The MTN Business Digital Entrepreneur Masterclass will be held on 31 October, at the Riversands Incubation Hub in Johannesburg, under a new theme: The Digital Industrial Revolution. This follows on from the inaugural event that took place in Johannesburg in 2017, followed by another two successful one-day conferences in Cape Town and Durban earlier this year.
At the upcoming conference, industry experts will share valuable insights on how entrepreneurs can harness the growing artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics ecosystem to stimulate the growth of their businesses, in addition to a range of other informative topics.
Mandisa Ntloko, General Manager of Enterprise Marketing: MTN Business South Africa, says the theme of the conference is apt as the changing digital ecosystem will have far-reaching implications for small and medium sized businesses in the near future.
“The development of electricity and telecommunications have fuelled industrialisation and ushered in an era of connectivity. As an enabler of businesses, MTN Business believes that small and medium sized enterprises should ready themselves for seismic changes that will be brought about by the Digital Industrial Revolution,” says Ntloko.
This revolution is being driven by technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, augmented reality (AR), big data analytics, and more. It is more important than ever for entrepreneurs to embrace these technologies to remain relevant on the ever-evolving business landscape.
“At MTN Business, we are continuously optimising our network and exploring solutions that ensure we cater to the new demands of the digital age. What is considered artificial intelligence today will be commonplace once industries and people reap the benefits of robotics. The strategic partnerships we have forged will better position SMEs to future-proof their businesses, and ensure that the digital revolution does not leave them by the wayside,” says Ntloko.
Attendees of the Masterclass will also have the opportunity to discover how MTN Business and its partners can help them to grow their businesses through the application of smart, tailored solutions. Google, Samsung Huawei, HP, SiMoDiSa, Blue Robot, National Gazelles and CAT have all joined forces with MTN Business to discuss and practically demonstrate the solutions available to entrepreneurs – all designed with the aim of enhancing productivity and reducing costs within small to medium sized enterprises.
For the first time, the Digital Entrepreneur Masterclass will feature winners of the prestigious MTN Business App of the Year Awards. The most recent winners in various categories were announced on 12 October 2017. They will showcase their revolutionary apps in the Masterclass’ exhibition area, and participate in a panel discussion taking place on the day.
“At MTN Business we are building high performing networks that will ensure that we continue to enable businesses to thrive and brighten the lives of our customers. Tailored solutions that work on capable networks will be the impetus that drives the growth of the SME sector,” concludes Ntloko.
The topics that will be presented at the Digital Entrepreneur Masterclass have been conceptualised primarily to assist entrepreneurs who have been in business for a few years and are looking for solutions to enable them to take their businesses to new heights.
For more information visit www.mtndigitalentrepreneur.com
Updates will also be posted on @MTNBusinessZA on Twitter, and remember to follow #DigitalIdeas.
