The STEP Equation
A two day conference. Hosted over a sizeable area of Dubai. Publicized as the ‘most experiential tech festival in the region’.
The United Arab Emirates, specifically Dubai, has a strong association with superlatives – Tallest, biggest, best and beyond. It was a foregone conclusion that STEP 2018 was going to live up to all the hype, and then some.
So where do we begin? The STEP Equation
Until 2016,
The STEP Equation: STEP = Conference
In 2017,
The STEP Equation: STEP = Conference + Music
STEP has had a meteoric growth since its inception 6 years ago. It started with the total attendance of a humble 100. In 2018, the confirmed speakers alone exceeded that number.
Keeping up with the times and interests of the attendees and ecosystem, the equation evolved.
The STEP 2018 Equation: STEP = (Start + Money + Digital + X) + Music
At LiveWire, we aim to deliver first person narrative of the StartUp ecosystem in the UAE. There would be nothing better than being #LiveFromEvent in the biggest way yet (cue the superlatives), for LiveWire.
Every time an event of scale is announced, it means more exposure for local start-ups. Everybody wins.
Hence we got to work to bring together a team of 6 with camera crew, who would report #LiveFromStep.
With over 6000 attendees expected to attend, it would take months of planning to execute something of this scale.
It would be 100 days of intense communication, before the names in the ‘To’ and ‘CC’ section of emails, met in person. We were excited to interview, who we called, our ‘Bucket List of people’, and Team Mojo couldn’t have been more helpful and kind to ensure it happened. We owe them Thanks! (may be even a Lunch).
Panel discussions, keynote addresses and a pitching competition to boot are regular fixtures at most Start Up conferences now. Not to forget, a group of prominent names are on hand, willing to spend 5 minutes with you to answer a question or be pitched to about your company. If you are lucky.
Startup hubs and incubators have also begun setting up booth to showcase their graduating class of entrepreneurial talent. The exposure and ability to speak about your Startup undoubtedly adds to the firepower of the emerging companies.
STEP did have the regular 5 course menu. The showstopper of the experience were the Workshops and Mentoring sessions.
Yes. Sessions.
Not 5 lucky minutes. The 15 to 30 minute sessions, powered by Volkswagen, DTEC and Uber, among others, were organised across the 4 sub-conferences and two venues. They were both specific to different fields of interest and inclusive as one had space and time for queries.
A Support Legal Lab, by Support Legal team, offered 15 minute sessions for all the legal queries you could fit in. We got to speak with Patrick Rogers (more on this soon!).
Fun fact: He wore a shirt that said ‘Avoid Mistakes, Not Lawyers’. Wise words.
STEP did say, ‘most experiential tech festival’.
The STEP App powered by Eventtus allowed attendees book sessions – be it talks, panels, workshops, mentoring sessions. Et al. For those unable to do so online, worry not! They could approach the booth at the Conference and register their interest.
The App was a one stop shop for all the information on the festival in the palm of your hand.
The venues themselves, American University of Dubai (AUD) Campus and Dubai Internet City Lakes Area (DIC) were gracious hosts allowing us to get a sneak peek into the space before opening officially. We were thrilled!
It is impossible to picture the Conference, without the people in orange shirts that floated around the two major venues.
The volunteers.
The amazing people who ensured we would not be lost moving, within and across the spaces.
We were sceptical about the logistics of things. Imagine heavy camera equipment bag and backpacks with laptops and sunny afternoons. Not easy.
Turned out our worries were unfounded. Shuttle buses, courtesy Buseet came to the rescue.
Every 8 minutes.
We even rode the new Volkswagen Arteon courtesy #MeetTheMentors. They were on top of their game.
Now, for the million dollar question(s).
Did STEP 2018 leave us wanting for more?
Was STEP 2018, the most experiential tech conference in the region yet?
Did diversity represent at STEP 2018?
All that and more in Part 2.
