Digital ICT Week successfully concludes with its 5-day rich programme

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390 participants - 38 countries - 400 meetings booked - 5 conferences - 27 speakers - 8 pitches

From 30 November to 4 December, the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and its Enterprise Europe Network, together with Farvest, organised Digital ICT Week. This 5-day event celebrated digitalisation while integrating several flagship events, namely the IT One Gala with its Luxembourg ICT Awards and a national Web Summit side event.

The programme of Digital ICT Week also encompassed numerous thematic webinars, international business meetings by b2fair, thematic tech tours, and more.

The event was inaugurated on 30 November 2020, in the presence of the Luxembourg Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Tourism, H.E. Mr Lex Delles, who highlighted the importance of digitalisation in fostering competitiveness of companies and touched upon the initiatives of the Ministry in helping SMEs in their digital transformation.

Ms Sabrina Sagramola, Manager International Affairs of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, focused on convergence of internationalisation, digitalisation and how the union of the two can result in successful cooperation. Mr Kamel Amroune, CEO of Farvest, spoke about Digital ICT Week as a federator of fostering partnerships and innovation.

Mr Giacomo Mattinò, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Internal Market at the European Commission, mentioned numerous European initiatives, such as the Europe4Digital programme to help European companies in their digitalisation drive, as well as making European companies fit the digital era. Ms Vanda Narciso, National Coordinator of the Enterprise Europe Network Portugal at the IAPMEI, the Portuguese Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation of SMEs, focused on the importance of building international partnerships and synergies.

The inauguration was followed by a dynamic webinar on the key components to startup acceleration with the participation of Mr Alain Rodermann, Founding Partner of Expon Capital, Mr Nicolas Valaize, Fund Raising Advisor of the House of Startups, Mr Robert Glaesner, CEO of Talkwalker, and Mr Jonathan Prince, Co-Founder of Finologee.

Moreover, the digital event presented one of Luxembourg’s flagship projects, the MeluXina. The session had the honour to welcome Mr Pascal Bouvry, CEO of LuxProvide, Mr Valentin Plugaru, CTO of  LuxProvide, and Mr Matthieu Lefebvre, Group Leader, User Engagement & Professional Services at LuxProvide. It touched on the scientific and commercial advantages of the MeluXina high performance computer and how it will foster research and innovation.

The second day of Digital ICT Week was opened by the ‘Five things you need to know about ICT in Luxembourg’ workshop. The session was moderated by Mr Kamel Amroune, CEO of Farvest Group, and had the pleasure to welcome Mr David Foy, Head of International Business Development - Digital Economy at Luxinnovation, and Mr Jerry Probst, International Business Development Manager at EBRC Luxembourg. The session illustrated Luxembourg's digital innovation strategy and the support services provided by the eco-system to its companies.

Digital ICT Week also integrated the IT One Gala, which welcomed key note speeches from Mr Carlo Thelen, CEO – Director General of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and H.E. Mr Marc Hansen, Minister Delegate for Digitalisation. The Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce also had the honour to receive the ‘Outstanding Business Federator Award’ at the Luxembourg ICT Awards for the support measures put in place for companies during the pandemic. Mr Thelen received the award on Tuesday night on behalf of the team at the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce who have been instrumental in providing and transforming services according to the current needs of local companies.

Luxembourg continued its tradition of organising its National Side Event at Web Summit, digitally this time. Organised on 3 December in collaboration with Startup Luxembourg and IAPMEI Portugal, the side event included key note speeches, the Inside Startup Luxembourg session as well as a pitching session with Luxembourg and Portuguese innovative startups.

Moderated by Mr Philippe Linster, CEO of the House of Startups, the event welcomed an opening address by Ms Cindy Tereba, Director International Affairs of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, who highlighted the importance of digitisation, hence the national presence at Web Summit for Luxembourg and its companies. Ms Tereba’s speech was followed by the intervention of H.E Mr Conrad Bruch, newly appointed Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to Portugal, who focused on Luxembourg’s attractiveness and the close bilateral relations between Luxembourg and Portugal.

The keynote speeches were concluded by Ms Helena Moura, Director for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at IAPMEI, who underlined the role of events such as the Web Summit in fostering entrepreneurship.

The 3 edition of the Inside Startup Luxembourg session of the side event focused on fintech this time, with presentations from the Ministry of the Economy, Luxinnovation, and the LHoFT - Luxembourg House of Fintech. This session showcased Luxembourg’s attractiveness as a Fintech Hub. The Inside Startup Luxembourg session was concluded with presentations by fintech startups who shared their experience of working in Luxembourg.

The third part of the side event included dynamic presentations of four Luxembourg and four Portugal startups.

The last day of Digital ICT Week will continue to focus on b2b meetings between companies.

Inauguration of the DIGITAL ICT WEEK – 30th November 2020 from Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce on Vimeo.

DIGITAL ICT WEEK - Five things you need to know about ICT Luxembourg from Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce on Vimeo.

DIGITAL ICT WEEK - A conversation with experts: what are the ingredients required to scale a startup? from Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce on Vimeo.

DIGITAL ICT WEEK - Discover MeluXina: Luxembourg’s world-class supercomputer from Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce on Vimeo.

DIGITAL ICT WEEK - Luxembourg Side Event @ Websummit 2020: in collaboration with Startup Luxembourg & IAPMEI Portugal from Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce on Vimeo.