Europe next for DD
Digital Detox came, saw and conquered #TNW— and will be going back for more
As a conference, The Next Web is decidedly more Bestival than your average tech conference (not least because of the ferry you take to get there).
Now, after the 2019 edition ended last week, Digital Detox MD Liam Snelling shares his thoughts on Digital Detox’ first sojourn to Amsterdam.
Why did Digital Detox attend?
The Next Web is arguably one of the top digital conferences in the world. When we were approached by the Dept of Trade (DiT) it made perfect sense for us to attend and exhibit as part of their UK delegation. Despite the uncertainty surrounding our relationship with the EU, we are very open to new opportunities across Europe and this was the perfect chance to start interesting conversations with other entrepreneurs and explore possible partnerships for the future.
As a leading independent agency who specialise in solving digital problems with the latest technology, we wanted to attend TNW to find out what trends and ideas we could use for our clients. We were also looking to make connections at the conference in new industries and locations and find out a little bit more about working in Europe.
What were your impressions?
It’s big! And very fast paced. The build-up was very exciting, both from the info that was coming from TNW but also the organisation of the delegation by DiT. We weren’t really what to expect when we arrived but when we did, we couldn’t help feeling a little bit awed and proud to be part of something quite special.
The pace of innovation and change is as quick on the continent as it is in the UK. There were so many people with great ideas and motivations behind them and we were really privileged to hear their stories. We already have strong links to Europe through our team and their backgrounds, and during the conference, it quickly became apparent that there were exciting opportunities for us to to do great things with other European companies.
And now?
We spent a good day or so re-grouping and discussing some of the key contacts and opportunities from the conference. We’re due back in Amsterdam in a couple of weeks for a second round of meetings to continue the conversation.
We’re very excited to be moving into new spaces and the conference was a real success for Digital Detox.
We’d like to extend a big thank you to Christian and his team at the Department of Trade for hosting us at the conference. They put together a really well-organised stand and we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Amsterdam. The closing party was good fun too thanks to Carista….
