territories multiple times in the past (Shanghai, Sydney, Istanbul, New York and Bangalore have all held their own version)
Former speakers amongst the 200+ speakers at the event have included Nolan Bushnell (founder of Atari, and the only man Steve Jobs ever addressed as boss), rising star in the field of robotics Professor Ishiguro Hiroshi, and Matt Conroy of Google.
Topics of the exhibition include Big Data & Business Intelligence (including solutions for a paperless office), Business Electronics and Intelligence, Business Security, Communication & Networks, Datacenter Infrastructure, ERP and HR solutions, the Internet of things, Marketing and Sales solutions, POS & Banking solutions, Research & Innovation, Unmanned Systems and Solutions and Virtual & Augmented reality.
If you’re interested in attending all summits, exhibits, conferences and the event’s party, prepare to pay up to €1,000 for a basic ticket (though an early-bird offer is usually available if you snap your ticket up before the end of February).
To plan your attendance at the many events taking place at the Expo check out the CeBIT app, which will be available on iOs and Android just prior to the event commencing and will act as your virtual tour guide and diary planner.
If you are attached to the digital industry, be it as a manufacturer or a journalist, you owe it to yourself to attend CeBIT. With so many industry leaders, movers and shakers in one location over the course of five days, wonderful things are sure to happen.
