1. WITSA/WORLD
CONGRESS ON IT
DR. JAMES POISANT
SECRETARY GENERAL/WITSA
www.witsa.org

2. About WITSA
 Founded in 1978, WITSA was
incorporated in the
Commonwealth of Virginia, USA
in 1998.
 WITSA is a consortium of 81
Information and
Communications Technology
(ICT) leading industry
associations from economies
around the world.
 Our members represent 90% of
the world ICT market
 ICT Spending 2011-
4.1 Trillion USD
2 www.witsa.org

3. WITSA Vision and Mission
Vision
WITSA is the leading recognized
voice of the global ICT Industry
which is the key driver of global
economic growth.
WITSA is a key facilitator in
Fulfilling the Promise of the
Digital Age for everyone.
.
3 www.witsa.org

4. WITSA EVENTS
WITSA AWARDS ITS MEMBERS TWO
MAJOR EVENTS:
•1. THE WORLD CONGRESS ON
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (EVEN
YEARS-MONTREAL CANADA 2012)
•2. THE GLOBAL POLICY ACTION AND
TRADE SUMMIT (2013 BRASIL)
4 www.witsa.org

5. World Congress on IT (WCIT)
 A premier global ICT congress, WCIT brings together over
2,000 global leaders in business, government and academia
from OVER 80 countries.
 Often referred to as the ‘Olympic of ICT World, WCIT was
World
founded in 1978. Since then, it has become the world’s
leading ICT gathering with notable speakers from all over
the world.
 WCIT 2010 won the Best Conference in Europe for 2010.
5 www.witsa.org

6. World Congress on IT (WCIT)
6 Key Components of WCIT
B2B Matching
The Congress ICT Awards
Program
Networking
ICT Exhibition Other Activities
Reception
6 www.witsa.org

7. World Congress on IT(WCIT)
WCIT Locations at a Glance:
2016 Open / 1996 Bilbao, Spain
2014 Guadalajara, Mexico 1994 Yokohama, Japan
2012 Montreal, Canada 1992 London, England
2010 Amsterdam, The Netherlands 1990 Washington D.C., USA
2008 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1988 Paris, France
2006 Austin, USA 1986 Toronto, Canada
2004 Athens, Greece 1984 Tokyo, Japan
2002 Adelaide, Australia 1982 Copenhagen, Denmark
2000 Chinese Taipei 1980 San Francisco, USA
1998 Fairfax, Virginia, USA 1978 Barcelona, Spain
7 www.witsa.org

8. World Congress on IT 2008 Highlights (2/2)
In addition, the WCIT 2008 anchored 12 other prestigious core and satellite
events with over 50,000 participants, 7,500 delegates and 43,000 exhibition
visitors engaged in various ICT-related activities over a period of 10 days.
WCIT 2008 & Related Events
8 www.witsa.org

9. World Congress on IT 2010 Highlights
WCIT 2010 achievements
Speakers 250 speakers confirmed
Delegates More than 3,500 delegates from 96
countries
Media & Branding Estimated between EUR7.5 and
Value 12.5 million
Match making More than 500 profiles
network
Live Channel WCIT 1.5 million hits
2010
9 www.witsa.org

10. World Congress on IT 2010 Highlights (2/2)
Themed pavilions offered WCIT 2010 visitors
opportunities for corporate networking and
possibilities to get inspired by showcases in all
WCIT 2010 tracks
Declaration of Amsterdam The Digital Road to
Recovery
10 www.witsa.org

11. Who Attends?
Sectors (in %)
5%
• ~ 2,000 PLUS 25% Private
Public
delegates: 70% Academia
• High level executives
– CEOs, CIOs, VPs
Continents (in %)
Africa and
Middle East • ~ 80+ countries
10%10%
Asia
25%
40% Europe
15%
North America
South America
11 www.witsa.org

12. WCIT 2012 Objectives
 Content rich 2.5 days of broad discussions on how (ICT) technology
shape and help today’s “digital society”
 Featuring senior leadership of the Canadian & Global industry
and thought-leaders
 Use the occasion to showcase to a global audience the Canadian
innovation
 Build contest / create opportunity for Canadian entrepreneurs
 Attract / engage foreign investment (direct and indirect)
 Facilitate on-site B2B meetings through a web platform
 Create a “Global Digital Society Action Plan” based on the output of the
Digital Techno Jam
12 www.witsa.org

13. WCIT 2012 Conference Theme:
ONE Vision for a Global Digital Society
SECTORS
Media, Education Healthcare Public Env., Energy Transportation
Arts & & Digital & Medical Service & & Sustainable & Smart Cities
Culture Skills Research Innovatio Development
n
Access &
Participation
Environment & Technology &
THEMES
Digital Literacy
& Skills Trends Innovations
Online Safety
& Security
Privacy
Solutions & Societal
Intellectual Impacts
Property
Information
Rights
13 www.witsa.org

14. Conference Components
 Digital Techno Jam: June 5-6, 2012
 Congress: October 22-24, 2012
 Plenary sessions and experts’ panels
 Breakout sessions
 B2B for SMEs
 C200, Investment Forum for growth stage SMEs
 Ingenious / World Summit Youth Awards
14 www.witsa.org

15. About the Digital Techno Jam
 On-line engagement, prior to the Congress – up to
20,000 people world wide
 Structured and moderated discussion topics
 Outcome is a broad-based opinion on today’s “digital
society” issues
 will influence the experts’ panels discussions
 will be used to create the “Global Digital Society
Action Plan”
 1st time a Global event of this scale included a broad-based
facilitated participation
 True use of social-media and human connectivity instead of
traditional “brick & mortar” conference with exhibition
15 www.witsa.org

16. Digital Society Jam
 Key Topics
 Education & Digital Skills
 Healthcare & Medical Research
 Smart Cities & Sustainability
 Government & Public Service Innovation
 Media, Arts & Culture
 Key Dates
 Youth Jam: April 27-28, 2012
 Digital Society Jam: June 5-7, 2012
 Draft Action Plan: September 24, 2012
 WCIT Brainstorming: October 22-23, 2012
 Unveiling of the Action Plan: October 24, 2012
16 www.witsa.org

17. The Digital Society Action Plan
Jam Session
WCIT Congress
Digital Society Breakouts
Healthcare &
Moderated table brainstorming Action Plan
Medical Research
Education & Questions
Innovations Case Unveiled in Montreal
Digital Skills
Ideas Experiences studies October 24, 2012
Transportation &  Leading ideas &
Smart cities DAY 1 DAY 2 innovations across
--- --- sectors
Public service & Generating & Synthesizing
Innovation & Prioritizing  Industry
Refining
commitments to
Env., Energy & action
Sustainability Public policy Technologies Barriers &
 Public policy
suggestions obstacles
recommendations
Media, Arts & Pre-Populated Jam Content
Culture  Case studies
17 www.witsa.org

18. B2B Event
 Provide high-value, structured business meetings
for 300 to 500 SMEs
 Bring together ICT providers, integrators and
buyers
 Web-platform available to schedule meetings with
participants
 Participants: executives, decision makers, CIO, VP-
Strategic Alliances
 Partners: DFAIT, TechnoMontreal, ITAC
 Tuesday, October 23
18 www.witsa.org

19. Awards & Gala
 United Nations World Summit Youth Award to
support
 Use of Internet and Mobiles to the UN
Millennium Goals into Action (global
participation)
 Ingenious Awards
 Celebrating success through Technology
(Canadian companies)
 Oct 24th evening
19 www.witsa.org

20. WCIT 2012 Legacy
 A “Global Digital Society Action Plan” that will be
used to create the Digital Citizenship Charter at the
WCIT 2014 in Guadalajara, Mexico
 Local / International trade through B2B
 Augment business transactions
 Meet partners / customers
 Economic growth through C200 Forum
 Showcase Canadian Technology & create
investment / partnering opportunities
20 www.witsa.org

21. •NOTE: This list is not distributed as part of our marketing efforts to attract
delegates. Sponsor categories are reflected on our web site and in our brochure.
21 www.witsa.org

22. THANK YOU!
22 www.witsa.org