By CHARLES IWUOHA

Enugu city has won the hosting for sixth edition of global technology innovation (technovation) focused conference in the South-South/South-East of Nigeria.

The 2021 edition of the conference in Enugu is tagged: “#StartupSouth6”.

Mr Uche Aniche, Convener of the #StartupSouth Conference, announced the selection of Enugu city among four other cities that vied for the hosting in the two regions in a visual international press conference held on Thursday.

Aniche said that the conference, which will hold between October 28 and 29, would attract founders, investors, public officials and top technology brands from across the regions, Nigerian and beyond.

According to him, this year’s speakers will include executives from the search and social media giants – Google and Facebook – as well as executives from global payment company, Visa Card and executives from Okta, Cummins, etc.

The convener said that global technovation conference would also feature technovation experts from around the world including San Francisco, South Africa, United Kingdom, Nigeria, etc.

He said: “#StartupSouth Conference has grown in reputation as a driver of conversation towards boosting economic growth in the regions leveraging on technology.

“As a comeback edition (having paused due to COVID restrictions), we are leveraging technology to extend Enugu’s growing influence as a globally recognized Startup city and support Startup in the city (state) and across the region”.

He said that the conference is themed: “Unlocking the Next 60 Million: 4th Industrial Revolution, Gender Gaps and Human Capacity Development”.

“The conference will be divided into plenary and breakout sessions covering six broad focus areas – business, technology, lifestyle, capacity development, early stage investing and policy,” he said.

Speaking, Google Developer Group Lead for Enugu, Mr Tochukwu Gabriel alias TBoy, said that Enugu had always been a “melting pot of talents and a hub of innovation”.

Gabriel, a co-convener of the conference, said: “#StartupSouth6 coming here is a further testament of Enugu’s ranking as an emerging and globally recognized Startup City and a hotbed for smart young people”.

Reacting, Mr Elvis Nwankwo, Special Assistant to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on ICT and Innovation, said that the state government as well as entire technovation and startup community in Enugu “are very excited for the development”.

“With Enugu's reputation as a startup capital clearly been recognized by startupblink, this conference could not have come at a better time.

“It is time to avail our teeming youth population the right information to unleash their potentials, and that is exactly what this conference is about,” Nwankwo said.

The conference is supported by several brands that include Jet Motor Company, Printory.ng, Cobbs Automation, Nexford University, Bamboo Real Estate Developers, Njenje Media and Nike Lake Hotels among others.

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