On 7 and 8 February 2017 the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference EUROPE back in Munich! Since 2006, the industry-leading conference for innovators and decision-makers in the wearable technologies sector has been held parallel to ISPO. The two-day event will not only explore the future of wearables for sports and fitness, but also showcase new technologies from other market segments (such as health) and cutting-edge technologies for future applications. The WT | Innovation World Cup Award Ceremony will also take place on February 7, where over 30 startups will present their innovative products and prototypes.
We have met with Christian Stammel, CEO of Die WT | Wearable Technologies, and asked him a bit about the upcoming conference.
Christian, who is behind the WT Conference?
WT | Wearable Technologies AG: Wearable Technologies has been working on the topic of body-worn technologies since 2006 and proved to be a driving force in this field even before the big hype erupted 2-3 years ago.
What exactly do you, or rather WT, do?
As a pioneer and world-leading innovation and market development platform for wearables, we support companies of all sizes with individual consulting, networking opportunities (through our membership program and events), marketing support, and especially startups with the innovation competition WT | Wearable Technologies Innovation World Cup.
From insider tip to international top event
How long has the conference existed and how has it developed since then?
Our first WT | Wearable Technologies Conference was held as part of ISPO in 2006 and was subsequently repeated annually. Since 2012, we have hosted a counterpart in the USA (San Francisco), and since 2013 in Asia (Taipei and Hong Kong). The event has grown from an insider tip for experts to an event with almost 1,000 participants, whose attendees reflect the entire wearables value chain.
Which startup will be 'Innovator of the Year'?
What can we expect at this year's WT Conference? Are there any special highlights?
This year, we'll have big names on stage again, including Red Bull, TUI, Huami, Niantic, and Generali. But startups won't be left out either. On February 7, the award ceremony for our WT | Wearable Technologies Innovation World Cup will take place, honoring the Innovator of the Year There will also be a guided tour of ISPO (last year it had over 200 participants) followed by an evening reception party in the ISPO Tipis.
Which industries are associated with WT?
IT, chip manufacturers, startups and established companies offering consumer and B2B product solutions, communication technologies, network providers, distributors and related services.
What are the WT trends for 2017?
Groundbreaking developments have occurred in almost every market segment over the past year. We therefore expect to see many second or third generation products this year. Power supply is and remains a hot topic. There are now many serious solutions for gaming, as well as for the healthcare sector. We expect some innovations here as well.
Startups that we should remember or that you work with?
Tacterion, Wotch, IDEA, audeering.
Thank you for the conversation, we look forward to seeing many innovations at the conference!
