News: 3-day CreaTech 2020 festival at Virtual CogX

Ambitious 3-Day CreaTech Programme for Virtual CogX

An upbeat vision of how creativity and technology can converge to improve the way we connect, create and consume was outlined by CreaTech 2020, at the first Virtual CogX event from 8-10 June.

The CreaTech initiative, hosted by the Creative Industries Council (CIC) to accelerate growth opportunities at the intersection of creative and technology, formed part of Virtual CogX, the UK’s biggest Global Leadership Summit and Festival of AI and breakthrough technology, to launch its most diverse and comprehensive programme yet.

The programme includes three days of video streams, a digital Expo featuring over 100 CreaTech businesses, and smart networking opportunities with international audiences. As part of the programe, CreaTech 2020 also launched its 100 Ones to Watch list of breakthrough businesses combining creativity and technology.

Watch CreaTech 2020 @Virtual CogX Day 1 (via YouTube)

Watch CreaTech 2020 @Virtual CogX Day 2 (via YouTube)

Watch CreaTech 2020 @Virtual CogX Day 3 (via YouTube)

The CreaTech live video stream on the Virtual CogX digital platform featured contributions from more than 50 formidable business leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Browse the CreaTech programme highlights.

Speakers outlined the benefits and challenges in combining human creativity with technologies such as extended reality and 5G. They looked at how CreaTech organisations are innovating in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and long-term terms such as climate change and the need to develop new business models.

Financing experts and experienced investors also set out how to raise funding for CreaTech projects, even in tough times.

Between main sessions, short films of CreaTech highlights kept audiences inspired and entertained.

The digital Expo featured booths from the Creative Industries Council and CreaTech Associate Partners & Supporters.

CreaTech 2020 was supported by Digital Catapult, Facebook, Moore Kingston Smith, and UKRI/AHRC. CreaTech 2020 Associate Partners are the GREAT campaign, London & Partners, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, and the UK Advertising Export Group.

Launching the event programme, CIC Co-Chair and BBC Studios CEO Tim Davie said:

“Our creative industries are at a critical point as they look to build on the success of recent years, dealing with the significant current challenges before delivering further growth. Technology has never been more important to us, both as the backbone of business growth and, increasingly as an enabler of world-class ideas. Joining with Virtual CogX gives CreaTech 2020 an exciting opportunity to tap into a wider conversation about how best to harness innovation and deliver success in the current climate.”

Janet Hull, CIC CreaTech Organiser and Marketing Director at the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, said:

“Now in its fourth year, CreaTech is ready to take centre stage alongside FinTech and HealthTech to demonstrate its credentials to the wider UK economy, and ensure the UK’s global leadership position. The new all-digital format serves our interests in reaching a bigger, more international audience from the USA to China.”

Esther Carder, Partner at Moore Kingston Smith, said:

“The CreaTech space is attracting increasing interest from investors. We are delighted to participate in this new-look CreaTech programme to help businesses navigate the financing and business requirements to realise the sector’s full potential.”

Jeremy Silver, CEO of Digital Catapult, said:

“The combination of new creative and technology thinking could not be more necessary than today. Whilst corporations may wish to retrench and conserve cash, creative companies need to invest in innovation today in order to create the new propositions and business models that will sustain them.

“We're looking forward hugely to the incredibly high standard of debate and fascinating discussion that is the hallmark of this event."

CreaTech – previously a stand-alone, one-day event – attracts a diverse and international audience of senior decision-makers, entrepreneurs, creatives, and technologists.

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