Catch the best of Southeast Asia – potential customers, latest ecosystem developments, or new skills - at these conferences

Did you know you can get updates on your industry’s latest developments, network with potential customers and thought leaders, pick up new skills, and maybe even find your next ‘big idea’, all at one place? If you’ve guessed it, that’s right – we’re talking about business conferences.

With Southeast Asia rapidly becoming a hub for entrepreneurs and startups, the region has many conferences and events that bring together the entire industry ecosystem. Filled with panel discussions and keynotes on issues and topics that are top-of-mind in the industry, some of the business conferences in Southeast Asia promise to be melting pots of refreshing new ideas. The challenge though is often for busy executives and their overworked teams to sift through hundreds of conferences advertised online, and find the ones that are truly credible and have the potential to bring value to their business.

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But help is at hand. Here’s a list of the top six business conferences that need to be on every professional’s bucket list for 2018. Start planning your travels soon!

DevSecCon, Singapore

DevSecCon brings together DevOps and security professionals to discuss ways and means to build data and other forms of security into the product development process. Its talks and panel discussions focus on bringing secure DevOps to the top of the agenda for the industry.

Who should attend: Any tech professional who wants to learn more about secure DevOps, including DevOps team leads, security professionals, Agile practitioners, developers, product innovation managers, head of platforms, system admins, cloud security strategists, architects, engineers, analysts, CTOs, CISOs, IT managers, consultants, directors, application security experts, etc.

CommunicAsia, Singapore

CommunicAsia’s legacy in the SEA region as well as among communication tech circles around the world is well known. Bringing together thought leaders, decision-makers, and influencers from the ecosystem, CommunicAsia’s core focus is to explore new technologies and share ideas that are set to change how we communicate.

Who should attend: This list could include stakeholders like ICT leaders and disruptors, carriers/network operators, content providers, distributors/resellers, e-business solutions providers, communications/IT consultancies, Internet/value-added service providers, IT/software developers, manufacturers of communications/computer equipment, PTT/communications authorities, satellite/broadcast/cable, system integrators, and more.

FossAsia Summit, Singapore

The annual FossAsia Summit is a premier Open Technology event aimed at developers, contributors, startups, and technology companies in the Open Tech ecosystem in Asia. Founded in 2009, the event has steadily grown in the number of attendees as well as speakers. At the upcoming 2018 event, FossAsia’s attendees will network and discuss industry-crucial questions like the role of new-age data scientists, tracks on machine learning, personal assistants, open-source solutions as well as design focused workshops for UX designers.

Who should attend: Developers, startup founders, leaders, and other professionals in the free and open-source technology ecosystem.

TechSauce Global Summit, Bangkok

In its second edition, TechSauce Global Summit is back with a renewed focus on deep-tech startups and technology companies from Thailand and across the globe. It promises valuable insights from the movers and shakers of the global tech ecosystem, including fintech influencers, blockchain, smart city, and robotics experts, senior technology analysts and editors, government bodies, founders, and creative technologists.

Who should attend: Technology leaders and professionals, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs.

RISE, Hong Kong

RISE is an annual event that brings speakers, market leaders, entrepreneurs, and startups from a variety of industries in one place to speak about a huge range of topics. The event also combines 12 standalone conferences in one place, on diverse tracks like marketing, design, coding, big data, robotics, SaaS, and more.

Who should attend: Early-stage startup entrepreneurs, professionals, and intrapreneurs.

Asian Women in Leadership Summit, Singapore

This annual women’s leadership conference is a platform to bring forth insights from and about the challenges Asian women face in shattering glass ceilings. The core objective of the summit is to learn from existing women leaders in the ecosystem and encourage gender diversity in C-suite functions and boardrooms.

Who should attend: CXOs, founders, policy makers, senior corporate leaders, HR decision-makers, individuals with interest in corporate diversity and inclusion, as well as mid-level women professionals aiming for the C-suite.

Apart from these top-level conferences, several other smaller conferences dot the calendar year as well, many catering to niche audiences and markets, such as Health ingredients Southeast Asia (pharmaceutics), IFSEC Southeast Asia (fire and safety), SEMICON Southeast Asia (manufacturing & supply), etc. Keep your eyes peeled for such smaller conferences that are relevant to you and your sector, and be sure to attend the ones that seem to give the most value. Who knows – attending one of these could change your fortunes for the better!

(TechSparks will return in 2018. Visit the website to sign up for further updates.)