Port Moresby hosting business, innovation talks in November

SOFTWARE, apps, drones, robots, e-commerce, e-Government, digital banking, better internet, carbon neutral energy, developing new products, are topics among others that will be explored at Innovation PNG 2019 on Nov 8.
According to a statement from Business Advantage International, hundreds of delegates from business, government and the education/training sector would arrive at The Stanley Hotel in Port Moresby, for Innovation PNG 2019 – Papua New Guinea’s inaugural innovation conference.
The conference aims to celebrate and encourage innovation in all of its forms, from technology start-ups to the development of new products and processes and the embracing of the digital economy.
An initiative of the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry (POMCCI) and Business Advantage International and endorsed by the Government through the Commerce and Industry Department; the one-day conference will be opened by Prime Minister James Marape.
The event will feature a variety of talks, discussions and activities aimed at inspiring, informing and entertaining delegates.
Keynote presentations from international experts such as Deloitte Centre for the Edge’s innovation expert Pete Williams, Hewlett Packard’s Megatrends ambassador Paul Burman and PwC’s telecom, media and technology sector leader Mohammad Chowdhury will provide insights into international trends and practice.
Meanwhile, special focus sessions will look in detail at various industry sectors and hot topics for PNG itself, such as e-Government, the opportunities that would flow from better internet and innovation in education/training, banking and agriculture.
The real stars of the event will be the dozen or more hand-picked entrepreneurs who will present their stories on their innovations.
“With internet in PNG getting a real boost from the Coral Sea Cable system and the Kumul submarine cable, this is the ideal time for business and government to come together and start focusing on the opportunities,” POMCCI president Rio Fiocco said.
The winners of the first ever Innovation PNG Awards designed to reward innovation in both small and large organisations will be judged by a panel chaired by Deloitte’s Pete Williams and will also be announced at the conference.
“The real stars of the event will be the dozen or more hand-picked entrepreneurs who will be telling the stories of their own innovations in PNG,” Business Advantage International publishing director Andrew Wilkins said.
“From start-ups to big business, they will demonstrate that PNG is already a centre for innovation and is heading in the right direction.”
Communications and Energy Minister Rainbo Paita will also participate and provide details on Government policies for encouraging innovation.
For the full programme and to register, visit http://www.innovationpng.com