GEO Business 2017 Reaches the Halfway Mark

By noon on Tuesday, the first day of GEO Business 2017, the organising team had proudly announced a 29% increase in visitors compared with last time. The exhibition area is bustling with geomatics professionals and is characterised by a positive vibe, excellent networking opportunities and lots of innovative new survey and mapping solutions on display. Meanwhile, the conference provides a valuable opportunity for delegates to get an update on where the geospatial industry is heading. The event reached its halfway point at the end of the successful first day, but there is lots more in store on Day Two.

(By Wim van Wegen, content manager, GIM International)

Exhibitors are enthusiastic about the crowds and air of excitement in the Business Design Centre in London, UK. Christoph Held of Zoller + Fröhlich said he particularly likes the compact setting of the venue and the nice atmosphere. The wide spectrum of exhibitors and customers combined with the mix of a high-end conference and trade show makes GEO Business an excellent meeting place. He added that the Imager 5016, the company’s new 3D laser scanner for terrestrial surveying, had already attracted a lot of attention on the first day.

Business Opportunities

Elaine Lewis is managing director of Cadventure, a platinum channel partner of Bentley Systems. She commented that she is particularly impressed by how much leading-edge technology has been brought together at this one event. There are not only lots of people – as everyone can see – but they are also the ‘right’ people: a relevant audience with attendees who know what they are talking about. Lewis mentioned an inspiring meeting she had just had with people who were setting up a new business – they had a concrete interest in the wide range of software solutions offered by Bentley Systems. This is just one example of how GEO Business is not only the place to be to meet fellow geospatial professionals, but also to do business with them.

According to Andy Yin, international sales director of ComNav – a China-based company specialised in high-accuracy positioning solutions – GEO Business 2017 marks his company’s debut at a British geospatial event. So far, he regards it as a good place to showcase their new products to the UK market and they are taking the opportunity to present some of the new GNSS products they have recently added to their range of OEM GNSS receiver boards.

Conference Programme: Day Two

The second day of the conference programme focuses on several relevant trends within the sector. One of the sessions is Digital Innovation in Infrastructure, zooming in on BIM, Internet of Things and smart cities. The morning starts with a panel debate on the development of a strategy for Smart Infrastructure, angled towards a whole-life approach to infrastructure design. After lunch, at 13:15, a panel consisting of Ed Parsons (geospatial technologist, Google), Miranda Sharp (head of smart cities practice, Ordnance Survey), Ed Manley, lecturer on smart cities (Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA), University College London) and Mike Hopkins, a representative from The Survey Association (TSA) will participate in a Q&A session. The session is titled ‘What is the future of the geospatial industry?’ which no doubt provides enough inspiration for a lively debate. All GEO Business visitors are welcome to attend.

Do you have a burning question you would like to ask the panel? If so, send your question to Caroline Hobden, chobden@divcom.co.uk with ‘GEO Business Question Time’ in the subject line. Please state your name and whether or not you plan to attend on the day.