Mobile technology has completely changed the game for many industries. From telecom to photo sharing to hailing a cab, and from retail to healthcare, travel, and home automation, apps and devices have opened up worlds of opportunity for entrepreneurs, consumers, and businesses.
In short, mobile is taking over.
But which companies and investors are now driving innovation in different sectors? What new industries or fields are ripe for disruption? And where will Boston-area innovators play a big role in creating the future?
On March 19, Xconomy is holding our sixth annual mobile conference to tackle these issues, and much more. “Mobile Madness 2014: The Next Disruptors” is taking place at our usual gathering spot: Microsoft NERD in Cambridge, MA. As always, we are convening an elite group of mobile-tech and business leaders from New England and beyond for an afternoon of interactive chats, demos, and talks.
What’s clear this year is that mobile has entered a new phase. Almost every company has a mobile component or strategy already in place. It’s time to look at the impact from three perspectives—the technologists, the business leaders, and the users—and see how our region’s companies and products stack up.
The Boston area has a rich history in mobile software development, advertising, marketing, and networking. What are the next big areas of impact?
We are working on the 3/19 agenda, but I can share a few highlights:
—Wayne Chang, the co-founder of Crashlytics and a general manager at Twitter, will discuss mobile product strategy, marketing, and distribution.
—Jason Jacobs, the CEO of FitnessKeeper, will talk about the state of mobile health and fitness (and consumer apps and platforms more broadly).
—Eric Giler, the CEO of WiTricity, is also chairman of a young startup called Scratch Wireless, which is trying to disrupt the big-wireless-carrier business model.
—Doron Reuveni, the CEO of uTest (soon to be called Applause), leads one of the fastest-growing startups in town as it tries to become a household name in app testing and analytics.
More details and speakers are coming soon. We will organize the program around major areas of disruption: health, finance, retail, telecom, consumer/enterprise apps, and home automation and connected devices (who’ll be the next Nest?).
If you register by Feb. 5, you can take advantage of the early bird rate. We are looking forward to seeing you all at NERD on March 19.
