Digital transformation is no longer an option. Building an organization that can change both its technology and culture rapidly is a core part of any modern business strategy expecting to not only to survive, but thrive long into the future.
As our relationship to technology changes and the marketplace evolves, organizations will need to win over customers (including employees) with thoughtful, well-executed experiences and solutions.
JOIN US: Kintone's First Annual Digital Transformation and Collaboration Conference in San Francisco
While that end goal may seem simple, getting there is anything but. Overwhelmingly complex at a times, digital transformation cuts into many different areas of an organization with plenty of lessons to learn for both long-term adapters and newbies alike. To mark a new year, we've dug into some of the most essential digital transformation events worth attending in 2017.
1. OPEX Week: Business Transformation World Summit 2017
Orlando, Florida
January 23-27, 2017
"The world of operations, process, performance and transformation is expanding at an incredibly rapid pace. Is it any wonder you need more ideas, strategies, innovation and tactics in your OPEX toolkit than ever before?
In response, the PEX Network, with its 120,000 global members, is presenting OPEX Week: Business Transformation World Summit to help you deliver the change your business demands."
Highlights
- Business transformation: Link processes and operations to company strategy and values to deliver holistic and sustainable enterprise-wide transformation
- Innovation: Leverage operational excellence as a platform for innovation across the enterprise
- Customer centricity: Reinvent the customer experience and foster loyalty through operational excellence
- Automation, RPA & AI: Partner with technology to reshape the ability of your organization
- Leadership: Enable long lasting change and cultural transformation across your organization
- Digital OpEx: Deliver a 21st century digital business experience with BPM
- Data analytics: Construct more effective processes through real-time analytics and business intelligence
- Agile: Achieve true business performance excellence with operational agility
Planning on attending? Stop by Kintone booth #6 for a demo and cool giveaways.
2. IoT Evolution Expo
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
February 7-10, 2017
"Through informative conference tracks, an IoT Exhibition floor, case studies, special events, networking and more, the IoT Evolution Expo is the ultimate venue for attendees to gain an understanding on how the Internet of Things (IoT) will be the driving force behind improving efficiencies, driving revenue opportunities and solving business problems across multiple industries and all business functional areas."
Highlights
- Hear about the technologies, platform solutions and devices that will power your IoT Solution
- Navigate the complex IoT ecosystem to identify partners, providers, and prospects
- Understand how M2M sensors and their IoT data sets deliver unprecedented business intelligence to drive performance, growth, and profitability
- Hear from successful companies that have implemented revenue producing vertical and horizontal IoT apps and award-winning solutions
- Learn how to align your IoT solution with market opportunities and investor capital
3. IDC Directions 2017
Santa Clara, California
February 28, 2017
"Over the next three years, we will see the emergence of digital transformation (DX) at a macroeconomic scale - the dawn, if you will, of the "DX economy." In this new economy, enterprises will be measured by their ability to hit and exceed a whole new set of demanding performance benchmarks enabled by cloud, mobility, cognitive/artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, augmented reality/virtual reality, and the DXs fueled by these technologies."
Highlights
- Market intelligence and guidance to identify and optimize growth opportunities
- Contact with IDC analysts through one-to-one meetings, presentations, Q&A, networking breaks, and analyst-hosted lunch roundtables
- Twenty four breakout sessions covering the hottest topic areas and numerous special interest sessions, allowing you to customize the day's agenda for your specific needs
- Predictions on the vendors, products, and strategies best-positioned for growth
- Opportunities to network, learn, and share with colleagues and potential business partners
- Post-event, online access to Directions presentations including audio and visuals
4. Strata + Hadoop World
San Jose, California
March 13–14
"Strata + Hadoop World is a rich learning experience at the intersection of data science and business. Thousands of innovators, leaders, and practitioners gather to develop new skills, share best practices, and discover how tools and technologies are evolving to meet new challenges. Find out how big data, machine learning, and analytics are changing not only business, but society itself at Strata + Hadoop World."
Highlights
- Sensors, IOT, and industrial applications
- Real-time streaming and applications
- Data science and advanced analytics
- Concrete case studies of data at work
- Law, ethics, privacy, and open data
- Big data and data science in the cloud
5. IDG Enterprise AGENDA
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
March 20-22, 2017
"AGENDA is the business leadership conference focused on driving your business forward in changing times. AGENDA is unlike any other conference. It’s immersive, interactive and focused on giving you and your colleagues the practical tools to lead change in your organization. Today that’s about digital and new technologies that are disrupting companies, industries and the world. As we build our 2017 program, check out last year’s conference."
Highlights
- How Artificial Intelligence Will Change Your Business
- Creating New Business Models with Internet of Things
- Beyond Bitcoin: What Blockchain Means for the Rest of Us
- Virtual Reality Isn’t Just for Games Anymore
- How to Use Design Thinking to Unlock Customer-Focused Innovation
- Leadership in the Digital Economy
6. Business Transformation and Operational Excellence Summit
"The Business Transformation & Operational Excellence World Summit & Industry Awards is the redesigned continuation of the previous industry-leading Global Lean Six Sigma & Business Improvement Summit & Industry Awards and amalgamation with 5 other market leading leadership-level operational excellence conferences. BTOES17 is set to be the largest leadership-level event of its kind."
Highlights- Learn from a panel of senior leaders on how Operational Excellence is being utilized to execute strategy successfully and transforming businesses.
- Network with your operational excellence and business transformation peers facing the same challenges as you are. Bring back new contacts and new ideas to apply in your company.
- Hear from the most innovative companies that have successfully embedded Operational Excellence into their company’s DNA that is contributing to top line growth AND making an impact to the bottom line
7. TechCrunch Disrupt
New York, New York, May 2017
San Francisco, California, September 2017
"TechCrunch Disrupt is the world’s leading authority in debuting revolutionary startups, introducing game-changing technologies and discussing what’s top of mind for the tech industry’s key innovators. Disrupt gathers the best and brightest entrepreneurs, investors, hackers, and tech fans for on-stage interviews, the Startup Battlefield competition, a 24-hour Hackathon, Startup Alley, Hardware Alley, and After Parties."
Highlights
- Startup Battlefield: The very heart of TechCrunch Disrupt
- Thought Leadership: The most important topics facing today's tech landscape
- Startup Alley: See early stage companies talent and technology
- Hackathon: Development Teams create a product within 24-hours
8. Forrester’s Digital Transformation Forum: Transitioning The Digital Enterprise For Innovative Growth
Chicago, Illinois
May 9-10, 2017
"Join us as business leaders and technology innovators come together in Chicago to collaborate on the re-invention of products, processes, technologies and cultures through digital transformation. We'll explore how to increase efficiency and agility with operational excellence, while creating customer-obsessed experiences that grow revenue and re-invigorate your business."
Highlights
- 70+ sessions featuring industry experts and Forrester analysts.
- 75% of attendees are director level and above.
- 550+ technology management leaders, innovators, and practitioners.
- 60% of attending companies achieve $1B+ in annual revenue.
9. Gartner ITxpo
Orlando, Florida
October 1-5, 2017
"The World's Most Important Gathering of CIOs and Senior IT Executives: As a CIO and senior IT leader, you need actionable advice to drive digital to the core of your products, processes and talent. But you also need to prepare for disruptive trends that can help you deliver long-term business benefits. Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2017 will help you see further, explore deeper and to discover how to make digital a core competence for you and your organization."
Highlights
- A community of over 8,000 CIOs and their leadership teams
- An agenda focused on the imperatives that you and your team must pursue to align with your enterprise mission critical priority
- Six tracks spanning technology & information, leadership and business strategy
- Innovative keynotes brimming with inspiration from the world’s top innovators and leadership experts
- CIO Story sessions featuring visionary CIOs sharing practical examples of putting digital leadership into practice
- Over 200 Gartner Analysts onsite providing you with the most personal guidance and advice possible in analyst one-on-ones
10. GE Minds + Machines
San Francisco, California
October 25-26 2017
"GE’s premier Industrial Internet event dedicated to software, innovation, and the most powerful digital industrial outcomes. Hosted by GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt, Minds + Machines convenes a global community of GE customers, developers, partners, industry luminaries, and technology thought leaders to explore the digital transformation of industry, the state of the Industrial Internet, and what this means for your business."
Highlights
- The Digital Transformation Opportunity
- Delivering Digital Outcomes
- The Building Blocks for a Digital Industrial
- The Future of the Industrial Internet
11. CEO2CEO Digital Transformation Summit
New York, New York
December 2017
"The CEO2CEO Digital Transformation Summit is your chance to meet with peer CEOs and industry experts to hone your digital strategy based on what’s working for other companies. Through speaker presentations and interactive breakout sessions, you will discover new ideas, discuss new ways of thinking and expand your strategic timeline for talent management. This intensive single day event focuses on actionable items to implement at your middle-market company."
12. Shift
San Francisco, California
Date TBA
"Shift is more than just an event, it’s a campaign to alter minds, business models, skillsets, buying habits and marketplaces through digital leadership and transformation."
Highlights
- The Digital Transformation Survival Guide
- Unlocking the Trapped Value of Digital for Business and Society
- Responding to Disruption – tales from the trailblazers
- Marketing in a Digital Age - Engaging Consumers in New Ways
-
Conquering the Data Mountain
13. Global Digital Transformation Forum
Atlanta, Georgia
Date TBA
"Join your local Digital Transformation Forum to get practical advice from industry experts, while networking and sharing ideas with your peers."
Highlights
- Research insights on the state of digital transformation
- Real world business success stories presented by digital leaders
- Advisory services and facilitated group discussion by Bizagi
- Networking opportunity with industry leaders and peers
14. Innovation Enterprise Summits
Global events
Hosted year-round
This business media company specializes in enterprise innovation, bringing cross-industry knowledge to the business community through a combination of digital media and live summits, providing organizations with cutting-edge insights to drive growth in the constantly changing business environment.
They host global events throughout the year with specialties which include Big Data, Analytics, Innovation, Strategy, Digital, Finance, Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Data Officer, Chief Digital Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Data Science, FP&A, S&OP. Chances are there's an event for you!
Outside U.S.
15. Mobile World Congress
Barcelona, February 27 to March 2, 2017
16. Digital Transformation Summit
Auckland, March 22, 2017
17. Enterprise Digital Summit
Paris, June 19-20, 2017
London, November 15-17, 2017
Join Kintone for the first-ever digital transformation and workplace collaboration conference in San Francisco on November 3rd 
About the Author
Nicole is Director of Marketing at Kintone, with 10+ years experience in content strategy, campaign management, lead acquisition and building positive work cultures of empowered, purpose-driven team members. She spent seven years as a journalist, previously serving as a CBS San Francisco digital producer, NPR contributor, Patagon Journal deputy editor and reporter for several publications, including the Chicago Tribune. She's passionate about the tech for good space, social entrepreneurship and women leadership. On the weekends, you’ll likely find her putting her Master Gardener skills to use in at community gardens in Oakland.
