I represented Grow Live at the Wireless and Mobile Trade Event on 17-18 July 2007 with Targeting Innovation. It was my first time exhibiting at a trade event so I really didn't know what to expect.
I landed in Toronto at 11:50pm last night, and checked into the hotel. The conference kicked off today at 8:30am, when I arrived at the Metro centre and signed in as an exhibitor. The Glasgow City Council stand was pretty impressive – probably the biggest in terms of floor space in the main hall. Grow Live had a 1 metre stand in a fairly good location, in between M Computers and Ecosse Systems.
I scoped out 4 keynotes I wanted to attend and made all but one due to talking with a lead. The one I missed was Fingertipware which was a shame because I wanted to have a look a direct competitor’s approach – I visited their stand afterwards though.
The most important thing I took from this exposure is that we’re bang on the right track, and focus is coming off how the technology is implemented (i.e. WiMax, WiFi, GSM) and more on the applications themselves. Additionally, the importance of LBS (Location Based Software) was skirted over. There's a window of opportunity here as so many people got excited when I mentioned the geotagging feature due in GL 2008.1.
I have to say that the atmosphere in the hall was slightly intimidating at first. Americans / Canadians are much more ‘up front’ and the conference had a completely different feel to anything I’ve ever experienced in the UK. People come up to you and say things like ‘So what makes you special’ or ‘Show me what it can do’. Met some good contacts at the event including:
- A mobile & wireless consultant who sits on the board of International Mobile Communications committee.
- The president of a software engineering firm who has a potential lead for us and asked about referral fees. Will call when I get back.
- A trade associate for the British Consulate in Toronto. He can help us push out press releases and publicity and help us with our international trade relations
In the evening, a group of us went for a meal then on to The REX Jazz Club with a few people from Targetting Innovation. We watched some jazz and then moved onto an outdoor terrace bar with an arial view of the entire city.
They went to some club but I decided to head back to the hotel.
I then had two days off during which I visited Niagra falls with Irene from Targeting Innovation. Overall a great (but knackering) couple of days in Canada.
