With India poised to enter a new era in its digital transformation aspiration, the inaugural Digital Acceleration and Transformation Expo (DATE) held at the recently inaugurated Yashobhoomi (IICC Dwarka) on November 23–24, 2023, opened the doors for global tech leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to take stock of India’s vision to become a global center of innovation.
NEW DELHI, November 27, 2023 (ACN Newswire): India’s newest and already being celebrated as the most impactful (DATE) Digital Acceleration and Transformation Expo was inaugurated by Honourable Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman and joined by Honourable MP Shri Tejasvi Surya, Shri Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore and Chairman of Cyberverse Foundation, a strategic partner of DATE, Maharaj Saheb Mandhatasinh Jadeja of Rajkot, Trescon’s Founder and Chairman Mr. Mohammed Saleem, Vice Chairman Mr. Mithun Shetty, and Group CEO Mr. Naveen Bharadwaj.
Smt. Sitharaman spoke on various topics like financial inclusion, fintech opportunities, data aggregation, and cyber safety and noted that “DATE stands as the need of the hour, offering Indian youth a vital platform for information, networking, and talent showcasing. The organizers’ understanding and collaboration with diverse partners have brought this expo to Delhi, ensuring two impactful days for those keen on this field. This event, a testament to India’s lead in nurturing young talent, beckons passionate individuals to benefit from its extensive networking opportunities.”
The Honourable Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, spoke about the expectations for India’s tech ecosystem and how, in a short span of time, the country has seen itself becoming the fastest-growing digital economy. Speaking about AI and noting it as one of the three biggest inventions in recent times, Shri Chandrasekhar said, ”While we envision AI to become a kinetic enabler and accelerant for our digital economy and innovation economy, safety and trust in these platforms remain paramount.”
Celebrating the success of DATE, Mr. Saleem said, “DATE is Trescon’s commitment to host a global standard event that truly fosters a secure and inclusive digital environment in India. With 8,000+ registrations from across India, including government officials, founders, CEOs, CIOs and investors, tech leaders and startup founders, and 100+ exhibitors and partners showcasing innovation across various domains like artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, drones, data analytics, digital marketing, electric mobility, egaming, fintech, generative AI, hyper computing, IoT, metaverse, robotics, web3, and quantum computing, DATE’s outcome has been unprecedented and a talk of the nation”.
With three dynamic conference stages featuring 100+ speakers in thought-provoking panel discussions, tech talks, keynote presentations, and engaging fireside chats, DATE’s inaugural edition’s success echoes a fervent demand for transformative technology.
A noteworthy session was the fireside chat on ‘Digital India: Accelerating Economic Growth and Sustainability’ between Shri Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), Government of India, and Ranganath M.D., Chairman, Catamaran Ventures. During their captivating conversations, they provided great insights on what can be expected with India Stack 2.0, the different approaches to AI regulations, alternative energy, and more.
A deviation from the controlled and scripted norm, the fireside chat on ‘Confessions of a Startup Founder’ between Swati Bhargava, Co-Founder, CashKaro and EarnKaro, and Reshma Budhia, Director and Co-Founder, Toss The Coin, presented candid insights into the challenges and triumphs of their entrepreneurial journey, providing valuable lessons and inspiring innovation and resilience in the startup sphere.
On social impact and innovation, Mr. Bharadwaj said, “At DATE, in addition to sparking transformative business discussions, social impact, youth empowerment, and real investments were prioritized as we launched the Women in Media Council (a consortium for global female media professionals to collaborate); Smart 1,000 (a partnership initiative between Trescon Foundation and Yuva Unstoppable to transform 1,000 schools in rural areas of India); Cyber Safe Girl (a security awareness book in its 6th edition by Dr. Ananth Prabhu); Future of Tech (a book authored by a 14-year-old child prodigy, Karthik Jakhar); and more. Regional pitch competitions for the prestigious Fintech World Cup (finals during the Dubai Fintech Summit 2024) and Startup World Cup (finals in San Francisco) were held. Multiple startups received investment commitments, and two were publicly disclosed.”
Highlighting the impact of DATE, Shri Wadiyar said, “We extend our gratitude and sincere appreciation to Honourable Finance Minister, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, and Honourable Minister of State, Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, for gracing DATE with their presence and invaluable insights. We thank Trescon for launching such an impactful, inspiring, and fun event in India. The success of the launch edition makes the industry even more eager for the next edition of DATE India, which is expected to be held in September 2024”.
With robots on stage, attendees experienced capture boards, cosplay competitions, a live gaming competition featuring India’s most prominent international gamer, Mavi, and many such onsite activations. DATE gave attendees a fresh breath of air and truly stood out compared to regular run-of-the mill tech events.
Anticipation surges for what is in store for the next edition of DATE.
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