The region’s inaugural premier geospatial and location intelligence technology conference and Singapore’s first large-scale hybrid event of the year will further build the already fast-growing geospatial community in Southeast Asia
- The geospatial analytics market in 2019 was estimated to be worth US$58.35 billion, a figure that is predicted to rise to US$158.84 billion by 2027
- Geo Connect Asia is poised to be the catalyst for a ‘geospatial revolution’ in Southeast Asia as the still-maturing economies of the region embrace wider adoption of emerging geospatial tech
- With a host of safety management measures in place including automated check-in through facial recognition and temperature-sensing wristbands, Geo Connect Asia 2021 is a testament to the resilience of the MICE industry and is a significant step in the tourism sector’s recovery
Geo Connect Asia (GCA) 2021, Southeast Asia’s inaugural premier geospatial and location intelligence technology conference and Singapore’s first large scale hybrid event of the year, kicks off today at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre with nearly 1,000 professional visitors expected on-site and a virtual audience of up to 1,200 international and local attendees. GCA 2021 will feature Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative Dr Vivian Balakrishnan as Guest-of Honour. Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Trade & Industry and Culture, Community & Youth will also attend the event.
GCA21 is hosting 26 leading companies as sponsors and exhibitors and features Digital Construction Asia 2021 (DCA21) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Asia 2021 (UAV21). From drone applications and mapping and surveying solutions to satellite and underground mapping, GCA21, DCA21 & UAV21 showcase the full range of applications for key government agencies and enterprises.
The associated conferences and tech talks bring together more than 50 industry leaders and experts at the forefront of government and enterprise, providing critical information, best industry practices and opportunities for the region. The conference highlights geospatial planning and solutions as being key to a robust and sustainable recovery.
GCA 2021 underscores the rapid growth of the global geospatial industry, aided by the wider digital transformation, the advent of Industry 4.0, and the emergence of hi-tech solutions with myriad applications across a wide range of fields and sectors. These include, for instance, AI based geospatial intelligence solutions and geospatial analytics in urban planning and smart
cities, rising adoption of cloud-based geospatial intelligence solutions, as well as AR and VR solutions. The global geospatial analytics market is expected to grow significantly in the near and medium-term future, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.2% from 2020 to 2027.
Ng Siau Yong, Director of the Geospatial and Data Division and Chief Data Officer at the Singapore Land Authority, said, “As a Knowledge Partner of Geo Connect Asia 2021, SLA supports GCA’s role in accelerating opportunities in the burgeoning ASEAN geospatial space and boosting the region’s economic recovery as we navigate the post-Covid normal. As Singapore continues to look to the future with the Smart Nation initiative in full swing and as demands for smart city solutions grow, Geo Connect Asia 2021 could be the catalyst for even wider adoption of geospatial technologies not only in Singapore but across ASEAN.”
Rupert Owen, Montgomery Asia Geo Connect Asia Co-founder, said, “In what has been dubbed the ‘Smart Revolution, the growing ubiquity of smart technologies and big data across many industries has given the geospatial industry an integral role in future economic development. Businesses and governments need increasing volumes of geospatial and accurate location intelligence data to build smarter cities and solutions for citizens and customers. The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of actionable geospatial intelligence for public health, as we leverage contact tracing and the like to contain Covid-19.
We founded Geo Connect Asia for it to be a catalyst for another revolution – the ‘Geospatial Revolution’ in Southeast Asia, as the region’s maturing economies, aided by the burgeoning geospatial industry, mount a robust recovery from the pandemic.”
Conference Highlights
The Geo Connect Asia 2021 Conference is themed, “Mapping the data-driven future economy,” and features high-level speakers and thought leaders from across the global geospatial industry. Highlights of the Conference include:
- Opening Address by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Singapore Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative
- Plenary Session: Geospatial Planning & Solutions: the Key to a Robust & Sustainable Recovery
- On the Move: Smart Transportation for Asia’s Dynamic Urban Landscapes: featuring Grab and Google Maps
- Plenary Session: Smart Liveable Cities
- Panel Discussion: Shaping the Future with 5G & Smart Applications ● Closing Remarks: The makings of three out of two. What are the boundaries for Urban Digital Twins?
- Conference Closing Remarks: From an airline to a super app: AirAsia’s digital transformation
GCA 2021’s cast of prominent speakers includes:
- Dr Mika-Petteri Torhonen, Lead Land Administration Specialist, World Bank’s Global Land and Geospatial Unit
- John Whitehead, APAC Director of Sales and Distribution, Trimble
- Phil Christensen, Vice President, Digital Reality + Spatial Modeling, Bentley Systems ● Bart De Lathouwer, President, Open Geospatial Consortium
- Julie Gaubin, Construction Cities & Territories Industry Business Consultant Expert, Dassault Systèmes
- Sean Wiid, CEO, UP42
- Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia Group
The full conference agenda is here.
