The 35th edition of GITEX Technology Week was inaugurated by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum today at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Connected cloud technology such as mobile apps, e-government, drones, 3D printing, and robotics will form the foundation of the region’s rapidly-growing Future Cities – a key spotlight at the landmark 35th GITEX Technology Week, running 18-22nd October. By 2025, the global Smart Cities market will reach USD 3.3 trillion, with nearly half of the world’s 26 Smart Cities arising in emerging markets such as the Middle East.
“Spearheaded by regional investment and development, the Middle East continues to be a significant pace setter in driving forward innovative discussion, implementation and knowledge exchange around IoT agendas. In testament to this, the 35th anniversary of GITEX Technology Week will be our most expansive and international edition to date. Our roster of world-renowned thought leaders and global technology companies reflect the strong demand for how Internet of Things technologies such as drones, robotics, and 3D printing can impact daily lives and every industry vertical in the Middle East and beyond,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice President, Dubai World Trade Centre, organisers of GITEX Technology Week 2015.
Celebrating transformative technology in the build-up to UAE Innovation Week and in line with the UAE’s Year of Innovation, GITEX Technology Week 2015 will be held under the theme of “The Internet Future of Everything,” revolving around the pillars of Innovation, Connected Cloud, Big Data, Mobility, and Security.
Focusing on driving collaboration and next-generation agenda setting, a host of new initiatives are being spearheaded for the 2015 event.
In tandem with the Year of Innovation, the GTX Horizons Zone will showcase leading edge demonstrations of next generation disruptive technologies across 3D Printing, Autonomous Vehicles, Drones and Robotics. Innovation, Interoperation and Disruption will continue as themes across the GTX Ignite conference, a powerhouse of global thought leadership, and GTX Innovation Tech Talks, free to attend sessions, that will host over 100 sessions with 150-plus global futurists, including the Prime Minister of Estonia, ICT ministers from Egypt, Kenya, and Nigeria, and senior executives from Accenture, BP, Boeing, and Facebook.
In partnership with the UAE Drones for Good Award, GTX Horizons’ Drones Zone will host a selection of this year’s award winners, and drones from top manufacturers such as DJI, the world’s largest manufacturer of drones.
The GTX Hub will form the umbrella of industry vertical-focused digital transformation, providing new research, networking, and solutions for the key verticals of banking, construction, education, healthcare, retail, and oil and gas. This is being driven by reports that the GCC’s vertical specific software market is set to nearly double from USD 756 million in 2014 to USD 1.45 billion in 2020.
At the Robotics Zone, sponsored by DigiRobotics, attendees can learn how to enable robotics for the IoT era and witness the latest robotics across industry verticals.
The event’s first-ever 3D Printing area, sponsored by Jacky’s Business Solutions LLC, will showcase 3D printing across a variety of materials, and how it can impact fields such as healthcare, education, and manufacturing.
Additional new and expanded GITEX Technology Week features include the world’s largest Google CSI Lab, All Night Hackathon, Hot Stuff Awards, Student Lab, and networking platforms the Connexions Majlis, Connexions Lounge, and Connexions Online.
Co-located events include the GSMA Mobile 360 Series, the region’s leading mobile community conference, and InfoComm MEA, the Middle East and Africa’s leading audio visual technology event.
Reinforcing GITEX Technology Week’s standing as the largest ICT exhibition in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, and the third largest in the world, the show is expecting more than 130,000 visitors from over 150 countries, with more than 20,000 C-level executives, and more than 3,600 exhibiting brands from 62 countries.
Global interest in the event is being further driven by the growth of Future Cities initiatives, which in the UAE is being spearheaded by the Smart Dubai Initiative and UAE Vision 2021 – key drivers of the country’s digital transformation.
“Dubai is committed to becoming a global benchmark for Smart Cities of the future. We are collaborating with leading public and private organizations to meet the needs of all residents and visitors, from government to education and healthcare, through a connected and responsive citywide infrastructure. Together with our partners, we are enabling smart economic conditions driving entrepreneurship and global competitiveness that will serve as a model for emerging nations. We are continually reviewing and refining the latest technology innovations, from mobile apps to drones, to understand how we may adopt these tools to make city experiences more seamless, safe, efficient and impactful for all,” said Dr. Aisha Butti Bin Bishr, Assistant Director General of The Executive Office and SmartDubai Taskforce leader.
