A new year is starting and with it a lot of projects to continue deepening our mission: to achieve the global and real digitalization of our society, with Spain as a reference for this change. The 43 companies that make up DigitalES have many challenges to tackle, but we want to start 2019 by taking a look back at all that was achieved in 2018.

The year that followed our birth as an association was an intense year of work and emotions, full of effort and commitment, impossible to cover in a few lines, but full of key moments for the promotion of our activity and the digitization of the whole society. These are the major milestones of the year that has just ended
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1. The first DigitalES Summit Congress 

More than 500 guests, 50 accredited journalists, 25 million twitter impressions and more than 900 users talked about the first congress organized by DigitalES. Held on July 10 and 11 at the Duques de Pastrana complex in Madrid, the event exceeded all expectations with a great success of audience and participation. 

The first summit on digitalization, politics and economy, with technology as a driver of change, became a trending topic on social networks nationwide and occupied more than 600 news items in the press, radio and TV. The event, inaugurated by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, brought together the main leaders of the digital industry, with more than 60 national and international speakers who addressed the impact of digitalization from different perspectives. An outstanding institutional presence -despite taking place only a few weeks after the new government was formed- among the top-level speakers, completed the meeting that focused all the sector’s attention. 

2.- Generation Next: meeting of young people and CEO’s.

In collaboration with the Junior Achievement Foundation, the Generación What’s Next meeting brought together 32 students and young entrepreneurs with the CEOs of leading technology companies. With the objective of identifying and promoting talent and vocations among young people, the students had the opportunity to exchange their concerns with top-level executives from our partners, leading companies in the digital sector. In this way, the Mini CEO’s were able to share experiences during a lunch with the CEO’s of these companies, from an intergenerational and mentoring perspective. 

3. Report on Digital Transformation in companies

In collaboration with Altran, DigitalES presented the report«Game Over, transform yourself and win the digital game«. The work is based on a survey of more than 120 executives at all levels of management among leading IBEX 35 companies operating in more than 20 sectors. According to the study, 65% of companies are committed to Digital Transformation as a means to generate new business models.

4. 12 months, 12 causes

Throughout 2018 we have disseminated informative materials of interest to society. We have talked about Smartcities, Gender Violence, Digital Integration, Cybersecurity, STEAM, Digital Consumer or the Digital Office, with infographics and posts collected in our blog and in different media. 

5. Digitization Course for the Public Administration

Organized by the Atlantic Institute of Government, this is the first initiative of its kind in our country. Experts from different DigitalES companies analyzed for three days (November 21, 22 and 23) how disruptive technologies will impact the economy and the daily lives of citizens and companies. 

6. Conference on Intelligent Territories 

On November 20, Santander hosted the Conference on Smart Territories organized by DigitalES at the Palacio de Exposiciones de Santander. The conference, the first of its kind held in Spain, was attended by experts in technology and smart cities, as well as a dozen partner companies as speakers at the two panel discussions.     

7. Privacy Day 

On the occasion of the International Data Protection Day, and in view of the imminent entry into force of the new European data protection regulation (GDPR), we held a We were accompanied by the Technical Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice, José Amérigo, who opened the conference together with our president Eduardo Serra.

The public sector round table discussion included the director of the Spanish Data Protection Agency Mar España, and Francisco Pérez, Secretary General of INCIBE. Also participating from the legal field were Esther Montalvá, deputy for technological matters of the Madrid Bar Association, and Jorge Sánchez Vicente, partner of CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo. 

8. Conference on the Digital Revolution in Health Care

Organized by DigitalES in collaboration with IE Business School, it addressed the digital challenges affecting the healthcare sector, from a global vision of healthcare and healthcare management to the technologies and applications that are changing healthcare and its treatment.

It was attended, among others, by the CAM Health Minister, Enrique Ruiz Escudero, the President of DigitalES, Eduardo Serra, and the President of IE, Diego del Alcázar.

9. Las mañanas del Mañana breakfasts

These monthly meetings bring together renowned experts and intellectuals to try to interpret the keys to a future marked by digitalization. Anthropologists, historians, economists, journalists, politicians and demographers of the stature of Ignacio Martínez Mendizábal, Pilar del Castillo, Marta García Aller, Rafael Puyol and Elena González-Blanco have participated in these breakfasts. The hour-and-a-half-long talks can be viewed in their entirety on our YouTube channel.     

10. IN Innovation Forum

The Foto IN meetings delve into disruptive technologies and aspects such as Cybersecurity, blockchain, Augmented Reality or Industry 4.0. Experts from the different companies that make up the association have given practical workshops on subjects of great current interest. 

11. Institutional activity

One of the functions of DigitalES is to convey the importance of digitization, innovation and the application of technologies to public administration. To this end, we have met with various institutional representatives, such as the Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Pedro Duque; the Minister of Economy and Business, Nadia Calviño; the Minister of Culture and Sports, José Guirao, the lehendakari Iñigo Urkullu; and the Vice President of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonés.

In addition, DigitalES has responded to legislative initiatives with more than 80 proposed amendments (75% accepted), 42 answered public consultations, and more than 80 institutional interlocutions. 

12. 26 new associates

DigitalES ends 2018 with 43 associates, 26 more than last year. Companies from all fields have decided to join a project to provide proposals and solutions that have a real impact on the lives of citizens and enable the digital development of society as a whole.