YOUR GUIDE TO GOING GLOBAL

For the right companies, international tech events provide significant growth opportunities from forming valuable connections, to discovering the future of tech, to experiencing a new culture outside your own. When it comes to selecting which event to attend, there’s more to consider than which exotic locale is hosting. As with every investment decision, business owners must ask themselves: which event offers me the highest likelihood of achieving my business objectives? Since 2015, the Tech West Canada team has worked with 168 companies who have generated over $400 million in sales and investments at three of the world’s largest global tech events: Web Summit, CES and Mobile World Congress. While these events market themselves in similar ways, we’ve witnessed first-hand which specific business types thrive at each. As part of our continued mission to provide valuable advice to tech companies in Western Canada, we’ve compiled a useful guide to help businesses select the event that gives them the greatest opportunity to maximize return on their hard-earned investment dollars.

What we’ve learned

Every company has a different reason for attending a global event. Some are early stage and go for product validation and market research; others are more established and are there to meet with future and existing clients. Whatever their reason for attending, all companies have one thing in common — a strong interest in global growth. Before you consider going to an international tech event, check if your company meets the following criteria:

• You are committed to investing in growth through building global relationships and business development initiatives.
• You have the desire and ability to create new revenue streams and/or applications, and the production capacity to meet those new demands.
• You have well-reasoned, measurable business goals and lead quotas.

Now we’ll go into the three events we know pretty well and like quite a bit :)

Web Summit

WHEN + WHERE: Nov. 5 - 8, 2018 | Lisbon, Portugal
THE ELEVATOR PITCH: Each year Web Summit features an amazing line-up of speakers. This is where tech startups from around the world go to showcase their ideas and see how they stack up against the competition. With plenty of opportunities to network, pitch and sell, this is a global meeting place for that looking to disrupt industries and transform the world through tech solutions. BEST FOR: Startups looking for product validation or investment opportunities.

REASONS TO ATTEND:

• The best way to validate your product is to see what other tech company from around the world are doing.
• You have identified potential investors, distributors and/or partners who will be attending Web Summit, and have agreed to meet with you (or have a high likelihood of meeting with you) there.
• You are a B2B or B2C company that creates a disruptive technology, and are interested in exploring new ways that disruption can transform lives and businesses.
• You have a desire to learn from global leaders in tech.

CES

WHEN + WHERE: Jan. 8 to 11, 2018, Las Vegas, NV, USA
THE ELEVATOR PITCH: For 50 years, CES has been the launch pad for new innovation and technology that has changed the world. Held in Las Vegas, it is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer tech and where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.
BEST FOR: Companies with a product to showcase.

REASONS TO ATTEND:

• The best way to grow your company is by demonstrating your product in real time.
• Your technology or services can enhance, or be enhanced by, that of another exhibitor at CES in one of the above categories.
• You’re looking for international media attention and to get your product in front of journalists.
• Your company will benefit from seeing and interacting with a wide array of leading-edge consumer technologies first-hand (understanding the competition, gauging consumer interest, learning about up and coming trends).
• You have a desire to meet with specific high-profile companies and individuals attending CES

Mobile World Congress

WHEN + WHERE: February 26 to March 1, 2018, in Barcelona, Spain The ELEVATOR PITCH: Mobile World Congress (MWC) is the world’s biggest and best mobile industry event comprising of a massive exhibition, an award-winning conference, outstanding networking opportunities, partner programs, the Glomo Awards and much, much more. If you’re in the business of mobile (which accounts for almost everything in the tech industry), this is where you need to be.
BEST FOR: SMEs looking to do serious business and make lasting connections.

ATTEND BECAUSE:

• The best way to do business in an efficient, productive way is to attend events where the entire ecosystem gathers.

FUN FACT: Attendees report that they can do more business in 4 days than in a month’s worth of meetings or a year’s worth of travel.

• You are a B2B technology company looking to meet, converse and network with prospective partners, clients and investors in the mobile industry or reconnect with past associates.
• You are looking for mobile and/or digital products that complement your own, or that your product can integrate with effectively.