Panama Bizfit 2016: A Focus on Innovation and Business

On Thursday, October 6, 2016, we had the opportunity to attend the Panama Bizfit 2016, an event that featured several conferences on innovation and business in the fields of logistics, finance, and SMEs.

Alejandro Rico’s Keynote: Google’s Approach to Innovation

The event welcomed notable personalities such as Alejandro Rico, the Google Accounts Director for Central America and the Caribbean. He delivered a keynote titled "Google: Innovation Made Simple", emphasizing the importance of user-focused innovation and trends for the 21st century.

He highlighted a graphical cycle illustrating the process to achieve innovation, emphasizing perseverance, motivation, and a clear orientation towards success. Rico concluded his presentation by stressing that solutions and marketing strategies must be driven by data and analytics to progress.

"Not only good, but the right management is needed to achieve success."

Diana Cruz on Finance and Customer Experience

After a lunch break, Diana Cruz took the stage with a session on finance titled "Customer Experience Banking." She discussed how companies must increasingly focus on consumer satisfaction due to the competitive market. Diana briefly explained various technological tools available and how financial entities can utilize them to enhance consumer experiences.

Dr. Donal Ratliff: The Future of Logistics with Digital Connectivity

Dr. Donal Ratliff presented a track on logistics titled "How Digital Connectivity and Internet of Things Are Transforming Supply Chains and Logistics." He summarized the sector's evolution and how technology has driven automation, offering benefits beyond logistics.

He highlighted key benefits like:

• Troubleshooting
• Development of standards
• Performance analysis

Dr. Ratliff explained that these advances stem from the formula:

"Internet + Cloud Computing + The Internet of Things"

He also discussed how technology benefits end users and companies through tools like vehicle and shipment monitoring (e.g., FedEx), centralized planning, transport services (e.g., Uber), and facilitation of international trade.

Dr. Bernard Roth’s Motivational Closing Session

The final lecture was delivered by Dr. Bernard Roth, focusing on motivation and the principles in his book, The Achievement Habit. Dr. Roth emphasized the importance of defining clear objectives and paths to reach them before striving for success. He noted that people often create obstacles for themselves without realizing it.

As the co-founder of the d.school at Stanford, he stressed integrating two human behaviors—design thinking and analytical thinking—to achieve success without conforming to the norm.

"A fusion between design thinking and analytical thinking must be achieved."

A Successful Event

Bizfit 2016 hosted international experts who inspired us with new ideas on how to innovate, stand out from the competition, and provide value to our customers.

Congratulations to Capatec for organizing such a valuable event. At Rootstack, we are committed to participating in similar events to enhance our professional development and growth as a company.

With the Panama Devconf 2017 around the corner, we look forward to continuing our efforts to promote, develop, and strengthen the technology community in the country.

Daniela Geretti and I say goodbye for now but look forward to sharing more information on similar events soon.

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