CeBIT 2017 drew to a close today in Hannover, after five action-packed days. Like never before, this year”s event tangibly conveyed the potential of digitalization and how best to achieve it. More than 3,000 exhibitors from 70 nations showcased their innovations for the digital transformation of the economy and society, under the lead theme of “d!conomy – no limits”.
Hannover. CeBIT 2017 drew to a successful close on Friday. “With live displays offering tangible insight into the potential of, and best strategies for achieving digitalization, plus Japan as an outstandingly innovativePartner Country and superlative coverage of all of the industry’s hottest topics, CeBIT 2017 has ticked all the right boxes. The impressive performance of CeBIT 2017 gives us lots of tailwind for the unveiling of the new-look CeBIT in June 2018,” remarked Oliver Frese, the Deutsche Messe Managing Board member responsible for CeBIT, at the press wrap-up in Hannover on Friday.
“The show got off to a brilliant start at the Welcome Night ceremony staged on the exhibition grounds with participation by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the same upbeat vibe was felt throughout the halls in the days that followed,” commented Frese. The over 200,000 visitors in attendance were particularly impressed with Japan’s showcase as the event’s official Partner Country. With a huge lineup of 120 companies in two halls, Japan set a new record. “Japan demonstrated it has already taken major strides on its way to entering the digital age,” said Frese, adding that the nation’s highlighting of its “Society 5.0” initiative provided rich insight into the transformative power of digitalization and the shape of things to come in business and society. “The program’s all-encompassing approach embraces every aspect of the economy and society, and the debate it sparked met with keen interest on the part of CeBIT visitors,” remarked Frese, adding: “As such, our Partner Country provided major impetus for the new-look CeBIT, where players form the realms of business, government and society at large will be getting together to illuminate and explore every conceivable aspect of digital transformation.”
On Wednesday, Deutsche Messe had announced a completely new concept for CeBIT 2018 and beyond. Next year’s show will be staged from June 11 to 15, featuring three main segments – “d!conomy”, “d!tec” and “d!talk” – in the halls surrounding the iconic wooden EXPO Canopy serving as the heart of the central “d!campus”. The d!conomy showcase will be a lead-generating machine, where digital solution providers and their commercial and public-sector customers get down to business. Disruptive technologies, research institutes and startups will be on front and center stage at the new technology festival called d!tec. And, last but not least, the d!talk program will offer rich opportunities for dialogue, debate and knowledge-sharing in a series of conferences, workshops and keynotes held at various locations throughout the grounds.
Frese referred to the mood at the show as upbeat and noted that the new CeBIT concept had met with a unanimously positive response. “The reinvented CeBIT is already sparking lots of fresh new ideas on all sides, with more of them rolling in by the minute. We will be teaming up with our exhibitors to leverage this tremendous opportunity to recreate CeBIT as a festival of innovations and ‘digitalization made tangible’.”
