Smart home technology is a big, and constantly growing, business. With any business this big, there are events held worldwide that cater to its unique industry, competitive landscape, and consumer adaptation.
There are consumer events, where products are released and a ton of buzz is built, and there are industry events, where leaders gather to discuss the industry trends and how to be successful in the space.
Here are just a few events that are held each year – some of them are well-established shows, and some of them are new to the game.
CES
CES (Consumer Electronic Show) is probably the most famous and recognizable event for technology. This event is held in the US each winter, and is largely a consumer show. This is THE show where all the big companies exhibit, and where they release their newest, latest, and greatest products. The show, produced by the Consumer Technology Association, is like the San Diego Comic Con of the tech industry – it’s big and exciting.
The show has been around for 50 years, and the innovative products launched at the show are the type that change the world. They consistently hold the show in Las Vegas, and even have it booked in that city through 2020. Their exhibitor list is almost 4,000 strong, their conference session count exceeds 300, and their attendee numbers top 160,000 people from all over the world.
Smart World
Smart World is a summer event that is held in London. This is an event for industry leaders, and boosts that its discussion groups are senior level and influential. The conference is focused on finding more ways to add business value and monetization to the connected home space. The event acts as a platform to help identify and connect business models, partnerships, products, and services. They have a list of global speakers – covering topics including utilities, security, retail, and insurance – and hold several networking events throughout the conference.
Smart Energy
Smart Energy is a winter conference held in the US. The summit is for those in the industry that are looking for ways to engage consumers. During the summit, executive speakers and attendees work together to examine the market for energy solution and home security and how it impacts other businesses, like service providers, manufacturers, and even consumers. Analysts, media, and leaders are encouraged to attend to form new partnerships, develop strategies to help engage consumers, and find ways to deploy their plans for energy solutions in the ever-increasing connected home market.
Connected+
Connected+ is held in Canada each fall, and presents itself as a collaborative forum for the connected industry. They book some of the best in the industry, and bring everyone together to learn and network. They provide a place for the industry to attend dynamic sessions, browse the exhibition hall, participate in technical workshops, and innovate with colleagues. They focus on the connected home, the connected consumer, and the overall Internet of Things to give you a fresh, comprehensive look at the state of the industry.
Which smart technology events do you attend each year?
Photo by: Chris