CEEDS'15 by Webit: Technology Changing the Global Business Landscape

On April 21st and 22nd, for the seventh consecutive year, Sofia will host CEEDS by Webit - undoubtedly one of the largest European events about the digital, technological and media/advertising markets with an emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe, which will once again bring over 3000 guests from 40 different countries to the capital this spring.

What can we expect from the event this year?

Technology affects absolutely every type of business. Competitors become apparent unexpectedly and, in most cases, business managers or owners do not know how to react when a small, unknown company begins to take over a larger share of their market. In a large number of these situations, small companies achieve this growth thanks to various types of technologies and their effective use. During the Webit events, we discuss exactly these types of developments.

Guests of CEEDS'15 by Webit will be part of the largest and most significant event for digital economics in the region, which will bring together over 3000 guests from 40 different countries with 100 world-renowned speakers. The event attracts representatives of the largest companies from different areas of expertise - technology, media, advertising, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), tourism, finance, fashion, healthcare, automobile, world and regional publications, investors as well as some of the most innovative and dynamic startup companies in the region. CEEDS'15 is actually part of the global series of events referred to as Webit, that take place in various cities, such as Istanbul and Dubai previously. Soon, we are planning to host similar gatherings in China and India. The event in Sofia remains one of the most important to me as well as to my team, taking into consideration that that, seven years ago, the Webit global brand was launched namely in Sofia.

Tell us more about the tropic that will be covered in Sofia - what types of interesting things can the professional participants look forward to and how is the event structured?

This year, CEEDS by Webit will have three main stages - Tech Summit, Marketing and Innovation Summit and Enterprise2Founders Summits. Marketing and Innovation Summit unites marketing directors, media group representatives, advertising/media agencies and retailers. The main topics discussed on this stage will concern areas such as advertising, mobile, metrics, digital sales, digital transformation, digital entertainment and media, as well as social media strategy. The Tech Summit stage welcomes technology and IT directors of some of the largest corporations to meet with representatives from the federal administration, startup community and small and mid-size businesses. The topics on the table will include the Internet of Everything, education, digital environmental conservation, Big Data, Cloud, alternative methods of payment. The third stage within CEEDS'15 - Enterprise2Founders Summit is dedicated to meeting top company management who can connect to entrepreneurs and talk about the opportunities to stimulate innovation through co-working with startup companies.

Who are the most exciting guests you are expecting to be in attendance this year?

Typically, the speakers who participate in our events are world leaders in their area and recognizable names who influence the modern business landscape. Among the 100 speakers in Sofia are best-selling authors, three members of the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 ranking, top managers at Google, SAP, Microsoft, ARM, Philips, Booking.com, Fashion TV and others. We are also excited to share that the Vice President Mr. Andrus Ansip,will also attend CEEDS. Currently, in his role as Vice President of the European Commission with a focus on united and digital markets, he is the epitome of the market future of all European industries such as tourism, transportation, media and healthcare. His visit to Bulgaria is a testament to the country's place on the map of European digital industry. Special thanks to Mr. Ognyan Zlatev and his team from the Agency of the European Commission in Bulgaria, who worked alongside our team to make his visit a reality.

The buzz surrounding the event is huge - how many guests are you expecting to attend this year?

There is no other event with such a great programme and such a high-quality selection of speakers. From the last seven years, our guests know that in addition to the incredible knowledge which they provide, our events also create wonderful business opportunities, a chance to get in touch with top tier professionals and an unparalleled social networking structure - this includes a catwalk and party organized by Fashion TV.