- within Immigration topic(s)
As I travel to Zurich to catch my flight back to London, I have been reflecting on my two days (how was it only two days?!!) in Davos.
Needless to say, Davos during WEF week is THE place to be. It just feels good. The buzz is electric - there are camera crews on every corner, reporters from big newspapers securing big scoops from the various events, cars with tinted windows whisking very important people to their next events, etc, etc, etc. But besides all of the drama (and the -12 degree climate) there are the rest of us who descend on Davos to connect, collaborate, learn, share knowledge with others, take part in some of the fantastic satellite events and, well, have fun.
I travelled alone and only knew one person (thank you, Kelly Vero for asking me along), so this was a pretty daunting trip for me. I didn't know what to pack, what to expect, what to do or where to go,BUT as soon as I arrived all my fears disappeared. I have come away with SO many friends and new connections. It's cliché to say that Davos is a melting pot of lovely, clever, talented, likeminded people - but it really is. I went to so many events, networking events and panel discussions during my two days there, and was genuinely in awe of the people I met. Everyone's knowledge of their subject, their passion and enthusiasm, and their keenness to 'pay it forward' and help and inspire others was evident. Everyone you meet wants to get to know you, share, and just generally be kind. If you ever get the chance to visit Davos during WEF week, I highly recommend it.
But enough gushing! What did I actually DO there? Here are some highlights and key takeaways from my trip:
- AI was a real buzz word. I think almost every panel I saw
mentioned AI and its impact, or potential impact on, well,
everything. I, of course, was keen to add my IP insights wherever
possible and connect with as many people as possible in this field
– I find it just fascinating. It was interesting to hear (and
discuss with massive players in the field) the 'future of
AI' and where things could lead (AI chip implanted into the
brain, anyone?). Knowing Elon and Mark Z were in Davos added to the
excitement of these discussions (for me, at least).
- The metaverse is here to stay. I know there are many naysayers
on this topic, but believe me when I say – the people who
know, know!! 85% of GenZ already have an avatar and, let's face
it, these guys are the future. The metaverse and its capabilities
and interoperability (see below) are evolving at lightning speed.
It's only a matter of time until we're all living glorious
lives in the virtual world. Get on board or get left behind! I had
some great conversations with companies who are keen to venture
into this field. It was great to discuss the IP / trade mark
considerations that they should be thinking about before making
this transition.
- The panel I took part in was so much fun! We had a super
engaging discussion about interoperability in relation to the
metaverse and it was really interesting to discuss the
possibilities of this, the impact that it would have and, of
course, considerations for brand owners in relation to their IP. I
think it was great that we had various industry experts on the
panel so could each give insights from our respective fields and it
resulted in a very spicy discussion (you'll be able to watch
the recording of it soon – stay tuned!!). I was able to give
an IP perspective on this panel and the follow up conversations
that I had with brand owners on this was really insightful.
- Equality in business was another key theme on a number of
panels. The Female Quotient led a number of super high
quality panel discussions at The Equality Lounge on both days. I
was really inspired listening to these and meeting so many female
founders and entrepreneurs at the event.
- Before I left, and on the recommendation of a friend, I signed up for lots of events that I liked the sound of and thought were relevant to me. This is essential if you're heading to Davos as unless you've got a ticket, you're not getting in. That being said, whilst initially this was a bit of a pain and meant that I had to really focus on my schedule in the busy days leading up to my trip, it mean that I was laser focused on my trip, went to events that were relevant to me and more importantly, once I got to my events, was surrounded by people who were likeminded and interested in similar fields. This made the trip a whole lot more intentional and meant that the networking sessions were productive and resulted in a lot of a great connections.
There's so much more I can add to this list! I've covered so much ground in these two days but now... I've got a flight to catch, and definitely need a lie down!
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
