Finance Minister and Minister of State for Electronics & IT Unveil the next chapter of India's Technological transformation at DATE 2023

With India poised to enter a new era in its digital transformation aspiration, the inaugural Digital Acceleration and Transformation Expo (DATE) held at the recently inaugurated Yashobhoomi (IICC Dwarka) on 23rd-24th November 2023 opened the doors for global tech leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to take stock of India's vision to become a global centre of innovation. New Delhi, 27 November 2023: India's newest & already being celebrated as the most impactful Digital Acceleration and Transformation Expo (DATE) was inaugurated by the Honourable Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, and joined by Honourable MP Shri Tejasvi Surya, Shri Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore & Chairman of Cyberverse Foundation, a strategic partner of DATE, Maharaj Saheb Mandhatasinh Jadeja of Rajkot and Trescon's Founder & Chairman Mr. Mohammed Saleem, Vice Chairman Mr. Mithun Shetty and Group CEO Mr. Naveen Bharadwaj.

Smt. Sitharaman spoke on various topics like financial inclusion, fintech opportunities, data aggregation, cyber safety, and noted "DATE stands as the need of the hour, offering Indian youth a vital platform for information, networking, and talent showcasing. The organizers' understanding and collaboration with diverse partners have brought this expo to Delhi, ensuring two impactful days for those keen in this field. This event, a testament to India's lead in nurturing young talent, beckons passionate individuals to benefit from its extensive networking opportunities."

Honourable Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, spoke about the expectations for India's tech ecosystem and how in a short span of time the country has seen itself becoming the fastest growing digital economy. Speaking about AI and noting it as one of the three biggest inventions in recent time, Shri Chandrasekhar said "While we envision AI to become a kinetic enabler and accelerant for our digital economy and innovation economy, safety and trust in these platforms remain paramount." Celebrating the success of DATE, Mr. Saleem said, "DATE Is Trescon's commitment to host a global standard event that truly fosters a secure and inclusive digital environment in India. With 8,000+ registrations from across India including Government Officials, Founders, CEOs, CIOs and Investors, Tech leaders & Startup Founders, and 100+ exhibitors & partners showcasing innovation across various domains like artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, drones, data analytics, digital marketing, electric mobility, egaming, fintech, generative ai, hyper computing, IoT, metaverse, robotics, web3 and quantum computing, DATE's outcome has been unprecedented and a talk of the nation".

With 3 dynamic conference stages featuring 100+ speakers in thought-provoking panel discussions, tech talks, keynote presentations and engaging fireside chats, DATE's inaugural edition's success echoes a fervent demand for transformative technology. A noteworthy session was the fireside chat on 'Digital India: Accelerating Economic Growth and Sustainability' between Shri Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), Government of India, and Ranganath M.D., Chairman, Catamaran Ventures. During their captivating conversations, they provided great insights on what can be expected with India Stack 2.0, the different approaches of AI regulations, alternative energy and more. A deviation from the controlled and scripted norm, the fireside chat on 'Confessions of a Startup Founder' between Swati Bhargava, Co-Founder, CashKaro and EarnKaro, and Reshma Budhia, Director & Co-Founder, Toss The Coin presented candid insights into the challenges and triumphs of their entrepreneurial journey providing valuable lessons, inspiring innovation and resilience in the startup sphere.

On social impact & innovation, Mr. Bharadwaj said "At DATE, in addition to sparking transformative business discussions, social impact, youth empowerment & real investments were prioritized as we launched the Women in Media Council (a consortium for global female media professionals to collaborate); Smart 1,000 (a partnership initiative between Trescon Foundation & Yuva Unstoppable to transform 1,000 schools in rural areas of India); Cyber Safe Girl (a security awareness book in its 6th version by Dr. Ananth Prabhu); Future of Tech (a book authored by a 14 year child prodigy Karthik Jakhar) and more. Regional pitch competitions for prestigious Fintech World Cup (finals during Dubai Fintech Summit 2024) & Startup World Cup (finals in San Francisco) were held. Multiple startups received investment commitments and 2 were publicly disclosed." Highlighting the impact of DATE, Shri Wadiyar said, "We extend our gratitude & sincere appreciation to Honourable Finance Minister, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, and Honourable Minister of State, Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar for gracing DATE with their presence and invaluable insights. We thank Trescon for launching such an impactful, inspiring and fun event in India. The success of the launch edition makes the industry even more eager for the next edition of DATE India which is expected to be held in September 2024".

With robots on stage, attendees experience capture boards, cosplay competition and a live gaming competition featuring India's most prominent international gamer Mavi and many such onsite activations, DATE gave attendees a fresh breath of air and truly stood out compared to regular run of the mill tech events.

Anticipation surges for what is in store for the next edition of DATE.