SHIFT Mobility, the annual conference and industry pow-wow that focuses on next-gen transportation, will run as planned on September 2nd and 3rd as an in-person event in Berlin, but with an intriguing and cutting-edge twist as a mixed reality convention far beyond the traditional trade fair.
“Mobility is changing fast, [and] the way we talk about it, too,” says Hans H. Hamer, CEO of SHIFT Mobility. He and his team have tackled the challenges of COVID-19 by launching this groundbreaking new format. From a mixed reality studio in Berlin, SHIFT will visit the coolest brands, the fastest thinkers, the most innovative startups and operate simultaneously as a physical and digital global event. Renowned experts such as Andreas Loeschel (advisor on energy transformation for the German Government and IPCC), Andrew DeWit from Rikkyo University Tokyo, and Scot Wingo (Forbes Technology Council) are among those mobility experts who will present either in Berlin or virtually. Speakers will share insights on topics such as sustainable mobility, software-defined vehicles, and new dimensions of transport.
“It has never been more important to talk about the future of mobility,” says Hamer, who has positioned SHIFT Mobility as the up-and-coming brand over the past couple of years. Despite the challenges of running an event over the past year and a half, Hamer has been adamant that the 2021 SHIFT Mobility conference take place as planned, and has found ways to expand the platform throughout the year. His strategy has been to set up a timeline with more boutique satellite events in Hamburg and Tel Aviv later this year, as well as integrations with CES and SxSW in 2022.
In recent years, SHIFT Mobility has assembled inspiring thinkers and doers such as Renzo Vitale (BMW Group), Michael Lohscheller (Opel), François Bausch (Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg), and many others in Berlin. These experts have not only discussed the most fascinating and promising trends in transportation, but have also critically reflected on the big picture around the transformation of society through sustainable mobility and living.
“The transition to renewable energy and mobility is bigger than the Industrial Revolution,“ says Auke Hoekstra, the director of ZenMo Simulations, who will speak at SHIFT this year. Hoekstra is one of the leading thinkers regarding electromobility, and epitomizes the spirit and the motivation behind SHIFT. For this reason, there will also be a focus on renewable energy and new urbanism this year, with the overall headline of the conference being “mobility meets tech.”
The entire conference is open to the public and will be live-streamed for free on Thursday, September 2nd and Friday, September 3rd for free at https://shift-mobility-ifa.com/.
