Technology is radically reshaping business. At an “out of the box” BNP Paribas event on the edge of Amsterdam, we took clients from a variety of sectors on a journey to virtual worlds and debated how business could change in the near future.
Nadya Ivanova, COO at L’Atelier, a foresight agency by BNP Paribas focused on societal and technological change, spoke about online virtual economies – and why companies should look to new markets like these to understand where the best business opportunities in the future could lie. She explained how a parallel economy is emerging based on video gaming, and its increasing impact on the real world as revenues from in-game purchases, game streaming and game streamers soar. How can businesses interact with and service this new economy? How can they join the dots between the virtual and the real, and shape the narrative of tomorrow?
After what one participant described as an “eye-opening” presentation, clients were invited to take part in roundtable conversations in an informal ambiance far removed from typical corporate seminars. They discussed how emerging trends based on data and technology will affect their common future, and how they can adapt their business models to ride this new wave. Subjects of debate included whether it will be possible to connect the virtual and real worlds any time soon, what might be the best balance between machines and humans – especially at a time when “real-time” is the name of the game – and the value of replacing physical experiences with virtual ones.
The event ended with networking over a barbecue, allowing clients and BNP Relationship Managers to mingle and further discuss how their common future will be affected by technology, and how they can turn this to their advantage.
This was the second ‘Prospective Event’ BNP Paribas has hosted, following its inaugural event in Oslo in May – take a look at the videos below.
