Lift is a series of events built around a community of doers and thinkers who get together in Europe and Asia to explore the social consequences of new technologies. Each conference is a chance to turn changes into opportunities by anticipating the major shifts ahead, and meeting the people who drive them. Cap Digital will be attending the Lift 10 conference this May.

Connected people

Lift10 will welcome 1000 participants from 40 countries to explore the most overlooked aspect of innovation: people. Known in the techno-parlance as users, consumers, clients, participants, prosumers, citizens or activists, people ultimately define the success of all technological and entrepreneurial projects. They adopt or refute, promote or demote; embrace, reject, or re-purpose. Their approaches are unique, influenced by cultural and generational diversity. A decade after the rebirth of user-centered design and innovation, it’s time to explore the myths and uncover the reality behind the “connected people”.

Themes

Generations and technologies: How to go beyond the usual clichés on generations, with Seniors unable to benefit from technology and Millenials ruining their future careers on social networks?

The redefinition of Privacy: What is privacy in the 21st Century? Is personal security threatened by the massive collection of data?

Communities: Since 2006 Web 2.0 has celebrated the so-called “amateur revolution”. What did we learn in the past 5 years? Are we reaching the limits of Web 2.0?

Politics: Beyond the much talked-about political campaigns on Facebook, how to turn users into engaged citizens in public action?

The old new media: Newspapers are struggling, TV is not sure of what the future holds. What is at stake nowadays when informing, reaching and involving people?

Lift10 Program

The entire conference will be held at the Geneva International Conference Center (CICG, map). All talks will be in English unless specified and French translation will be provided.

Wednesday May 5 speakers: Lift founders Laurent Haug and Nicolas Nova, Stephen Graham, Olivier Glassey, Christian Heller, Catherine Lottier, Canal+, Yeon-ho Oh, OhMyNews, Mercedes Bunz, The Guardian

Thursday May 6 speakers: Aubrey de Grey, Rahaf Harfoush,  Amelia Andersdotter, Alice Taylor, Jean Burgess, Katrin Verclas

Friday May 7 speakers: Jamais Cascio,  Basile Zimmermann.

Lift is a series of events built around a community of pioneers who get together in Europe and Asia to explore the social implications of new technologies. Each conference is a chance to turn innovation into opportunities by anticipating the major shifts ahead, and meet the people who drive them.

What can the future do for you? Lift is about answering that fundamental question. What are the opportunities created by innovation? What technology will force a reinvention of your business model? What usage – spotted on the other side of the planet – could be relevant to your clients and organization?

In a world that changes at an unprecedented pace, we help you stay in touch with the most important people and ideas, those that will impact your life and work in the coming one to three years. Lift will reveal those shifts before they happen, so you can anticipate, and turn change into opportunity.

Joining the Lift community is free, and will allow you to share your ideas and connect with our 4000+ members. Attending our conferences requires a separate registration, refer to the homepage of the event you want to attend to find more information. Hundreds of talks have been given over the years, most of them captured and freely available on the web in English, French, or Korean.

Dates of Lift Conferences:

Lift @ Austria (Vienna, 18-20 Mar 2010)
Lift10 (Geneva, 5-7 May 2010)
Lift France 10 (Marseille, 5-7 Jul. 2010)

eDesign community contact: Jonathan Bartoli : jonathan.bartoli(@)capdigital.com