News

Digital Freedom Festival Announces Extensive Programme
2017
Nov 15

The technology, startup, policy and lifestyle festival Digital Freedom Festival, which will be held November 27th and 28th in Riga, has announced the official programme. Expanding the scope of the festival, which will take place on six stages, it will gather more that 100 conference speakers from all over the world to discuss the newest developments in technology and their effect on startups, corporations, policy and lifestyle.

Digital Freedom Festival Co-Founder Dagnija Lejiņa: “We’re happy that 1000 participants from 25 countries have already confirmed their participation in the festival, including more than 100 startup companies. During two days anyone can get the global experience pertaining to new technology. We’ll try to get ahead of the curve and discuss how technology can raise our business, country and, yes, our personal life to the next level of development and acceleration, which allows us all to gain from the technological revolution.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economics for the Republic of Latvia Arvils Ašeradens: “I’m pleased that such an extensive event dedicated to technology as the Digital Freedom Festival is being held in Latvia, because technology is the country’s, city’s and every individual’s tomorrow. The ability to develop technological skills, promote a startup-friendly business environment, and create synergy between startups and corporations will define Latvia’s competitiveness to a large extent in the future. As a small country we have the opportunity to be more dynamic, more creative and more open to new ideas – it’s an opportunity we must take.”

Main Topics – Artificial Intelligence, Smart Cities, Cybersecurity, Green Technology, FinTech and Digital Detox

The festival will be opened by the President of Latvia Raimonds Vējonis. Speaking on the festival main stage will be the Founder of world-leading think-tank Singularity University at the NASA Research Centre in Silicon Valley Kathryn Myronuk (USA), NATO Cyber Security Centre Director Merle Maigre, and Director of Innovation at Brandwidth Dean Johnson from the United Kingdom, who will demonstrate the blurred line between man and machine in an interactive presentation. These technology enthusiasts will also discuss the future of cities, morals and communication.

The Lattelecom Open Stage will look for cooperation opportunities between startup businesses and corporations. There will be discussions on the future of artificial intelligence, where the Programme Director for the artificial intelligence accelerator Rockstart Marjel Quekel from the Netherlands, and SIFR AB Co-Founder and Director Taavi Tammiste from Estonia, will be taking the stage. Lattelecom will also present the e-index of Latvia – and evaluation of state institution and local government e-environment, which analyses how actively state institutions and local government use solutions provided by modern technology to improve the quality and accessibility of services for people and businesses.

The main topic for the Norvic Investor Lounge will be financial technologies, and speakers will include the European Commission Startup and Innovation Department Director Pēteris Zilgalvis and Transferwise Government Relations Director Flora Coleman from the United Kingdom and many more, including blockchain and cryptocurrency specialists.

At the Latvian Investment and Development Agency’s Magnetic Latvia Business Centre it will be possible to get inspiration from Latvia’s most successful startup businesses.

The Green Innovation Lounge will host discussions on green technologies and how they can save the planet.

In turn, the Lifestyle Lounge will take a look at lifestyle changes in the technological era, the synergy between art and technology, and the future of fashion and food.

During the festival 5 Startup Pitch Competitions will take place, which will be organised by world-leading accelerator 500 Startups (USA), artificial intelligence accelerator Rockstart (Netherlands), the Latvian Business Angel Association (LatBAN), the European Innovation Initiative Climate-Kic and the EstLat Accelerate project.

Full festival programme: http://www.digitalfreedomfestival.com/festival/schedule/

Media accreditation form: http://www.digitalfreedomfestival.com/why-join/media/

Additional Information:

Inga Tauriņa,

Digital Freedom Festival Press Secretary

Phone: +371 26564629

e-mail: inga@dffestival.com

www.digitalfreedomfestival.com

_________________________________________________________________________

About Digital Freedom Festival

The Digital Freedom Festival is a global technology, startup, policy and lifestyle festival, gathering 1300 new technology and startup entrepreneurs, experts, policy makers, investors, journalists and speakers from all over the world in Riga from the 27th to the 28th of November. We encourage discussion amongst all stakeholders on how technologies can truly “make the world a better place”, and to bring the benefits of the digital revolution to every member of society.

The conference is organised by the Digital Freedom Festival team as well as the reputation management company Lejiņa & Šleiers and NGO DFF. The Digital Freedom Festival supporters: Strategic Partner – Lattelecom, Official Bank – Norvik Banka, Pitch Competition Partner – 500 Startups, European Commission, Ministry of Economics of Latvia, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, airBaltic, PINS, Latvia 100 Office, Association of Latvian Commercial Banks, Latvian Business Angel Network (LatBAN), Rockstart Accelerator, Latvian Startup Association, SAMSUNG, NATO StratCOM, Embassy of Israel to Latvia, U.S. Embassy Riga, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Latvia, Slush, Mailigen, Printful, Coffee Pixels, S/B PRO Startup Studio. Media partners: LETA, Diena, Star FM, CoFounder, IR, BerlinBalticNordic.net, LabsofLatvia, The Baltic Times, Dienas Bizness, TVnet.lv and others.

Two-day festival tickets are available for purchase at  www.digitalfreedomfestival.com.

You are welcome to follow the latest Digital Freedom Festival news via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts (#DFFestival).