Mobile World Congress 2018

Start: Monday 26 February 2018 8:00 am

End: Wednesday 31 January 2018 5:00 pm

Venue: Fira Gran Via

Mobile World Congress is the world’s largest gathering for the mobile industry and the theme for 2018 is exploring how mobile is creating a better future for all. Mobile for Development is excited to demonstrate how mobile is creating socio-economic impact and shaping a #BetterFuture through a number of seminars, demonstrations in Innovation City, meetings and a networking reception. Follow us on @GSMAm4d for live updates from the event.

 

Humanitarian Innovation Showcase
Innovation City
Hall 4
Cutting-edge hardware demonstrations will be featured alongside 360-degree interactive content to help visitors see how mobile services are impacting lives in humanitarian contexts.

 

Payments as a Platform: Unlocking the API Economy and the Future of Digital Innovation
Monday 26 February, 16:00-17:30
Hall 1, CC1, Room 1.5
As the leading payments providers in a growing number of emerging markets, mobile operators are uniquely placed to accelerate digital solutions to advance social and economic development. Beyond financial inclusion, this is facilitating increased access to basic services such as water and energy, enabling the growth of e-commerce, and giving start-ups tools to take ideas to scale.  However, serving as the payments platform for innovation means that operators confront significant challenges. Rapid expansion has yielded a complex and technically fragmented industry. Originally celebrated as innovators, operators are now being looked upon as incumbents by fintech and tech giants who are well placed to rapidly unbundle and re-bundle digital payment solutions. This seminar will look at how new players and partnerships, enabled by greater connectivity, better interfaces and different business models, will allow operators to reach the underserved and provide access to a wider range of digital services.

View the speakers here

 

Networking Reception
Monday 26 February, 19:30
Palau Requesens, Carrer Bisbe Cassador, 3, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
The Mobile for Development team are hosting a networking reception, open to all M4D enthusiasts, where there will be interesting announcements from the Ecosystem Accelerator and Connected Women Programmes.

 

What a #BetterFuture means for business today
Tuesday 27th February, 11.30 – 13.30
Hall 1, CC1 Room 1.5
Mobile is transforming the world in a way no other industry can. This seminar will explore how mobile operators and their partners are building a better future for people and communities by employing sustainable business practices.

Register to join

 

Accelerating Digital Inclusion for Women
Tuesday 27 February, 15:00-17:00
Hall 3, CC3, Room 3.12
The digital gender gap is a crucial topic for mobile operators, policy-makers, the development community and other stakeholders. During this session the Connected Women programme will showcase its latest gender gap figures and research, and its partners will discuss what they are doing to address this issue.

 

Enabling a Digital Humanitarian Future
Wednesday 28 February, 14:30-16:00
Hall 1, CC1 Room 1.5
The nature and complexity of humanitarian emergencies around the world are outpacing traditional modes of response. Increasingly, the private sector and mobile technology are being looked to for innovative solutions to support preparedness, response and recovery. This interactive seminar will take stock of the proliferation of digital solutions in the humanitarian context and explore where and why partnerships between humanitarian actors and the private sector are working (or not). There will also be discussion around how innovation in business models and in technology can offer a more impactful and inclusive digital humanitarian future.

View the speakers here

Register now

 

Follow us on Twitter @GSMAm4d for live updates from the event.