SingularityU Summit Peru 2018: what the most important innovation event of the year left us

In order to position Peru as a high-impact business ecosystem, a leader in the region which drives innovation, technology and entrepreneurial capital, the SingularityU Summit Peru 2018, the most important innovation and technology event of the year, was held in our country for the first time.

SingularityU Summit Peru was held on December 4-5 at the Lima Convention Center and was organized by Singularity University, a global learning community located in Silicon Valley that uses exponential technologies to meet the world's greatest challenges and is made up of 21,000 alumni from 110 countries.

Personal experience of philanthropist Peter Diamandis

One of the key exhibitors at the event was Peter Diamandis, a Greek-American engineer, doctor and businessman who is considered one of the 50 most significant leaders in the world according to Fortune. He spoke via video-conference about the challenges that have to be faced by anyone who wants to innovate.

The philanthropist, known as a pioneer in the field of private space travel, spoke of his personal experience in technology and diversity: "Every person needs to find what we at Singularity University call the massive fundamental purpose. You need to find out what you really love. You need to know what you want to do in the world to be happy, what motivates you to wake up in the morning, what inspires you, and work on that. My main purpose in life as a child was space travel, and that's what I dedicated myself to".

Diamandis also spoke of the behavior of Peruvian entrepreneurs: "Peru needs, at a brand level, to decide why it wants to be recognized at an international level. What anyone in Silicon Valley should think when they mention Peru. You have to think of one or two aspects, not ten, and focus on them".

The risks of not riding the wave of technological disruption

The executive director of Singularity University, Will Weisman, was one of the main protagonists of the event. In response to the question, 'What are the risks of not riding the wave of technological disruption?', Weisman responded categorically: an aging supply of products and services and thus lower employment and productivity. As a consequence, not riding the wave of technological disruption will most likely lead to companies' portfolios of products and services losing relevance and therefore the ability to win over the customer. Weisman also stressed the importance of empowering people: "I think the most important thing we have to do is focus on people, on the work. Train them and educate them, so that they have new skills to make sure that human beings are more relevant than they were in the past".

National exhibitors

The Minister of Production, Raúl Pérez-Reyes, addressed the strategies that the Peruvian market has in the field of digital marketing, to stimulate small and medium enterprises through the use of technology, enabling them to attract better customers. He also indicated that the economic development of a country is necessarily linked to having institutions that work. Moreover, the former Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Roger Valencia, stressed the importance of promoting innovation and learning using technology to meet the world's greatest challenges, as this culture offers the market new digital experiences.

In total, 26 national and international exhibitors transmitted their personal experiences at the SingularityU Summit Peru 2018.

Source: El Comercio / singularityuperusummit.com