December 9, 2015

Clockenflap - Ticketflap at Web Wednesday (V98)

Calling all lovers of digitally-enhanced culture!

Off the back of a highly successful weekend of live art and music, with over 60,000 attendees, we've invited Martin Haigh,the Chief Sales Director of Clockenflap and CEO of Ticketflap, to talk about how digital technology is helping to build a cultural movement in Hong Kong.

We'll be covering a wide range of topics, from multimedia content marketing to mobile and socially integrated payments and the challenges facing the creative industry in Hong Kong.

See who else is coming and sign up via our communities on MeetUp (725 members) and Facebook (4,648 members).

Given all their compelling content, these guys are all over social media!

Follow Clockenflap on Facebook, Twitter, InstagramYouTube, Weibo, and WeChat (scan below to connect).
Clockenflap on Weibo:
Follow Ticketflap on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They are building a solid platform of events all over Asia.

In line with the seasonal spirit, the night will kick off with live music The Anello, one of the local opening acts at Clockenflap this year. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, InstagramYouTube and SoundCloud. The trumpeter, Michal Garcia, was a regular attendee of Web Wednesday's social mixers when he first came to Hong Kong. Now, he's busy being a celebrity!



Alternatively, listen them on SoundCloud:


And to top it all, we're back at the newly renovated Volar nightclub in the heart of Lan Kwai Fong!

Doors open at 6:30pmWednesday 16th December. The band will play at 7:00pm with the interview at 7:30pm.

HK$100 entry fee includes one complimentary drink and, if you book via Ticketflap, they'll generously offer you a second one for free. Just show your mobile receipt for scanning at the door.

And here is the teaser video for this year's Clockenflap festival in Kowloon Cultural Park, Hong Kong.

September 14, 2015

Ambi Climate Talks Intelligent Aircons at Web Wednesday

Calling all lovers of cooler climates,

As we waive good riddance to Hong Kong's hottest summer on record, I thought that it would only be fitting to invite the inventor of an intelligent climate controller to speak at Web Wednesday and tell us how his product will save our sweat glands whilst reducing our electricity bills!


Julian Lee, CEO & Co-founder of Ambi Labs will be share the story of how he fought all odds to create an Asian hardware start-up that can compete with the likes of Google's "learning thermostat" Nest which the giant acquired for US$3.bn last year and why Artificial Intelligence is replacing fuzzy logic in our air conditioners.

Recently, Julian's team has won accolade from the Hong Kong ICT Awards (Gold Award for Best Smart HK) and beat off other local start-ups at the Rise Conference.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of his story is what happens after you've raised US$114,892 on Kickstarter? How do you build a wider customer base and ensure delivery of a product promised to over 749 backers?

Register via our Facebook Group (4,585 members) or MeetUp (690 members).

Here's their teaser video which attracted all that attention:



CNET gave them a flattering review as did TechCrunch.

NOTE - NEW VENUE - INFINITI ACCELERATOR
Thanks to Peter Dingle and the folks at NEST, we have the delight of hosting you at the Infiniti Accelerator Lab on the 1st Floor of Hopewell Centre, 138 Queen's Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong (enter from the car showroom on the ground floor). Find on Google Maps.

Keep cool until we see you on the 23rd Sept!

Napoleon Biggs
Founder & Host - Web Wednesday Asia
Co-founder - Purecomm

July 30, 2015

Domain for Digital Marketers - ClickZ Live Hong Kong 2015

Hong Kong is abuzz with the coming of the Rise Conference, a great place to learn about the "who" of the tech world (established and upcoming).


But for the digital marketers of this world, we want to know the "how". So here's your chance to learn from some of the best practitioners in Asia at ClickZ Live Hong Kong on 4th to 6th August, 2015.


In their own words, "The 6th annual ClickZ Live Hong Kong conference will showcase some of the foremost thought leaders and innovators in the digital marketing field from banking, travel & tourism, ecommerce, insurance, retail and more. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn, network and share information with your peers!"


Have we got a deal for you! Register here in order to enjoy a 25% discount off their standard prices. So a Platinum Pass is US$938, discounted from US$1,250.

As I'll be flying back from San Francisco, I won't be speaking at this one but they have lined up an illustrious group of speakers, some of whom have taken the "hot seat" at previous Web Wednesday gatherings:

  • Tim Goudie, Social Media Director, Sustainability, Coca-Cola USA
  • Dominic Allon, Managing Director, Google Hong Kong
  • Koray Sonmezsoy, Head of Development - Mobility and Web, Cathay Pacific     
  • Ming Chow, VP of Marketing, Digital Home, Huawei Technologies
  • Perry Chung, Marketing Director, Ocean Park
  • Alyssa Tam, Head of Innovation Hub, AIA
  • Stephanie Hing, Campaign Planning and Delivery Manager, Lenovo         
  • Ken Lee, Senior Manager, Business Transformation, Digital, AXA
  • Susanne Osterholm, Regional Marketing Manager APAC, Crown Worldwide Group
  • Julien Rio, Marketing Director APAC, lalamove  
  • John Ho, Brand General Manager, Kiehl's
  • Michael Wolczyk, Head of Digital Innovation, QNET         
  • Om Bhatia, Digital, Mobile & Portal Programs Consumer Insurance Asia Pacific, AIG
  • Crispin Sheridan, Vice President, Digital Scale & Operations, SAP  
  • Seraphina Wong, Executive Director, Global Advertising - Brand Management (Asia Pacific Head), UBS         
  • Darren FiField, Regional General Manager, Ebay
  • Kate Scott, Marketing Director, Ovolo Hotels
  • Robert Cheng, Vice President of Marketing, The Peninsula Hotels    



Feel free to pre-network by joining the event on Facebook. Of course, they're all over social media: Twitter (@clickzlive), Pinterest, YouTube, Facebook Page and LinkedIn.

May 4, 2015

8 Securities at Web Wednesday HK (V95)

For our 95th social mixer, we've invited Mathias Helleu, Chairman and Co-Founder of 8 Securities, a stock brokerage firm with an innovative approach to investing online and via smart phones.


They have just launched a new platform, called "8 Now!”, an automated investment portfolio or "robo-advisor".


We'll be talking about fintech (financial technology) startups in Hong Kong, algorithmic trading, responsive design, the role of social in growing a business and the future of banks.

Sign up via Facebook or MeetUp to see who else is coming.

SPECIAL OFFER: For any member of Web Wednesday who signs up for their new service, 8 Securities will deposit deposit HKD888 into their 8 Now! account. (Just mention "Web Wednesday" on your sign up form. Regulations require sign up in person).

Mathias was recently interviewed on Bloomberg by Rishaad Salamat where he talks about his previous career at eTrade and how he is now in the "robo-trading" space and plans to give the average retail investor the "same tools as the ultra rich!".



But, the real question is what to do with all your profits? Why, spend them on a good cause, of course!

We've also invited a member of the Child Welfare Scheme, who've been helping families in Nepal over the last 17 years, to tell us how we can help. For starters, we will be donating 10% of the entrance fees for this event to their charity. Of course, you can also make your own donations via the CWSHK website.


Spread the word and see you at Orange Peel Music Lounge, 2/F, Ho Lee Commercial Building, Central Hong Kong on Wednesday 6th May, 2105. Doors open at 6:30pm with the talk starting around 7:15pm. There will be special prizes and plenty of opportunity to network.

Mathias also owns a film studio and is creating a set of short videos featuring up-and-coming Hong Kong celebrities to help promote the new auto-managed portfolio. See an example below, starring Cindy Ko, fashion and lifestyle blogger at Cindiddy.com.

April 23, 2015

Silicon Dragon Hong Kong - Meeting of Minds and Money

Silicon Dragon hit the shores of Hong Kong for the fourth year in a row yesterday at Cyberport. The host, Rebecca Fannin, pulled off another great gathering of money and minds to talk about Hong Kong's role as the "new international start-up city".

I was invited to interview three promising start-ups, iDecorate, Passkit and Launchpilots.

Listen to the interviews below to make your own judgements. I wonder if you agree?


April 2, 2015

Photos of Web Wednesday V94

Here are the photos from last night's 94th gathering of digital entrepreneurs - Nixplay at Web Wednesday Hong Kong (V94). Click on the arrows below or tag them on Facebook or Flickr.



Adam Place warmed the audience with his musical magical ball, AlphaSphere.

Douglas Mulcock tempted them to sign up for the Omni-Channel Retailing Conference on 9-11 June at HKCEC.

Our guest speaker, Mark Palfreeman, shared his vision for a future where photos (personal and enterprise) drive a whole ecosystem of software, hardware and big data and explained what the Internet of Things (IoT) really means.

Mark also proved that we have the smarts and drive in Hong Kong to create and build global technology businesses. I've challenged him to list in Hong Kong so that we can all be proud of a new HK-born success story.

A big thank you to Victor Isaac Cheung for providing a cool venue, Orange Peel, and to Bronney Hui for capturing the moment on his camera.

Finally, a shout out to Mark for being the first speaker to publicly thank me for all my efforts in nurturing this community.

April 1, 2015

Discounts for Omni-Channel Retailing Conference

Event organisers, Diversified Communications, will be joining the upcoming Web Wednesday social mixer to say a few words about the Omni-Channel Retailing Conference, held at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre on 9th and 10th June, 2015.


For the lucky draw on the night, they are generously offering a full delegate pass, valued at HK$10,500 for non-retailers and HK$3,500 for retailers.
For all Web Wednesday regulars, you can get 50% off by using code "#OCR15WW" when you register here.
I've had the pleasure of speaking at the last two conferences (see photo below) and I continue to be impressed by the calibre of the attendee, all C-suite retailers looking to tap into this new phenomenon in cross-channel retail.


My new venture in innovative software for multi-channel retailers, purecomm, was launched at last year's Retail Asia Expo (Diversified's main exhibition space), with a booth designed to look like a boutique! Yes, our software stood out from the typical ecommerce software vendor outlay.




AlphaSphere to play at Web Wednesday

Wicked last minute news!

AlphaSphere, the award-winning expressive musical football, will make a special appearance with a live performance at the upcoming Web Wednesday on April 1st. Who said networking was boring!



Inventor Adam Place came up with the idea at university after growing bored with conventional keyboards to play synthesized music.

"On a keyboard, the keys are just controllers, they're not really like notes on a piano," he said. "But with the AlphaSphere, the notes change as you press harder and harder, you really engage with the instrument, and you can perform with it."



Adam is generously offering an AlphaSphere me (worth US$199) as a lucky draw prize for the event so come along and drop your namecard at the door. Web Wednesday members get a reduced price for the AlphaSphere nexusseries, a more metallic upgrade.

Follow AlphaSphere on Twitter (@alphasphere), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Watch/listen to Jason Hou (侯珺硕 ), a young composer from Beijing, make the musical ball sing.



March 26, 2015

Nixplay at Web Wednesday Hong Kong (V94)

Mark your diaries for our 94th social mixer on 1st April , 2015 from 6:30pm - 9:00pm at Orange Peel, 2/F, Ho Lee Comm Bldg, 38-44 D'Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong.

We'll be talking about the Internet of Things with Mark Palfreeman, Founder & CEO of Nixplay, the #1 best selling cloud photo frame on Amazon US. His tech team are credited with winning the AWS Internet of Things 2014 Hackathon in Las Vegas.

We'll learn from Mark why he started this business in Hong Kong and how he is merging the tech and marketing know-how of this city with the production capabilities of our Chinese compatriots across the border.

See who else is attending on our Facebook and MeetUp event pages.


If you're up for a challenge, Nixplay and Invest Hong Kong will host the Asian Internet of Things Hackathon in Hong Kong later this year.

Follow Nixplay on Twitter, Facebook, Google or LinkedIn.

Entrance fee of HK$100 includes one free drink and the chance to rub shoulders with the smartest fools in Hong Kong (it is April Fool's Day, after all).

Watch Mark being interviewed on Bloomberg below (link here):



And here is a short intro to the whole Nixplay cloud photo frame offering...

January 30, 2015

Podcast: Digital Marketing Predictions 2015

Over 240 people attended our last social mixer! Who would have thought that fortune telling was so popular! In this case, it was more about predicting the future of digital marketing in 2015.

If you missed the interview, feel free to sit down with a warm cup of coffee (or ice cold whiskey) and take your time to digest the wise words of our panel of experts, David Ketchum from D+D, Vincent Lau from Deckers, Winnie Cheng from an FMCG and Dominic Allon from Google.

January 18, 2015

Digital Marketing Predictions 2015

Mark your diaries for our 93rd social mixer on 28th January, 2015 from 6:30pm - 9:30pm at Club 18, 18-20 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong.

We’ve lined up a fine selection of industry luminaries to kick off an unpredictable evening of forecasting digital marketing trends in 2015.

Our guest futurists for the evening are:
  • Dominic Allon, Managing Director of Google Hong Kong
  • Vincent Lau, eCommerce Director for Deckers (Asia Pacific)
  • Winnie Cheng, Assistant eBusiness Manager for Colgate Palmolive (Asia)
  • David Ketchum, Chairman of the Digital + Direct Marketing Association of Asia
Sign up via Facebook or MeetUp. (We charge HK$100 at the door to cover the venue and soothe your palate with one complimentary drink). Our events have a reputation for a good night of learning, networking and the best of British wit!

To whet everyone’s appetite, here are my predictions for the year:
  • Online advertising will become programatic and personal, but only a handful of brands and agencies will understand how to leverage it.
  • Social media will find a way to convert buzz into bucks, led by the Asian networks.
  • Mobile payment will become the norm in China, the USA will seek desperately to catch up.
  • Fashion brands will realise that shoppers are ready for omni-channel retail.
  • The media houses will take back content and find new ways to monetise it.
  • Big data will become big insights but humans will remain unpredictable!
This event is presented in association with the Digital + Direct Marketing Association Asia, a renewed and revamped industry association that brings together the best of the Asia Digital Marketing Association, the Hong Kong Direct Marketing Association, HK Social and other affiliate digital, mobile and marketing industry groups from around the region.