Festival of Media announces tech start-up programme and UKTI backing

The Festival of Media - the world's largest event dedicated to the $500bn media industry - has announced the launch of a new initiative designed to find the most innovative technology start-ups. They will be showcased at each Festival of Media event, beginning with the Festival of Media Global (Rome, Italy, April 6th - 8th 2014). The line-up will represent the most comprehensive view of the global start-up scene and offer participants an unparalleled opportunity to get in front of advertising industry budget holders. The scheme has also been sponsored by the British government, with UK Trade & Industry (UKTI) working with the Festival to encourage UK-based media entrepreneurs.

Called Emerge, the initiative will uncover the most exciting global entrepreneurs across the world and give these new companies the chance to meet the Festival's delegation of senior leaders in marketing, media and publishing. Typically the buying power of the global agency CEOs and brand CMOs at the Festival represents well over $250bn. For Festival of Media attendees, Emerge will offer a unique one-stop meeting place to discover the best ideas and new technologies.

Said Sameer Singh, Global Head of Media for GlaxoSmithKline and President of the 2014 Festival Global Jury: "Advertisers are increasingly interested in seeing new technologies but the landscape is complex and seemingly bewildering. I am delighted that #FOMemerge is providing this curation service - and, on behalf of all the many brands at this year's Festival of Media Global, I look forward to meeting the chosen businesses."

Through extensive research with its partners across the world, a panel of Festival of Media experts has drawn-up a list of the most interesting and innovative tech businesses - originating from as far afield as Eastern Europe and Canada as well as from the more traditional tech hubs of California, New York, Tel Aviv and London. A shortlist of businesses will be chosen to present to delegates on the cutting-edge of technological change.

The new start-ups and tech businesses will be drawn from a wide array of disciplines including programmatic buying; social video; data interrogation and understanding; content and publishing technology; mobile commerce - plus other areas and applications that are only just becoming part of the vocabulary of the advertising industry such applications around the quantified-self.

The final Emerge shortlist will be announced on March 21th, two weeks before approximately 1,000 senior media professionals converge on the historic City of Rome.

Find more information on the Festival at www.festivalofmedia.com/global.

Join the conversation via #FOMemerge.

Previous presentations from entrepreneurs visiting the Festival of Media can be found at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L4hdQIwQWA&list=PLP4yb2cuoEwGGkS5_eBG6vm2VYEBDPR8c&index=2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV90XZk5JgI&list=PLP4yb2cuoEwGGkS5_eBG6vm2VYEBDPR8c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1cqbgUhx0w&list=PLP4yb2cuoEwGGkS5_eBG6vm2VYEBDPR8c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lmOx92Pkfc&list=PLP4yb2cuoEwGGkS5_eBG6vm2VYEBDPR8c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5xItu4HxcY&list=PLP4yb2cuoEwGGkS5_eBG6vm2VYEBDPR8c