Nov 20, 2024 | Agile leadership, Digital Transformation, futureofbusiness, Organizational Change Management, Risk Management, Transformacion Digital
How CEOs Can Lead Agile Organizational Transformation
In the changing business landscape, agility is essential for competitiveness. Organizations that can quickly adapt to change, make fast decisions, and innovate rapidly are better positioned to thrive. For CEOs and leaders, the challenge is understanding what agility looks like in practice and how it can be strategically implemented across teams, processes, and technologies.
In this article, we’ll provide actionable guidance to help CEOs identify, address, and overcome common barriers to agility. We’ll also include practical takeaways to help you engage your team in this transformative process.
Why agility is non-negotiable in today’s market
Agility isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a survival strategy in a business world defined by rapid changes, fierce competition, and the demand for innovation. Organizational studies show that companies adopting agile principles tend to see faster growth and better adaptability to market shifts. read the article: Agile organizations, by McKinsey & Company.
When we talk about agility, we’re referring to the organization’s ability to:
Respond to change quickly without sacrificing quality or performance.
Empower teams to make decisions close to the action, reducing delays and inefficiencies.
Leverage technology and data to drive innovation and optimize workflows.
In short, agility allows companies to stay competitive and future-proof. Yet, achieving true agility is challenging—it requires more than new technology or faster processes. It’s about embracing a new mindset across every layer of the organization.
With that context, we dove into four core questions designed to help CEOs uncover their barriers to agility, assess the costs of low adaptability, identify mindset shifts needed, and develop actionable strategies to unlock agility.
1. Identifying Barriers to Agility: What Holds Organizations Back?
The first step in driving agility is identifying what’s slowing you down. Through conversations with CEOs and insights from the World Café Exponential Execution Table, several common barriers emerge:
Slow Decision-Making
Decisions are hampered by layers of approval and complex processes in many organizations. Hierarchical structures often create bottlenecks, where decisions stall at multiple levels. The result? Missed opportunities, frustrated teams, and lost market share.
Solution: Consider flattening decision hierarchies. Empowering teams to make decisions at the point of need can dramatically improve responsiveness and reduce time-to-action. For instance, creating autonomous teams entrusted with decision-making authority within specific limits can significantly impact.
Rigid Legacy Systems and Processes
Outdated technology and inflexible processes are significant hurdles to becoming an agile organization. These systems are often costly and slow to adapt, which limits innovation and ties up valuable resources.
Solution: Invest in modern, cloud-based, modular technology that can be scaled and adapted as needs evolve. Embracing a digital transformation strategy in which technology enables flexibility rather than constrains it will allow your organization to adapt quickly and support long-term agility goals.
Risk-Averse Culture
Organizations often avoid risk to minimize potential losses, but overcaution stifles innovation. Teams feel pressured to stick to tried-and-true methods, which may lead to stagnation rather than growth.
Solution: Encourage a fail-fast, learn-fast culture. This means allowing teams to experiment and reframing “failure” as an opportunity to learn and refine. Building a culture where calculated risk-taking is valued makes you more likely to foster creativity and push for continuous improvement.
No Agility Metrics
Without a clear way to measure agility, it’s challenging to gauge progress or identify areas for improvement. Agility must be measurable to be manageable.
Solution: Define and set agility-related KPIs, such as decision-making speed, time-to-market, and innovation rates. This gives everyone in the organization a clear picture of what agility means in practice and encourages teams to work toward those goals.
2. The Cost of Low Agility: Why Speed Matters?
Failing to embrace agility is costly in many ways. Organizations that lack adaptability often experience:
Missed Market Opportunities
When teams can’t respond quickly to market trends, competitors can gain a significant advantage. Think of the market shifts in recent years—organizations that quickly pivoted to e-commerce or remote work capabilities outperformed those that hesitated.
Example: If your organization missed an opportunity to launch a product or service due to slow decision-making, you might have also missed out on substantial revenue. Reflect on past opportunities that didn’t materialize and estimate the cost of inaction.
Innovation Slowdown
Innovation is crucial to staying competitive, but a lack of agility can stifle creative solutions and limit the organization’s ability to respond to new challenges or trends. When teams are tied to rigid processes, creativity takes a back seat, leading to outdated products and services.
High Operational Costs
Inflexible processes and outdated technology lead to inefficiencies that increase costs and slow down operations. Agile organizations not only move faster, but they’re also often more cost-effective because they prioritize efficiency and streamlined workflows.
Employee Turnover
A rigid work environment can lead to frustration and burnout, increasing turnover rates. Talented employees, especially those who value innovation and adaptability, are more likely to leave if they feel constrained.
Loss of Market Share
Companies that fail to keep up with agile competitors risk losing market share. In a market where speed and adaptability are paramount, falling behind can have long-term repercussions for growth and reputation.
Read our article: The ability to respond quickly and flexibly gives a competitive advantage
3. Mindset Shifts: Where Change Needs to Happen?
To achieve true agility, it’s not just processes that need to change; mindset shifts are essential. Agility starts with the people who drive it, and this means transforming how individuals and teams think about challenges and opportunities.
Leadership Mindset: From Control to Empowerment
Leaders who micromanage limit agility. Instead, agile leaders focus on empowering teams, setting goals, and trusting their teams to make decisions. When leaders foster autonomy, employees feel trusted and are more motivated to take the initiative.
Middle Management: From Enforcing Rules to Embracing Change
Middle managers often resist change to maintain control, but their buy-in is crucial for agility. Managers as agility champions can help drive and sustain transformation. By encouraging middle managers to support change, organizations can ensure that agility is embraced at every level.
Front-Line Teams: From Task-Oriented to Problem-Solvers
Front-line employees are closest to the customers and the market, so their feedback is invaluable for rapid adaptation. Shift their focus from task execution to proactive problem-solving and continuous improvement.
Innovation and Risk Management: From Avoidance to Calculated Risk-Taking
Innovation requires some risk, yet many organizations prefer to play it safe. Embracing calculated risk means viewing experimentation to learn and adapt, not as a threat to stability. Encourage teams to experiment within safe boundaries.
4. Immediate Actions for CEOs: How to unlocking agility?
For CEOs looking to implement agility right away, a few key changes can make a big impact. Consider these action steps:
Empower Faster Decision-Making
Shift authority to front-line teams or create smaller, autonomous groups that can act without multiple layers of approval. This will speed up response times and empower employees to solve problems as they arise.
Invest in Adaptive Technology
Adopt scalable, cloud-based tools that support flexible workflows and real-time data sharing. By investing in tech that aligns with agile principles, you’re building an infrastructure that can evolve alongside your organization’s needs.
Launch a Pilot Agile Project
Start small by choosing a single team or department to operate under agile principles as a pilot project. Use this experiment to gather insights, refine processes, and build confidence in agile methodologies before rolling them out company-wide.
Define and Track Agility Metrics
Set measurable goals for agility—such as response time, time-to-market, or adaptability. Track these metrics to see where improvements are being made and where additional focus is needed.
Creating a Culture of Agility: Engage Your Team
Agility is a collective effort. Every team member needs to feel part of the journey for transformation to be sustainable. Here are some ways to foster an agile culture across the organization:
Involve Employees in Decision-Making
Give employees a voice in shaping agility practices. By involving them in decision-making processes, you empower them and gain valuable perspectives that can drive better outcomes.
Reward Agility and Innovation
Recognize and reward teams or individuals who embrace agile practices and demonstrate innovative thinking. Publicly celebrate quick wins and adaptability, which reinforces the value of agility in the organization.
Provide Training on Agile Principles
Equip teams with the skills they need to work in an agile environment. Training in decision-making, time management, and innovative thinking helps employees feel more confident and capable.
Continuous Feedback Loops
Agility is about constant improvement. Set up regular check-ins and feedback loops so teams can discuss what’s working, what’s not, and what adjustments are needed.
Expand this knowledge with the article: Agile is not enough by MITSloan.
Conclusion: Embracing Agility for Long-Term Success
Unlocking agility is more than a one-time initiative; it’s an ongoing commitment to building a responsive, innovative organization. For CEOs, this means leading by example, empowering teams, and fostering a culture where change is welcomed, not feared.
Start by identifying your organization’s specific barriers to agility and implement strategic shifts that will make adaptability an everyday reality. When agility becomes a core value, your organization is not only prepared to respond to change but also positioned to thrive in an unpredictable future.
Take the next step. Reflect on where agility could unlock growth in your organization and inspire your team to embrace this transformative journey. By doing so, you’re setting the foundation for a resilient, future-ready organization that’s equipped to adapt, innovate, and lead in a constantly changing world. The path to agility isn’t a one-time effort; it’s an ongoing commitment to flexibility, empowerment, and continuous improvement.
As you take these insights back to your team, remember that agility is a competitive advantage that will allow your organization not just to respond to change, but to drive it. For CEOs committed to building agile, high-performing organizations, the journey starts now.
Jun 18, 2024 | Digital Transformation, Innovation Strategy, Robot Process Automation (RPA), RPA implementation
Embracing Innovation: The Key to Successful RPA Implementation
Imagine a world where your most tedious tasks are handled by digital coworkers, freeing you to focus on the creative and strategic aspects of your business. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has emerged as a transformative tool to help achieve these goals. However, the key to successful RPA implementation lies in embracing innovation. This article explores the importance of an innovation strategy for implementing Robotic Process Automation (RPA), addressing common challenges and misconceptions, and concludes with how Escalate Group helps companies navigate this journey to unlock digital value and drive exponential growth.
Understanding the Common and Critical Challenges in RPA Implementation
Before delving into the innovation strategy, it’s essential to understand the common and critical challenges businesses face when adopting RPA:
1. Employee Resistance to RPA: Many employees fear automation will replace their jobs, leading to resistance and disengagement.
2. Misconception of RPA as Solely for Cost-Cutting: Viewing RPA only as a cost-saving tool can limit its broader benefits, such as improved accuracy, speed, and customer satisfaction.
3. Waiting for AI to Replace RPA: The belief that RPA will soon be outdated can delay its adoption and prevent organizations from reaping immediate benefits.
4. Fragmented Integration with IT Systems: Viewing RPA as a temporary fix rather than a strategic tool can hinder its effective integration with existing IT systems.
Innovation Strategy for RPA Implementation
To address these challenges, companies need a comprehensive innovation strategy that focuses on continuous improvement, strategic technology adoption, and employee engagement.
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Empowering employees through training and upskilling initiatives is vital. This approach helps employees understand that RPA is not a threat but an opportunity to offload mundane tasks and focus on more strategic, fulfilling work. Highlighting success stories and the positive impact of RPA on job roles can alleviate fears and build trust.
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RPA should be seen as more than a cost-cutting tool. Companies should adopt holistic process improvement methodologies, such as Lean and Six Sigma, to uncover opportunities for RPA to enhance accuracy, speed, and customer satisfaction. This perspective allows businesses to leverage RPA for broader organizational benefits and digital transformation.
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Agile methodologies enable rapid development and iteration of RPA solutions, addressing immediate needs while planning for long-term integration. Developing a technology roadmap that includes both RPA and AI ensures these technologies are viewed as complementary, preparing the organization for future AI adoption. Explore CIO’s Strategies for Integrating AI and RPA for a comprehensive guide on intelligent automation.
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A hybrid integration strategy combines the strengths of RPA and APIs to maximize interoperability and efficiency. This approach ensures seamless interaction between legacy and modern systems, optimizing data flow and process efficiency. Innovators should develop frameworks and guidelines to determine the best use cases for RPA versus APIs.
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Effective change management practices are crucial for gaining employee buy-in. Transparent communication strategies, involving employees in the automation journey, and highlighting the benefits of RPA to their daily tasks can foster a positive attitude towards automation. Workshops, town halls, and feedback sessions can enhance employee engagement and drive a culture of innovation.
How Escalate Group Can Help
Implementing RPA is more than a technical upgrade; it is a strategic evolution. Escalate Group guides companies through this transformative process by focusing on growth, innovation, and long-term success.
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Escalate Group offers immersive training programs that go beyond teaching how to use RPA. These sessions help employees envision a future where automation frees them to focus on creative, strategic work. Imagine a workplace where every team member is excited about the automation possibilities.
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Escalate Group’s process optimization consulting leverages advanced analytics and AI algorithms to pinpoint areas for improvement and streamline processes. They employ rapid experimentation and prototyping to quickly test and refine solutions. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, Escalate Group ensures your organization stays agile, competitive, and constantly evolving.
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Leveraging agile methodologies like Scrum. Escalate Group ensures rapid development and deployment of RPA solutions. This approach allows for continuous iteration and improvement, making your automation projects as dynamic as your business needs. Picture your automation evolving as quickly as your business does.
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Escalate Group helps you develop a strategic roadmap that integrates RPA with AI and other advanced technologies. This ensures your automation efforts are part of a cohesive, long-term vision for digital transformation, preparing your business for future advancements seamlessly. Learn more about our ExO Workshop for strategic planning and workshops.
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Through transparent communication, engaging workshops, and interactive town halls, Escalate Group fosters a positive attitude toward RPA. They build a culture that embraces innovation, turning every employee into a champion of change. Discover how our Awake Sessions & Workshops can help.
A Transformative Perspective
Instead of viewing RPA as merely a tool for automation, Escalate Group positions it as a catalyst for cultural and operational change. By focusing on education, strategic thinking, and employee engagement, they make the RPA journey a collaborative and inspiring process.
Implementing RPA with Escalate Group is about reimagining your business. By leveraging agile methodologies and a culture of experimentation and collaboration, they help you stay ahead of market disruptions and drive rapid innovation. Discover how this strategic, innovation-driven approach can position your company for unprecedented growth and success.
Case Study:
Transforming Customer Service Operations in a Financial Services Firm
A mid-sized financial services firm was struggling with high volumes of customer service inquiries that required repetitive, manual processing. This led to long response times, high error rates, and low customer satisfaction. Escalate Group implemented RPA to automate the handling of common customer service requests such as account balance inquiries, loan application status updates, and transaction processing. They used advanced analytics to identify the most frequent and time-consuming tasks and then developed RPA bots to manage them. The result was a 98% reduction in processing errors, a significant decrease in response time from 48 hours (about 2 days) to less than 4 hours, and a 30% improvement in customer satisfaction. Employees could then focus on more complex and value-added tasks, increasing overall productivity.
Implementing RPA successfully requires more than just adopting modern technology; it demands a comprehensive innovation strategy. By addressing common challenges and leveraging strategic practices, companies can unlock the full potential of RPA, driving efficiency, productivity, and growth.
Key Benefits of Partnering with Escalate Group:
Enhanced Efficiency: Automate repetitive tasks to reduce processing times and error rates.
Empowered Workforce: Training programs help employees embrace RPA and focus on strategic work.
Agility and Innovation: Agile methodologies ensure rapid development and continuous improvement.
Strategic Integration: Develop a roadmap that integrates RPA with AI for long-term transformation.
Cultural Transformation: Effective change management fosters a culture of innovation.
Partnering with Escalate Group reimagines your business processes and culture. This strategic, innovation-driven approach not only optimizes operations but also prepares your organization for future advancements. Achieve unprecedented growth and success through a culture of experimentation and collaboration.
Embrace the future of work with RPA and Escalate Group – where innovation meets transformation. Discover how this partnership can drive your business towards a more efficient, productive, and innovative future.
Apr 28, 2024 | AI adoption, AI in Sports, AI Strategy, Business Transformation, Digital Transformation
How AI Is Transforming Sports and Business
AI is revolutionizing business and sports by enhancing performance, streamlining processes, and uncovering new opportunities. From the U.S. Bank CFO Survey’s focus on AI-driven efficiency to the IOC’s Olympic AI Agenda, this article dives into AI’s transformative role in both arenas. Explore how to adopt AI thoughtfully to drive innovation and maintain integrity.
Introduction: The Intersection of AI, Business, and Sports
At Escalate Group, we have witnessed first-hand the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various sectors. Whether in the boardrooms of fast-growing companies or the sports fields, AI’s influence is undeniable. Today, we want to explore two pivotal developments that illustrate AI’s expanding role: the recent U.S. Bank CFO Survey and the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) launch of the Olympic AI Agenda. Both developments provide crucial insights into how AI is being adopted in business and sports, shaping strategies and prompting executives to rethink their approaches.
The Strategic Shift in Business: Insights from the U.S. Bank CFO Survey
The U.S. Bank CFO Survey revealed a compelling shift in how businesses are navigating economic uncertainties with AI. Key findings indicate that while many companies are tightening their belts, there is a clear focus on strategic investments in AI. This pivot is not about substituting human efforts but enhancing efficiencies and uncovering new opportunities.
Cost Control and AI:
In the face of an economic slowdown, businesses are prioritizing cost efficiency. AI emerges as a critical tool in this context, automating processes and reducing operational costs without compromising output quality.
Risk Management:
With rising geopolitical tensions, AI’s role in risk assessment has become more crucial than ever. Advanced analytics and machine learning models are employed to predict market trends and mitigate risks, aiding executives in making more informed decisions.
Investment Priorities:
Despite a general trend of cost-cutting, investment in AI remains high on the agenda. This indicates a strong belief among CFOs that AI is not just a cost center but a vital element for long-term growth.
AI in Sports: Revolutionizing the Game
The IOC’s Olympic AI Agenda sets a groundbreaking precedent for integrating AI in sports. This agenda not only focuses on enhancing athlete performance but also ensures that AI adoption aligns with the core values of fairness and integrity in sports.
Human-Centric AI:
The IOC emphasizes that AI should support, not replace, human athletes. This approach is crucial in maintaining the spirit of competition and ensuring that technology enhances human capabilities rather than overshadowing them.
Governance and Fairness:
A robust governance framework is crucial to oversee AI implementations, ensuring they are fair and equitable across all levels of sport. This includes equal access to AI technologies and safeguarding against biases affecting competition outcomes.
Collaborative Development:
By involving experts from various fields in the development of the AI Agenda, the IOC demonstrates the importance of multi-disciplinary collaboration in harnessing AI’s potential responsibly.
The Convergence of AI in Business and Sports: Lessons for Leaders
Developments in both business and sports offer valuable lessons for leaders at all levels. AI’s role as a transformative agent is clear, but its successful integration requires a thoughtful approach that considers ethical implications, human impact, and long-term sustainability.
Ethical AI Use:
The ethical use of AI is paramount, whether in business operations or sports management. Leaders must ensure that AI systems are designed and implemented to uphold ethical standards and contribute positively to society.
Long-term Sustainability:
Investments in AI should be viewed through the lens of long-term sustainability. In business, this means using AI to build systems that are not only efficient but also adaptable to future challenges. In sports, it means leveraging AI to enhance the experience and integrity of the game without compromising its values.
Preparing for a Future Shaped by AI
As we look to the future, the integration of AI into both business strategies and sports management will undoubtedly continue to grow. For us as leaders, the task is not just to adopt AI but to do so in a way that is thoughtful, ethical, and aligned with our long-term visions.
Continuous Learning and Adaptation:
The landscape of AI is ever-evolving. Continuous learning and adaptation are necessary to keep pace with technological advancements and their applications in our fields.
Collaboration Across Sectors:
AI presents challenges and opportunities that cannot be tackled in isolation. Collaborative efforts across sectors and disciplines will be essential in realizing AI’s full potential.
Conclusion: Leading with Insight and Integrity
In conclusion, the insights from the U.S. Bank CFO Survey and the IOC’s Olympic AI Agenda provide us with a blueprint for how AI can be integrated thoughtfully into our operations and strategies. As we continue to explore AI’s vast potential, let us commit to leading with insight and integrity, ensuring that our endeavors not only drive growth but also foster a positive impact in our communities and industries. The journey with AI is just beginning, and together, we can shape a future that reflects our highest aspirations and values.
Jul 27, 2020 | Exponential Organizations, Better World, Business, Business Coaching, Digital Transformation, Disrupcion, Emprendedurismo, ExO, ExO Sprint, ExO Workshop, Exponential Technologies, Game Changer, Global, Growth, Innovation, OpenExO
“Today, if you are not disrupting yourself, someone else is. Your fate is to be either the disruptor or the disrupted. There is no middle ground.” – Salim Ismail, Founder OpenExO.
Through the long-term partnership with OpenExO and since the inception, Escalate Group has been using proven OpenExO transformation methodology and a global ecosystem of ExO certified coaches and emerging technologies specialists to enable the co-creation of meaningful business opportunities.
Escalate Group Services
Escalate Group Awake sessions and Workshops makes executives aware of the implications of accelerating technologies and new business models leading your industry to disruption and mark your path for transformation. The ExO Sprint is a tested and proven 10-week customer-focused process that allows any organization to address industry disruption and overcome internal resistance to change.
As an OpenExO Certified Partner, Escalate Group is on the cutting edge of innovation, bringing thought leadership and a proven transformation solution to our clients. Besides, we instantly scale our organization with 1000+ people in 100+ countries and 300+ certified coaches & trainers.
“With our guidance, customers in the healthcare, telecom and fintech sectors have been able to identify solutions based on accelerated technologies and to scale their organization to solve new challenges,” Olga Calvache, Managing Partner, Escalate Group.
To transform the world for a better future, OpenExo wants to become the world’s leading global ExO transformation ecosystem by building Exponential Organizations (ExOs).
Escalate Group unlocks digital value, helping organizations envision, accelerate and scale sustainable/impactful projects and solutions.
Jul 7, 2020 | Small Business, Digital Transformation, Disrupcion, ExO Workshop, Exponential Attributes, Exponential Organizations, Exponential Technologies, Feria Virtual, Mid-market, Transformation
Due to Covid-19, and currently, the race riots, the most challenging hit sector in the global economy is the Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Leveraging the dramatic success of the ExO World Digital Summit, HealRWorld united with ExO World created ExO World: Small Business Summit to help small companies surviving 2020 and creating a thriving future.
Society is being transformed today by the major forces of COVID-19, technological advancements, and environmental and social challenges. Many organizations are ill-prepared to address these issues. Society is ill-prepared to adapt.
Empowering Small Business
Escalate Group cooperated with the 5000-strong OpenExO Global Transformation Ecosystem, X Prize Foundation, Abundance360, Vortex, HighVibe, Rokk3r, Fastrack Institute, ExO Speakers and Fluid Chains. Besides, the summit’s objective was to use this moment to inspire and empower global small businesses to transform the world with new disruptive technology and strategies that focus on serving and positively impacting their communities and beyond.
This July 14, 2020, Escalate Group co-founders Olga Calvache and Cesar Castro joined a selected group of speakers at the ExO World: Small Business Summit Online. Among the other featured speakers, we found Paul Polman, Salim Ismail, Michele Bongiovanni, Leslie Short, John Denton, Matthew Gamser, Anakha Coman, John Mackey, and Andrew Yang.
“Amazing… I have met amazing people and have a number of follow up conversations across the globe” Nicole Dreiske (ExO World Speaker – Screen Smart.)
The interactive workshop facilitated by Escalate Group partners, guided the participants to identify, adapt, and create new business opportunities coming out from disruption. Escalate Group’s recommendations to face the adversity and gain an advantage, relying on proven practices trusted by leading organizations around the world, helped small business to learn how to leverage the crises to come out ahead stronger.
“Escalate Group workshop was an awesome hands-on experience to re-imaging my organization,” said Felicia Santos, Philippine business owner in New York.
May 23, 2020 | Digital Transformation, Business, Conectab2b, Covid 19, Disrupcion, Disruption, Emprendedurismo, Entrepreneur, Feria Virtual, Growth, Latinoamerica, Transformacion Digital
At Escalate group, we are proud to partake in the first virtual fair “Connecta B2B Live” organized with the support of the communities: Construir, IT NOW, and Mercados & Tendencias. The event unites companies from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. It serves companies seeking to renew themselves, boost their businesses, train new entrepreneurs, and generate new prospects by creating a space to share and network with clients.
We invite you to visit our stand in the Rutanio pavilion, where groups of companies likes ours, form the innovation ecosystem of the city of Medellín-Colombia.
The event has conferences and workshops delivered by more than 150 speakers. Among them, Escalate group with talks about Blockchain: A World of Opportunities by César Castro and Customer-Centered approach to innovation by Olga Calvache. In addition, the workshop MTP, Massive Transformative Purpose. You can find the replay of our conferences in our YouTube channel: https://rebrand.ly/xrudb30
The fair has been a success and has extended its presence one more week until May 31. So far, more than 15,000 visitors have registered. The registration is free and gives access to talks, workshops, networking rooms, and learn from the offers of more than 40 booths.
Do not miss out this experience: https://www.connectab2b.live/