About
International Innovation Forum Digital Bridge took place in Astana on November 5, 2018. The Forum organized by the Ministry of Information and Communication of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Co-organizers were the National Info communication Holding “Zerde” and the Astana Hub international Technopark of IT-startups.
The primary goal of the Forum was to create a dialogue platform between the countries of Europe and Asia, promoting ideas of digital transformation, e-government, technological entrepreneurship, and the 4th industrial revolution. Digital Bridge was a new opportunity for uniting participants in the international innovation movement.
The Forum brought together key representatives of the international IT-community, prolific technologies experts, business leaders, State institutions representatives from different countries, digital developing professionals, scientists, capitalists, and investors.
Digital Bridge Awards were held under the auspices of the Forum as the first innovation award in Kazakhstan, which stimulated the IT-market and public authorities for outstanding results in the digital transformation of Kazakhstan.
Digital Bridge Awards determined the leaders in the following categories: “Best Digital Initiative,” “Best Digitization Office” and “Best Startup.”
Digital Bridge forum has also contained two exclusive events under the auspices of Astana Hub international technopark of IT-startups:
Astana Hub Battle – a presentations format competition of startups. Young technical projects competed for three monetary prizes: 1st place – $15 000; 2nd place – $5 000; 3rd place – $1 000;
and Astana Hub Awards – the best Kazakhstan’s startup award for achievements in the IT-industry in the following nominations: “Techpreneur of the Year”; “Discovery of the Year”; “Best Technological Startup”; “Best IT-project for the State Sector”; “Breakthrough of the Year.”
As one of the successors of the Great Silk Road, we strive to be not only the intersection of highways, but also become a digital bridge between Europe and Asia
Dauren Abayev, Minister of Information and Social Development
In addition, the Digital Bridge forum gave its participants an opportunity to hold 30-minute 1:1 B2B meetings.
Digital Bridge became one of the leading innovation events in Kazakhstan last year. More than 30 speakers on the unique dialogue platform of the Forum discussed the latest international digitization, investors and world-class mentors held more than 10 seminars and masterclasses, where they shared best practices and business models in the Digital sphere.
Speakers of the forum included Jean-Francois Gauthier, CEO of “Startup Genome“; Dirk Ahlborn, CEO of “Hyperloop Transportation Technologies“; Bob Dorf, businessman, consultant and mentor of the “Startup Academy“, the author of a number of best-sellers on the subject of startup; Aliya Prokofieva, founder and owner of “Galaxy” private space company; Jeff Hoffman, co-founder of “Priceline Group“; Kamran Elahian, chairman and co-founder of “Global Innovation Catalyst“, as well as other key experts of the IT-community from around the world.
Yesterday I had a chance to meet more than 60 startups. It is very inspiring that Kazakhstanis are starting to work in this direction. The engineering area is very developed here, and, thanks to this, in Kazakhstan, startups use simpler and more effective methods. Ultimately, it will result in something more global and useful.
Bob Dorf, Co-author of Startup Owner’s Manual
Sponsors & Partners of Digital Bridge Forum: The international group of Eurasian Resources Group companies, BTS Digital LLP, Cisco American transnational company, Lenovo Limited Group international technology company, Nokia transnational company, Microsoft transnational company, Huawei international telecommunications company, Dell American corporation and one of the largest telecom operators in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Transtelecom JSC.
Scal8r involvement in the forum:
- Invitation of international speakers to participate in the event
- Negotiations on the speaker’s fees & expectations
- Negotiations on the speaker’s logistics
- Confirming the speaker’s topics & introductions to the panelists
- Finalizing the subtopics of the content delivery with the speakers, not brought by Scal8R
- Curating the moderators of the sessions
- Agenda management
- Astana Hub Battle management
- Astana Hub Awards management
- Digital Bridge Awards management
- Co-ordination with the technical supplier of all the venue locations
- Co-ordination of the Media Center
- Co-ordination of the Startup Alley
- Side activities management
- FUndraising and sponsors management