Le Web is Europe’s largest tech conference, bringing together the entrepreneurs, leaders, bloggers and influencers who shape the future of internet. If you aren’t in the London at the moment, today and tomorrow you can watch Le Web via live streaming on YouTube. Here are some keynotes from #LeWeb Day I till now.
After opening remarks, Eric Hazan & Philipp Nattermann from McKinsey talked about the impact of big data on everything. Social networks are becoming gateways to other activities. Did you know that 35% of online users are happy to share private data, if targeted ads are done effectively? Or, by 2020 digital data will reach 53 zettabytes (ZB = 1021 bytes)? We can expect very digital future. Jamie Oliver, famous TV cook, was among top 5 speakers on #LeWeb Day I, according to social mentions. On the stage he was with Kevin Systrom, Co-Founder and CEO of Instagram, and it was not coincidence, because Jamie is huge fan of Instagram. Jamie and Kevin have met a year ago, when Instagram was still small. He started using it the next day and for him – Instagram is an amazing way of democratizing being creative. Twitter is great for announcing things, stirring the post and engaging local communities. He really likes Twitter but there’s something about words that’s quite poisonous. It can be quite “bitchy”.
On the other hand, Facebook is like a websites, people scratch deeper there, sharing photos, videos and comments. He spends 15 minutes a day scanning what’s happening in social media, and the rest of the time his digital team monitors social networks. Social media is like an empty stage with a drum kit and guitars – businesses need to hire passionate musicians to use them, he said. The food industry is corrupt and filthy as the arms industry, and he thinks that the only hope is digital. If your idea is creative enough, it will make money.
After Jamie, Bradley Horowitz (Vice President, Product Management, Google) came on stage with an iPad in his hands, which Loic Le Meur, Le Web founder, used to make a joke. So Bradley, he said, you work for Google, and you have an iPad? Yes, Bradley answered. So, is it running on Android platform also? 
No, but iPad is very nice and useful product, Bradley finally admitted. At the moment on G+ they have 170 millions accounts converted from Google. He announced that Flipboard is now a Google+ API partner, and soon users will see G+ integrated into Flipboard. Kraft Food has 1,6 million followers on G+, and it’s even more than on Obama account. They are putting social at the center of their communication strategy. And TV became a teaser for social media. Huge shift happened. Also, we have another shifting – from impressions to connections. Because of that, Kraft Food use G+ to engage with consumers.
Ben Ling, COO at Badoo, talked about this sharing and location network. As he said, Badoo is best, easiest and fastest way to meet people locally and globaly. Helps you to found people with similar interests and to start chatting with them. Even if it looks like dating app, Ben said that Badoo isn’t dating app. How you are going to make money with this, Robert Scoble asked him. App is free product. But, they allow users to advertise them and to buy some premium products. They already have 150 million users.
Really nice panel was moderated by Michael Arrington, and we had a chance to hear a lot of interesting things about Uber and Hailo. Two companies competing for the taxi marketplace: Uber – Everyone’s Private Driver and Hailo – The Black Cab App. While Uber started in San Francisco in 2008. and is present in 13 cities, Hailo launched in November 2011 and is present in London and Dublin (will be in the USA by the end of the year). Hailo users in London used service in London over 1 million times since November 2011. In London cabs are 4-5 billion worth industry, and smartphones have made it easy to create apps like these. While Hailo is focusing on growth and not on profits right now, Uber is very profitable on some markets. Travis Kalanick, Uber’s CEO, said that world isn’t only about Silicon Valley and USA, so they have decided to grow on European markets. That is why they hired Kees Koolen (CEO of Booking.com) as the new Uber’s COO. Jay Bregman, Hailo Founder, thinks that the market is big enough for both of them, and they are focusing on some different things.
Why is UK Government different than all others governments? Because they are changing the way technology is used within government. They are being driven by user need – faster, cheaper, simpler and they are behaving as if they didn’t have a monopoly. They’re working on procurement, trying to push it towards smaller companies. Michael Bracken, from UK Government, said that they need the innovation from tech companies. Tech infrastructure is held by large companies, but they are trying to change this. They are working on procurement, trying to push it towards small companies. 50% of homeless people have mobile but the charities aren’t set up for this. Government is only one factor, and charities are another to focus on.
Joe Fernandez, founder of Klout, had some “tough” time on the stage while he was trying to answer Alexia Tsotsis, TechCrunch writer. First, she told him that she doesn’t believe in Klout and in the past she has written some critics about Klout, and how’s nobody gives a damn about your Klout score. I really don’t hate it, she said, but I really don’t believe in it. Well, Joe said that he loves the naysayers, and that’s what makes him want to work harder with Klout. Joe also announced a new algorithm that will be a better indicator of a someone’s influence on social media graph. You can love or hate Klout, but they have raised $70 million in funding so far.
Stay tuned for #LeWeb updates,
Tamara
Like this:
Like Loading...
