CeBIT, one of the world’s biggest technology events, has kicked off in Hannover today. Offering a combination of exhibitions, conferences, keynote speakers and corporate events, CeBIT provides a global networking platform for comparing notes on current industry trends.
Visitors to the event will hear from big players, like Google, Samsung, Microsoft and first time attenders Xing. Kicking off the ceremony yesterday was Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, who offered his insight into what the future of technology will look like not long after the implementation of Google’s controversial new privacy policy.
With the theme ‘Managing Trust – Confidence and Security in the Digital World’, CeBIT will address concerns about lost or pirated data at both private and professional levels. There has been some concern expressed at the theme’s supposed lack of ‘sexiness.’ But despite that, around 130 international business and government delegations are expected at the conference.
Ernst Raue, member of the Deutsche Messe Managing Board, said: “User trust is a key prerequisite for growth in the digital industry. And it poses a number of major challenges for providers of ICT services and online vendors. It is therefore a good thing that more and more companies in the sector are beginning to realize how critical it is to make trust and security a top priority on their executive agendas.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave an introductory speech at CeBIT just days after announcing more government support for venture capitalists funding tech startups.
Silicon Allee reporter Toni Ellis is at the first day of the event; stay tuned for a rundown of what’s been happening.