Karen Chupka describes the fast-approaching shifts in technology that is used globally and in everyday life as both revolutionary and world-changing.
As overwhelming as that may sound – at least on its surface – how consumer technology executives and strategists choose to navigate the coming changes in today’s tech-driven society becomes increasingly vital.
But as the industry leader when it comes to connectivity and mobility, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), producers of CES, comes armed with solutions.
As it does each year, CTA will will again showcase the future at CES 2018 – a high-level business event that touches every industry and that reflects and drives global technology as it evolves.
A year after attracting nearly 185,000 visitors, CES 2018 will convene from January 9-12 in Las Vegas in a four-day event will again attract the world’s top business leaders and pioneering thinkers. The event will also include more than 200 conference sessions and more than 1,000 speakers and presenters.
“CES covers all aspects of consumer technology – from automotive to wireless and everything in between,” said Chupka, senior vice president, CES and corporate business strategy, CTA. “Since we cover so many industries, we can showcase new technologies and how they impact various industries.”
Of the more than 170,000 attendees that are expected at CES 2018, this year’s gathering is expected to draw more than 65,000 senior-level executives and 3,500 financial professionals from more than 150 countries. According to Chupka, because CES reaches such a global audience on an annual basis – with more than one-third of attendees coming from outside the United States – companies have the opportunity network with other experts and industry leaders that they otherwise would not be able to meet.
CES 2018 will include more than 3,900 exhibitors from around the globe that will be launching products across 24 categories over 2.6 million net square feet of exhibit space. CES 2018 will again offer business leaders and executives a platform for innovators of all sizes to better build their brands.
Last year, leading-edge companies such as Under Armour showcased their latest innovations and partnered with Olympic champion Michael Phelps and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to launch new product lines.
In addition to professional athletes who will participate in CES 2018, former NBA All-Star Baron Davis will serve as the CES Ambassador.
Davis, who played 13 seasons in the NBA, is now a full-time entrepreneur, investor and businessman with Baron Davis Enterprises. Davis is the creator of several companies including Sports and Lifestyle in Culture, No Label, UNIFD and Black Santa, each of which combines creative talent with original publication, production and merchandise to develop engaging stories that appeal to global audiences.
“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and even during my playing days, worked to invest in and build new businesses in the media and technology worlds,” Davis said after he was announced as the CES 2018 ambassador. “Now, as a full-time entrepreneur and investor, I’m excited to see everything CES has to offer.”
This year’s event will also showcase the CES Sports Zone, an innovative new space that over the span of four days will focus on how technology is changing sports as well as the business of sport around the world. The CES Sports Zone allows attendees to experience the intersection of sports and technology first-hand.
This interactive space – which is presented by Turner Sports and supported by The Sports Innovation Lab – will center around a variety of topics including media rights and sponsorships, athletes and data-driven athletic performance, fan experience and immersive technologies such as AR and VR, smart arenas and venues as well as the growth of eSports.
As part of the CES Sports Zone, Turner will broadcast NBA on TNT and Inside the NBA as well as host conversations with top-level sports executives. CES 2017 included appearances by commissioners from the NBA, Major League Soccer, the NHL and the Pac-12 Conference.
CES 2018 will also introduce new conference and exhibit space devoted to Smart Cities and how 5G technology will enable everything from the driverless car to smart grid technology and even smart venues.
But even with so much going on throughout the four-day event, Chupka believes that CTA’s ability to bring everything – and everyone – together as one helps to keep CES at the top of its game in producing the cutting edge conference each year.
“We work hard to make sure that we are able to create a sense of community around different verticals on the show floor,” Chupka said. “There is so much to see and experience. Therefore, we have to make it easy for attendees to discover other parts of the show that are also relevant for their business.”