Back from CeBIT 2010 - Germany makes it big!

We’re back from CeBIT in Hanover, Germany where Getyoo had a booth in the Software in Brussels stand. This was made possible thanks to the Brussels Enterprise Agency and Brussels Export. CeBIT is the digital sector’s most important trade fair. 4,157 companies from 68 countries exhibited in 500000 m2 of exhibition space at CeBIT 2010 and attracted more than 300.000 visitors. For 5 days from the 2^nd until the 6^th of March, ICT professionals presented their products and services. It was the perfect place to discuss, collaborate, exchange and conclude partnerships with other companies or research centres.

This year’s theme “Connected Worlds” focused on business IT, green IT, health, security, banking and finance, … Companies too recognize the importance of web 2.0 technologies: customers, suppliers and employees interact with each other in communities. Technical and organizational boundaries have to be overcome in order to reach this interconnectedness.

The stand Software in Brussels was located in hall 6, it comprised in 13 companies active in the Software sector. To get to hall 6 every morning, we had to go through Halls 2, 3, 4 and 5 so the scooters that we had brought helped us a lot!

Our stand attracted a lot of visitors all curious about our new and innovative concept. We made a lot of interesting contacts at our stand and also thanks to the Future Match brokerage event. Future Match is a service that enables companies, universities and research institutes in the ICT sector to establish new cross-border contacts for future collaboration, e.g. for product development, research & development, joint ventures, manufacturing, marketing and/or licensing agreements. People apply to the online service and have access to a database with description of participating companies in order to arrange meetings in advance for the CeBIT.

On Wednesday we had a visit from Mr. Benoît Cerexhe, Brussels’ minister of Economy, Employment and Scientific Research. We had a very pleasant time meeting him and a great lunch in the tower restaurant with a spectacular, panoramic view. Check out this nice picture of Marie and Geoffroy from Getyoo with the minister.

Apart from that, we’ve also discovered the German food with its king size plates and beers. They give you giant sausages that are the size of a normal plate, so obviously they need to double the size of the plates they provide in restaurants ! Also, we had a great octoberfest-like experience at the CeBIT Munich Hall. A huge place with live music and very long tables, on which people drink giant beers served by Bavarian women who can carry ten of those huge glasses at a time. It was good fun!

To conclude, CeBIT was an amazing experience, definitely worth it. In Germany, they do everything in big, we had never seen such a big exhibition space and such huge plates of food. That was something to be seen! Next year, we’ll come back for sure!