Tag: Webit Global Congress

More global leaders join Webit.Festival Europe 2018!

With over 75% senior attendance among the 6000 people audience from 110 countries - the speakers can only be global leaders and shapers! Join Webit.Festival Europe to meet with them, including Mr. Liang Hua, the newly elected Chairman of Huawei - the world-leading telecommunications provider, just over $90 billion in global annual sales in 2017, Huawei is also the world’s third largest smartphone seller.

STILL NOT TOO LATE!

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Join the Festival and explore unparalleled business networking

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A warm welcome to Thibaut Gregoire, General Counsel, Europe, MasterCard, who joins along with his colleagues - both Vice-Presidents - Mikael Svensson and Louise Holden after the President of Mastercard Europe Javier Perez already joined Webit. Presenting you some of the newly announced speakers of the upcoming Europe's tech, digital economy and policy event for 2018 - Webit.Festival! The Blockchain world joins Webit to challenge the future of the decentralized economy! Webit.Festival is the place to involve policy makers, all major tech companies and the blockchain ecosystem to innovate through collaboration! With over 200 exhibitors and sponsors the 10th Webit.Festival is the largest ever European edition, double in size compared to last year. A warm welcome to Huawei, Red Bull, Google, Amatas, Cogni, Jelurida among the newly joined sponsors and exhibitors of Webit.Fetsival 2018.

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Interested in exhibiting / sponsoring? Contact us asap!

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See you on 26-27 June in Sofia! The Webit Team

Visa is not the first credit card!

Maybe it’s no news for you, but for the majority of the audience of  the Red Stage at Webit Festival, it certainly was. The one who made that revelation is the General Manager of Visa for Israel, Mr. Oded Salomy. He had a keynote at last year’s edition on enabling the transforming world of payments. Visa is one of the names that probably need no introduction. “Visa” has become a nickname for our payment cards. So much, that people tend to there’s much more behind it than just a plastic for payments. Payments is such a vast area that it’s quite unpredictable what the future will bring. We never know what’s going to impact payments and the booming fintech industry. Everyday payments, business to business payments, business to customer payments and reverse.. Machines paying other machines rather than humans, biometrics being used in order to identify people by their biological characteristics.. All the way up to crypto currencies and tokens. New services, easier to work with and keeping a proper security level are needed by this ever evolving system. Numerous startups have been trying to be the next “big thing” that will shake the world of payments as the price of Bitcoin did some time ago.

In the Internet of Things space things have been connecting to Fintech too

Wearables such as rings, bracelets, wrist-watches and keychains are becoming more than just accessories - there are already ones out in sale that can allow us to pay on the move. Another category that’s being impacted is the connected cars. With just an Internet connection we can pay for grocery, for gas, parking, insurance while going to work or some more  without the need to get out of the vehicle. And last but not least, check the Webit.Festival website for upcoming speakers and our ticket options.

Advertising may win quarters, innovation wins decades

He is a new breed trendwatcher, energetic professional communicator, serial entrepreneur, award-winning marketing strategist and this will be his 4th Webit event - three times in Sofia and once in Istanbul, Igor Beuker has lots to share about his Webit experience.

“ Amazing conference, very well-organized, fantastic setting and backstage program, great speaker line-up, and very important to me as a professional public speaker and human being: the connection with the audience (at the event and on social media) is rare and heartwarming. “

Igor is among those speakers who have a special connection with their audience. Here is what he says about the audience in Sofia, and to his fans, in particular:

“ The connection with the audience in Sofia, is really one of a kind. I can’t explain the feeling.It’s one of the reasons why - out of 150 international talks each year - Webit is one of the highlights I really look forward to ”

We cannot deny that the difference between Sofia and Istanbul is enormous. Here is what Igor says about his experience:

“ Istanbul is a huge international city and the conference is a bit more business focused and formal than in Sofia, was my experience. I love the culture and the passion of the people in Turkey, and some of the attendees became business partners and friends.”

Bulgaria and Sofia are aiming at becoming a digital hub for CEE and the attitude and approach towards this is a bit more casual. In the same time, however, we coordinate with the government and local authorities, and as from last year, we were incredibly proud to announce that Webit is the flagship event of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Mariya Gabriel is chairing Webit's Plenary Sessions and is a patron of Webit.Festival along with The Government of Bulgaria and the Mayor of Sofia.” Last year I shared the stage and the dining table with the president of Bulgaria and the Mayor of Sofia, which is a great opportunity to share ideas.”

“Burning Man meet TED” and “Math Man in a world of Mad Men”...

...are just a couple of the new terms that were invented by the Bulgarian audience. At this year’s Webit.Festival Europe edition in Sofia, Igor will further develop his Mad Men vs. Math Men theory.

"Can I stretch my Mad Men vs. Math Men theory and framework even further? The Webit audience will give me the answer with their reviews and social feedback. My team and me value what they say and I even reinvent my speeches and one-liners for my talks, based upon what they highlight. That legacy brands and incumbents need to get out of their comfort zones, because that’s where the magic really happens. My bold style and personality I can’t change at 47, but the audience feels I know my why and I keep walking towards my purpose. Next-level change and reinvention is needed. Big is only good when big is smart: Advertising may win quarters, innovation wins decades.”

Igor is loved by the companies, adored by his fans and audience everywhere he goes and also by the media.

He gave a very special, exclusive, interview for a Bulgarian media. You can watch his interviews here, where he elaborates his Mad Men vs. Math Men theory in a more simple way. Igor’s answer to “how would you describe the atmosphere at Webit, he says: “Hard to describe, but when I look at the audience tweetback on my site, I get a huge smile on my face and I can’t wait to be back!”

We can’t wait to welcome you again, Igor! You have a very special place in our city and our hearts.

“ Experiencing the last three years, I expect Webit 2018 to be even bigger and better than the previous editions. If that is even possible.”

Sure it is! You don’t believe us? Take a look at the amazing speakers line here and the one of the kind networking opportunities here. You wish to attend? Book your ticket here.

Europe is changing. Look at the vibrant, exciting and productive startup communities in Berlin, London, Helsinki and Sofia just to name a few and you will be pleasantly surprised with what is going on there and the opportunities presented. The reasons for these bustling activities of the startup communities in Europe and huge interest of individual investors and VC’s are manifold. Europe has tech talent, great ideas, good interwoven communities that are self-replicating and growing stronger. The interest of investors and VC’s are there and money flows to the European tech community. To find out why and what are the future trends of Venture Capital at the blue track of the Global Webit Congress we bring prominent and established speakers from the entrepreneurial, investor, startup and tech world. Under the topic Capital Talks and Future Trends, Dmitry Chikhachev, co-founder and managing partner of Runa Capital will share his vision on why Europe has a bigger potential than Silicon Valley. Dmitry is one of over 400 investors and C-level executives who will take part in the topic and discuss experience and future trends. Among them are such prominent figures as the CEO of Microsoft ventures, partners of Qualcommm Ventures, Welington, Y Combinator and many others.  Do not miss the Global Webit Congress! Dmitry Chikhachev is a professional venture capitalist with more than 18 years of extensive cross-functional experience. Dmitry holds an MS degree in Applied Mathematics and Physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. He also completed an MBA curriculum, graduating with highest honors from the American Institute of Business and Economics. His investment interests span complex software, mobile, virtualization and could computing. He led deal execution for NGINX, Jelastic, LinguaLeo, Ecwid, Cellrox, Capptain and other Runa companies. Dmitry is a ‘hands on’ investor and helps portfolio companies with fundraising, recruitment, strategy and technology. Just recently, Dmitry and partners launched the $200M Runa Capital Fund II looking to invest in the best tech-companies across the Globe. At the blue track, Dmitry will focus his talk on the power of the European educational system. The role it has in tech. He will also talk on the increasing capital flow to Europe and the opportunities investors are looking for in Europe, the emerging and fading trends. Here is what Dmitry shared with us:

" It is clear that the old school investment teams are changing. As entrepreneurs take place as VCs, especially in Europe, their deep tech expertise can influence the funding approach. We should look into the hard-tech technology and see its market potential, speak common language with entrepreneurs.

Meet Dmitry at the sixth Webit Global Congress, and book your tickets with the early bird prices!

Tony Conrad is Co-founder and CEO of about.me and Founder/Venture Partner at True Ventures. He will be a speaker at the Blue track at Webit Global Congress 2014. He holds a BS in Telecommunications, with a minor in Business, from Indiana University. In addition to founding about.me and blog search engine Sphere (acquired by Aol) he is also a member of the True Ventures founding team, leading investments in Automattic (WordPress.com), Blue Bottle Coffee, MakerBot, Typekit, High Fidelity and more. His interests include being a dad, travel, architecture, the Cubs, scuba and IRONMAN triathlons. Tony is originally from a small Indiana farming community, has lived in Paris, Jakarta, New Dehli, and New York and currently lives in San Francisco. Tony Conrad will be a speaker at the blue track of the Global Webit Congress. To meet Tony Conrad and hear what he has to share book your ticket at an early bird price now.

Peter Fredell has had a career in international banking and capital markets. He will be a speaker at the Blue track at Webit Global Congress 2014. Peter has a successful record of accomplishment of developing financial services businesses. Since 1992, he is founder of Fredell & Co, investing in the financial and technological space. Fredell is today the largest shareholder of Seamless. He joined the board of Seamless in 2009 and since 2011 is CEO of the company. Seamless is a global mobile payments company that provides prepaid top-up systems and mobile payment services for mobile operators, distributors, retailers and consumers. The company has two main product lines: the proprietary transaction switch ERS 360˚ for top-ups to mobile operators and distributors, and SEQR for mobile payments in stores, on-line and in-app. In its home territory of the Nordic region, Seamless has established the proof points for its business and leading retail merchants, who have adopted the system, including McDonalds Sweden. Seamless is an international company with customers in more than 30 countries, from Brazil in the west to Thailand in the east. Their ambition is to build sales, support and operations in Stockholm, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pakistan and Ghana. It boasts over 3.1 billion transactions handled annually for more than 40 operators in these countries. Peter Fredell will be a speaker at the blue track of the Global Webit Congress. To meet Peter Fredell and learn more about mobile payments and the success story of Seamless book your ticket at an early bird price now.

Did you know that the Global Webit Congress is the largest digital and tech annual conference held in Turkey and probably one of the biggest in the World? The premier event that startups should not miss. According to the prestigious Startupbootcamp.org #Webit is one of the Top 12 Startup Conferences in Europe. Thank you  @Sophia & @Peter for including #Webit in this list and we look forward to see you at the Global Webit Congress. The Global Webit Congress can boast of more than 10,000 attendees coming form 110 different countries. Over 200 speakers and 300 accredited media will be in Istanbul on 1-2 October. During the two-day agenda of the GWC takes place the Founders Games, which is the most startup friendly digital and tech industry event. The Webit Ambassadors Foundations commits over €1 million to startups providing 200 of them with free expo stands, tickets and media advertising budgets together with global partners such as IBM, Blackberry, Qualcomm, Softlayer, BBC, MTG, ProSieben, ITP and many more. At the Global Webit Congress, meet 400 investors, thousands of startups and the superstar founders and most innovative technology companies In addition, the Foundation focuses on ways to improve the life of the people in Africa through education and technology. Now is the time to buy your Early Bird Webit ticket and save 300 Euro.

Where will the Global digital and teach leaders be in October? Certainly, at the sixth Global Webit Congress on 1-2 October in Istanbul. For a sixth consecutive year the upcoming Global Web Congress will bring together thousands of professionals from the Digital, Tech and Telecom communities to network, share experiences and discuss new trends, future expectations on the respective hot and trending topics. This year the EMEA premium event, the Global Webit Congress is even bigger and more challenging. Over 10 000 attendees from over 110 countries, more than 200 speakers and 300 accredited media will meet in Istanbul on 1-2 October. The Global Webit Congress is the place to meet over 3500 C-level, global and regional regional reps of advertisers,agencies, publishers, tech providers and disruptive startups. This year the Global Webit Congress 2014 has two tracks The Digital Marketing Zone and The Tech Zone. They will satisfy the needs of different specialized audiences interested in the two main topics. The Digital Marketing Zone It will cater to the needs of digital, marketing and tech participants. This is a separate Digital Marketing and Innovation Conference.  The main topics covered by the speakers and panels are Digital Advertising, Metrics, Big Data, Digital Commerce, Digital Entertainment, Media, Mobile and Social. The Tech Zone In addition to the digital, marketing and tech crowd expect strong attendance by the start-up community. It includes the Leaders of the Future Summit, AppDevCamps and StartUp Village Expo. The Leaders of the Future Summit will be the place to meet 400 investors, thousands of start-ups and the superstar founders and most innovative technology companies. The Apps DevCamps  are for developers who are interested in building relationships to technology platforms, gaining knowledge on a number of topics, from operating systems and APIs, to app stores and monetization or designing software for devices. Expect to see keynote presentations and/or panel discussions with audience interaction. The agenda is provided by some of the most influential and innovative companies in the industry including IBM, PayPal, Adobe, Blackberry and many others. The StartUp Village Expo is the place to meet and interact with amazing start-ups from all around the world, governmental Investment agencies from EMEA keen to help you relocate to their countries, and grow your business there. There is a huge interest here by potential investors looking for great ideas. Last but not least we have the Founders Games.  The Global Webit Congress created the 1 Million EUR Marketing Grant for start-ups to give them a special market advantage and to boost the business and the opportunities to success. The Founders Games is the single most influential event for start-ups, providing over 1 Million EUR  grant in marketing budgets for up to 200 start-ups. So hurry up. Book your ticket now! On 1st and 2nd of October in Istanbul Turkey at the Halic Congress Center start-ups meet investors, over 300 accredited media and the CEOs, CMOs and CTOs of the world’s largest and most innovative companies along with the biggest global and regional advertisers.

Book your ticket !

If they ask you to name three companies from the digital industry, what would you say? Amongst the first that will come to your mind will be Facebook, Google and Apple, for sure. On 01-02 of October these three giants will be on the stage of Webit Global Congress in Istanbul, Turkey and you should not miss it. Founded 10 years ago, on February 4^th, 2004, Facebook is the youngest giant from the group. Currently, the social network has more than 6800 employees and total assets which equal to almost 18 billion dollars. Google is the bigger brother, founded on September 4^th, 1998. The 16-year-old company has more than 52 000 employees and 111 billion dollars assets for 2013. And last, but not least the eldest one, 38-year-old Apple, founded on April 1^st in 1976. Apple’s assets, 207 billion dollars, are almost twice these of Google and the employees are 80 000. No matter how different Facebook, Google and Apple are, they have something in common – the desire to dominate. When it comes to advertising, the rivalry between Facebook Ads and Google AdWords is well-known. Both Google and Facebook have a massive potential audience. Both offer paid as well as free advertising. According to their purpose, advertisers can choose which one to use. Google+ allows Google to collect personal user data and by checking Gmail and YouTube we can soon expect that Google’s user data will surmount Facebook in terms of value. On the other hand, we have Apple versus Google…again. In the last few years, especially after the passing of Steve Jobs, Google improved its brand recognition and became the world’s most valuable brand, according to MillwardBrown's 2014 BrandZ ranking. The desire to dominate provoked not only Google, but also Apple and Facebook to innovate and constantly to look for new opportunities. You see it is intriguing around the giants, so do not miss the chance to see them on one stage - 1-2 October, Istanbul, Webit Global Congress. Apply now!