[This is a sponsored post with Sidec.]
With all the business and lifestyle digitalisation that took place during the pandemic, a future Malaysia with smart cities and a thriving digital economy is no longer so far-fetched.
But much work still needs to be done to bring this vision to life. This is where Selangor Information Technology & Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) comes in to spur valuable discussions surrounding smart cities and Malaysia’s digital economy goals.
One of its main annual events since 2016 has been the Smart City & Digital Economy Convention (SDEC), which will be held in a hybrid manner this year.
At this convention, industry leaders, academics, SMEs, and key players from the private and public sectors are gathered to delve into the mechanics of existing and future smart city and digital economy frameworks and solutions.
Towards a digital economy
The event spans 3 days, from November 19 to November 21. For this year, SDEC comprises 3 core themes, each with its own corresponding events:
- Day 1: Embracing Fintech, Agritech & Travel Tech towards Economic Recovery
- Day 2: Digital Marketing & SME Digitalisation Trends Post Covid-19
- Day 3: Pitch@Selangor 5: Selangor Super League
Day 1 and Day 2’s themes are broken down into 4 to 5 different panels, covering topics such as fintech disruption, post-pandemic travel and tourism, navigating funding in agritech, Malaysian e-commerce trends and opportunities, and the future of subscription business models, to name a few.
In total, there will be at least 35 experts speaking at these panels. They include representatives from notable companies like Aerodyne Group, Agrobank, AFFIN BANK, Green Packet, Agroz Group, AirAsia Farm, Avana, and more.
On the final day, SDEC will have a dedicated showcase and exhibition for startups to share their stories and products with attendants, as well as find potential partners and investors.
10 startups will be selected from Selangor Accelerator Programme (SAP) 2018-2021 to be part of the startup showcase with 10 other startups from ScaleUp Malaysia and Sunway iLabs to compete to win cash prizes worth RM30,000. The top 3 startups will also win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Expo 2020 Dubai.
A proven track record
Those interested in joining the convention will be happy to know that you can purchase a 3-day pass that’s been discounted to RM79 (from its original price of RM200). It’s also inclusive of 1x breakfast, 1x lunch, and 2x tea breaks to complement your time there.
If you’ve yet to be convinced that this is an event well worth your time, we’ll let SDEC’s track record do the talking.
Since SDEC’s debut in 2016, it’s seen 5,000 to 8,000 participants in person per year. In 2020, it pivoted online to align with the pandemic’s SOPs and saw an even wider audience of 177,974.
This turnout broke its previous records, owing to the event’s online nature, and so SDEC 2021 has gone the hybrid route to the maximum benefit of participants.
Over the years, its showcased startups have also successfully done business matching and saw sales of up to RM77 million.
Based on its track record, SDEC is certainly not an event to be missed by anyone who wants industry insights and further networking opportunities for their own ventures.
Featured Image Credit: Sidec
