IMC 2018 takes a bird’s eye view of futuristic technologies that will shape our world

India Mobile Congress 2018 (IMC 2018),the one-of-a-kind iconic global mobile, internet and technology event in India, will commence on 25^th October 2018 at New Delhi’s Aerocity. Titled “New Digital Horizons: Connect, Create, Innovate”, the second edition of the event is being jointly organised by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and other government departments. The aim behind IMC2018 is building ideas, sharing knowledge and best practices, forming lasting industry relationships, fostering commercial opportunities, showcasing game changing mobile technology and product trends, providing sectoral insights, industrial solutions, case studies and workshops.

The biggest ICTevent in South Asia, comprising of conclave and exhibition will include ministerial and partner programs in Digital India, Smart City, emerging technologies, Make in India projects, skill harmonisation, business innovation and knowledge sharing etc. There will be a technology showcase offering a glimpse into virtual reality, connected cars, m-health, smart wearables, smart home, artificial intelligence, drones, robotics, smart energy, internet of things, block chain, bitcoin, Machine Vision, Cloud Computing Holography, among others.

The three day event will cover a wide array of topics, including but not confined to emerging technologies to new digital ecosystems, m-education, digital marketing to e-health, 5G and retail. It would also cover subjects such as 5G, IoT, Digital Identity, AR&VR, Artificial Intelligence, Smart Cities, Intelligent Transport, RupeeTech, Health-Tech, M-education, Cybersecurity, OpenSourceTech, Blockchain, Agri-Tech etc. Thought leaders and experts from across the globe will showcase their views, opinions and ideas on the ongoing trends and future outlook for the ICT and TMT sectors.

The platform will see an impressive international presence with over 35+ partner countries, 160+ global speakers, 300+ exhibitors, 1000+ international media and 100,000 visitors. Opinion makers from across the world will share their views and ideas on the ongoing trends and future outlook for the ICT and TMT sectors.

This one of a kind event has the support of the Ministry of Communication (Department of Telecommunications) – the Patron Supporter, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Skill Development and Entrepreneurship amongst others.Global brands,such as Huawei, Intel, Qualcomm, Facebook, Ericsson, Nokia, Cisco, ECI Telecom, ZTE,Mavenir along with the major telecom operators of India, including Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone – Idea and BSNL,have already indicated their participation as partners and exhibitors with numerous other big names expected to join.

The special addresses at the event are to be delivered by Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder & Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Ltd and Vivek Badrinath - Regional CEO Africa Middle East Asia Pacific Region, Vodafone, Mr. Gopal Vittal, MD, CEO of India & South Asia and Executive Director,Bharti Airtel Limited, Mr. Balesh Sharma, COO, Vodafone India Ltd.,Mr. Mathew Oommen, President, Network, Global Strategy & Service Development and Director, Reliance JioInfocomm Ltd, Mr. Mats Granryd, DG, GSMA, Mr. Alex Rogers, EVP and President Qualcomm Technology Licensing,Qualcomm, Ms. Sandra L. Rivera, SVP & GM, Network Platforms Group,Intel Corporation, Mr. Francisco Varela, VP, Mobile Partnerships, Facebookamong others.

IMC 2018 will also be graced by the presence of Shri Manoj Sinha, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Communications; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways and Smt. ArunaSundarajan, Chairman Telecom Commission & Secretary (Telecom).

To drive the next wave of innovative digital products and services, the IMC 2018 platform will be the Launchpad for 1000 “Made for India” apps. There will be a plethora of focused opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators to network and interact with senior executives from ICT & TMT companies, potential investors, mentors to explore new business prospects. The Startup Engagement Program at IMC 2018 is being driven with the help of KPMG, the Knowledge Partner for IMC 2018, CIIE - IIM Ahmedabad as the Startup Engagement Partner and Startup India as the Concept Partner for the Startup Program.

The Indian startup ecosystem is expanding at a fast pace. During 2015-16, apps contributed around INR 1.36 trillion to the Indian GDP and this contribution will grow to atleast 18.28 trillion by 2020. Now it needs sufficient funding, mentor support and developing a strong industry connect. IMC 2018 is the perfect platform where these emerging businesses can showcase their innovations to the world. The platform is a great opportunity for fSMEs and Startups to network with the Government as well as large companies and enterprises. Special focus would be given to technology based startups, through Mentorship programs and Innovation awards.

This year, with an unparalleled focus towards promoting technology focused on enhancing the consumer experience and catalysing innovation, IMC intends to introduce experiential technology zones, live demos and insightful discussions on topics such as IoT, 5G, Handheld and Wearable Technology, AR/VR, AI, Robotics, FinTech, HealthTech, etc. A dedicated B2C Gadget & Handset Pavilion with exclusive showcases and launch area will offer the biggest names in device technology to present their latest offerings to 100,000+ visitors.

The country is at a cusp of digital revolution, thanks to its robust start-up ecosystem, advanced technology adoption & digitisation and the highly competitive smartphone market. The coming times will see transformation of India, thanks to the myriad number of innovations, technologies, products, research labs, etc.