Over 150 entrepreneurs invited to discuss about Open Data and Smart Cities in Pamplona, Spain on 1-2 March 2016.
The event will attend European entrepreneurs to present and discuss the latest success stories of projects that have used fiware technologies as well as the relationship Open Data have with the world of entrepreneurship at European level.
An opening speech by Ragnar Bergstrom, head of sector of European Commission in the Directorate General of Communications, Networks and Technology will open the event.
Some of the representatives of 16 Fiware accelerators funded by the European Commission, will present the evolution of business acceleration programs and future plans. Francisco Marín, general director of the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), will participate in the conference with a speech dedicated to innovation in the public sector. Meanwhile, Juanjo Hierro, Telefonica, will discuss recent developments around fiware accelerators.
Parallel to the conferences and round tables, there will be meetings between entrepreneurs with potential investors, customers, as well as city representatives who may be interested in technological solutions proposed by the Startups.
Open Business, as one the startups invited to the conference, will show how Open Data can be used to help entrepreneurs to better analyse locations, discovering local 'underserved markets' and increasing longevity and performance of "brick and mortar" business. Choosing a location requires precise planning and research: it involves looking at demographics, assessing the supply chain, scoping the competition, staying on budget, understanding local laws, and much more. By using Open Data, franchisors, store chains or independent retailers can now decide where to open a new shops/store, analysing local markets in terms of demand, supply and services, reducing risks related to location and with more chance to run a successful business.
Open Data especially open government data, is a tremendous resource that is yet largely untapped. Government, citizens and business may benefit from the use open data. Several studies have estimated the economic value of open data at tens of billions of Euros annually in the EU alone. A research from Warsaw Institute for Economic Studies (WISE Institute) and Microsoft shows why data mean an additional GDP at 206 Bn Euro in EU-28 in 2020 thanks to data-driven decision making, business process efficiency and increased competition from use of data.
