The tech events that established companies should attend are different from those entrepreneurs should attend. The conference industry is booming with growth rates of 44 percent by the end of the decade expected. They each have a different set of needs that can't necessarily be met by the same ones. If you are an entrepreneur looking to improve your digital communications skills, this guide is going to help you see which tech events are best for you in 2016.
GPU Technology Conference
If you are based in Silicon Valley, it's not a far drive to San Jose to make it to the GPU Technology Conference. This technology conference is perfect for any entrepreneur who wants to connect with researchers and developers. There's a big presence for any startup that wants to look into artificial intelligence and the burgeoning virtual reality industry.
Self-driving cars are expected to be a big hit this year as California is a pioneer in the niche. Another main topic of discussion is on how graphics processing units can change the world.
Entrepreneurs in any of these flourishing industries can learn a lot.
Wearable Tech + Digital Health
This joint conference is, again, based in California. This time, it's in nearby San Francisco, which has seen a huge spike in startups in recent years. Entrepreneurs who can benefit from this conference will be in the sectors of health, biotech, and wearable tech.
This conference will discuss the latest changes in brain technology. It's particularly pertinent in 2016 as companies like Apple have made major breakthroughs in the production in wearable tech, and this is expected to continue both this year and next.
Entrepreneurs can learn how best to use this to their advantage.
Collision
Perhaps the most well-known conference on this list is Collision. This conference takes place in New Orleans and has been named the fastest growing tech conference on a number of occasion. There are many Pittsburgh startups that are meant to attend the event this year.
The Launch Pad PITCH Competition is open to eight different US cities and is expected to be one of the highlights of the conference. This is where startups can pitch their latest products in an attempt to win the competition. If your city is eligible, you may be able to put your skills to the test in front of a wide audience.
But even if you're not this is a conference for entrepreneurs at all stages of their development. There's no telling what you can accomplish through attending this digital communications event.
CIO Summit
The CIO Summit takes place in Chicago, Illinois, which is well-known for being a major breeding ground for startups in all sectors. IT thought leads will lead speaking sessions and workshops as part of this year's summit. The crucial thing is that the focus is always on current trends and challenges in the IT sphere.
Entrepreneurs in the IT sector will see then CIO Summit as life changing. It's your chance to learn directly from the experts based on what's going on within the markets today. It's up-to-date information you can use to drive your business forward. This is perfect for the higher level people within your company.
Disrupt NY
On the other side of the US to the traditional heartland of tech startups is New York City. The Disrupt NY conference is known for showing off some of the hottest startups in tech. Led by the giants of TechCrunch, the startups debuted here often change the game in their chosen niches.
The hackathon in the large expo space is one of the highlights of this event as people put their tech skills to the test and learn from their peers. The end of this event is the Startup Battlefield Competition, where entrepreneurs face off against each other to put their innovation skills to the test.
While this is mainly directed at early stage entrepreneurs, even leaders in the latter stages of developing their businesses have a lot to gain from this conference.
How Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Conferences
It may seem like it's too early for entrepreneurs to attend conferences. This couldn't be further from the truth, though. You have a lot to gain from conferences and there's no reason why you can't start attending them even when you are in the early stages of your entrepreneurial journey.
But you need to pick your conferences carefully. Review the program and make sure they offer lectures and workshops you can really take something away from.
What do you think you can gain from attending a conference?