Digital Economy
Leadership Summit
Invitation Only Event
About the Summit
The top tier SUMMIT of WEBIT.FESTIVAL, Chaired by the President of Bulgaria and co-hosted by the Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria. The summit aims to address some of the major challenges the humankind faces in today's Digital age.
The event is invitation only highest level event gathering political leaders (e.g. Presidnets, Vice Presidents and top European political leaders,), top entrepreneurs and founders, Nobel Laureates, scientists and innovators along with top enterprise executives from Europe and rest of the world.
AUDIENCE
-
30%
Europe’s top
Policy makers; -
35%
Enterprise
leaders -
20%
Founders &
Investors - 15% Scientists
- 45% Central & Eastern Europe
- 45% Rest of Europe
- 06% USA
- 02% Asia
- 02% Rest of the World
Speakers
Martina Larkin
Head of Europe and Eurasia, World Economic Forum
Thomas Philbeck
Project Lead, Fourth Industrial Revolution, World Economic Forum
Ilias Iakovidis
Adviser in DG Connect, EU Commission
Jason Jercinovic
Havas Worldwide / President & Global Brand Director
John Higgins
Director General, Digital Europe
Marius Ghenea
Investment Director, 3TS Capital
Marton Benedek
International Coordinator, DG HOME, EU Commission
Menny Barzilay
CEO & Cyber Security Strategist, FortyTwo
Raj Samani
McAfee / Chief Scientist
Bart Becks
Founder & CEO, angel.me; Chairman, EURACTIV; Partner, Venturewise investment fund
Johann Stan
European Patent Office
Maurizio Rossi
Founder CoCEO, H-FARM
Martin Kern
Interim Director,European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT)
Neely Rifai
Event Coordinator at Global Webit Series
Arch. Zdravko Zdravkov
Chief Architect of Sofia
Stamen Yanev
CEO of InvestBulgaria Agency
Hila Cohen
International Business Development Lead, Innovation Accelerator at World Food Programme
Peter Е. Braun
Member Board of Directors at EBAN
Brittany Kaiser
Director - Cambridge Analytica and the SCL Group
Previous Attending Companies
Agenda
Day 1: 26 April / Policy Stage
DELS Host
Robert C. Wolcott, Founder & Executive Director, Kellogg Innovation Network (KIN)
Europe's Digital Transformation & Emerging Technologies
10:00 - 10:15 Opening keynote
Rosen Plevneliev Republic of Bulgaria / President of (2012 – 2017)
10:15 - 10:30 Fireside chat
Dr. Plamen Russev Founder and Executive Chairman, Webit.Foundation / Serial entrepreneur | Futurist | Philanthropist | Investor with over 30 years experience in tech and investments (direct and as LP)
Martin Kern Interim Director,European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT)
10:30 - 10:45 Digital innovation for health and ageing well: Turning societal challenges into opportunities
Ilias Iakovidis Adviser in DG Connect, EU Commission
10:45 - 11:00 Europe’s Innovation Ecosystem
Martina Larkin Head of Europe and Eurasia, World Economic Forum
11:00 - 11:10 Fireside Chat
Dr. Plamen Russev Founder and Executive Chairman, Webit.Foundation / Serial entrepreneur | Futurist | Philanthropist | Investor with over 30 years experience in tech and investments (direct and as LP)
Brittany Kaiser Director - Cambridge Analytica and the SCL Group
11:10 - 11:25 Lessons from the Front Line: The imperative for ethical practices in AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Jason Jercinovic Havas Worldwide / President & Global Brand Director
Disruptive Legislation Session
11:25 - 11:40 Internet Freedom: Myth or An Evolving Reality?
Baglan Rhymes Chief Digital Officer, AnchorFree Inc.
11:40 - 11:55 Privacy, Security, and the Internet of Things
Travis LeBlanc Cooley LLP / Partner
Euro Refugee Crisis – Tech Approach
11:55 - 12:25 Euro Refugee Crisis
Marton Benedek International Coordinator, DG HOME, EU Commission
Guillaume Capelle Co-founder and director, SINGA
Neely Rifai Event Coordinator at Global Webit Series
Boosting EU Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
12:25 - 12:40 Why being a Business Angel helps save the world
Peter Е. Braun Member Board of Directors at EBAN
12:40 - 12:50 Innovation for Zero Hunger
Hila Cohen International Business Development Lead, Innovation Accelerator at World Food Programme
12:50 - 13:00 The fast-growing CEE risk-capital ecosystem: seizing opportunities and avoiding pitfalls
Marius Ghenea Investment Director, 3TS Capital
13:00 - 13:15 The role of patents for startups
Johann Stan European Patent Office
13:15 - 13:30 The Entrepreneurial Revolution in Space
Joe Landon Lockheed Martin / VP, Advanced Programs Development
13:40 - 14:15 Discussion panel
Bart Becks Founder & CEO, angel.me; Chairman, EURACTIV; Partner, Venturewise investment fund
Maurizio Rossi Founder CoCEO, H-FARM
Praveen Paranjothi VC investor, European Investment Fund
Stamen Yanev CEO of InvestBulgaria Agency
Cyber Security
14:15 - 14:45 Fireside Chat: The Future of Hacking and Cyber security
Menny Barzilay CEO & Cyber Security Strategist, FortyTwo
Sergey Gribov Partner at Flint Capital
I am amazed at what I'm seeing here. This is clearly a global major event.
Blake Chandlee
Vice President Global Partnerships at Facebook
UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF
WITH THE SUPPORT OF
MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
