Computex 2022: Return as a Hybrid Trade Fair

The 2022 trade fair calendar was heavily shaken by the Covid pandemic right from the start. However, more live and hybrid formats will follow. As one of the world's leading trade fairs for information and communication technology, Computex will return in physical form in 2022. For companies that cannot travel to Taiwan but want to increase their visibility, Computex 2022 offers so-called "Alternative Physical Exhibiting Solutions." Taitra (the Taiwan External Trade Development Council) will provide setup, marketing, and other services to meet the needs of these exhibitors. From May 24 to June 6, 2022, the virtual "Computex DigitalGO" will also take place, organized by Taitra.

Computex: Now also a "trade fair classic" – since 1981

Computex can now also be considered a trade fair classic: it has existed since its founding in 1981 and is, according to its own statements, one of the world's leading trade fairs for information and communication technology (ICT), Internet of Things (IoT), and startups, with a complete supply chain and IoT ecosystem. Computex, jointly organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (Taitra) and the Taipei Computer Association (TCA), has the full backing of Taiwan's complete ICT cluster. Thus, the fair covers the entire spectrum of the ICT industry, from established brands to startups, and from the ICT supply chain to IoT ecosystems. Due to the pandemic, the January edition had to take place virtually on January 20, 2022.

The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) invited Matthew Eastwood, the Senior Vice President of IDC's Enterprise Infrastructure, Infrastructure Software, and Services, Clouds, Developers and Alliances research groups, to explain the key technology trends. Importantly, according to IDC, it is estimated that up to 87 percent of companies worldwide have now started implementing a digital-first strategy.

2022 could be a "key year" for digitization

Eastwood sees 2022 as a "key year" for establishing digital infrastructures to drive changes in business models as well. Additionally, by 2024, around 75% of Global-2000 companies are expected to include Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) goals in their tenders and use them to achieve their sustainability goals. According to Eastwood, companies are dealing with several pressing issues simultaneously: security, cloud computing, software, edge computing, mobile, digital and flexible work, and short- and long-term sustainability goals – to position themselves on this "transformation journey".

The semiconductor industry is giving Computex momentum – global demand is higher than ever. And as Taiwan's semiconductor industry is flourishing in this context, the value of Taiwan's IC industry is expected to exceed USD 163.2 billion in 2022. Computex 2022 will showcase the entire semiconductor ecosystem and demonstrate related applications.

Moreover, the theme of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) will connect the six main themes of this annual event and encourage companies to develop a sustainability perspective. A special exhibition will be Innovex 2022, a dedicated exhibition exclusively for startups. This is intended to become one of Asia's leading startup platforms, also facilitating networking and matchmaking between exhibitors and buyers.

Digital-first will be an important technology and development indicator for company transformation

Eastwood's remarks on the pandemic were also interesting in this context: According to IDC's research, the pandemic was the trigger for 78% of companies worldwide to switch to a digital-first strategy, and 87% of companies are already busy implementing their digital-first strategy.

A cloud-centric, complementary digital infrastructure ecosystem will emerge, which Eastwood divides into five main categories that will accelerate the transformation:

1. Trust: The current security system lacks integration; therefore, building a complete security system that fosters trust will be important for future IT development.

2. Cloud: The cloud sector has achieved double-digit growth rates in all segments and is considered the fastest way to establish new services in the market.

3. Software: Software has shifted towards business differentiation, as more and more customers build ecosystems around these applications. And as these applications move to the cloud, more application dependencies and complexities arise.

4. Edge computing: As 60% of data is generated on end devices, more computing power is being shifted to the edge, closer to the surface, so decision-makers can make more effective decisions, almost in real-time.

5. Digital and flexible work: Creating an environment that enables people to connect will be the key to the future of work. Forward-thinking companies will focus on including all work styles and creating an equal work environment.

Managing different cloud resources and datasets across these extended cloud infrastructures will be the greatest challenge for IT operations. Therefore, IT must be able to promote innovations, innovative technologies, and the provision of these operations. According to the IDC study, 71% of respondents said they discuss their IT strategies with their boards at least once a quarter. IT infrastructure is a dynamic process that must function smoothly.

ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) will play a central role in corporate development

A company's resource management strategy will also depend on the ability to collect and analyze data. By 2024, 75% of the world's top 2000 providers are expected to be required to provide information on ESG and sustainability initiatives in tenders for digital infrastructures, and they will rely on infrastructure providers to help them achieve their ESG goals.

Edge computing will face unprecedented scale and changes

IDC advises companies to adopt an "edge-first" approach to data management to ensure the company can leverage IoT, 5G, and real-time analytics on a large scale. By 2024, 65% of the world's top 2000 providers will incorporate "edge-first" data management, security, and network practices into their data protection plans to support the integration of edge data into relevant processes.

Automation combines artificial intelligence for IT operations to develop performance metrics

The goals of use cases will determine how artificial intelligence and machine learning analytics are applied. By 2026, 90% of the world's top 2000 providers are expected to use Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations (AIOps), helping them solve problems and automate work with cost and performance metrics in mind.

Digital infrastructure will be included in creating Operational Excellence (OPEX)

Companies will use "Operational Excellence," or "OPEX," for better analytics on the use of digital infrastructures to enhance business agility and decision-making. This will also support the expansion of production capacities and the introduction of consumption-based models.

Also interesting: By 2025, 60% of the world's top 2000 corporations could finance business divisions and IT projects through their OPEX budgets. The adjustment of how providers deliver their services, focusing on the results provided by their Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators, are the key metrics used to determine the performance of activities within companies.

That is why Computex is striving to create more flexibility and build a strong digital platform to enable the event to take place both digitally and in a hybrid format: This year’s exhibition will offer Hybrid Displays and personalized recommendations in addition to Tech Insights. Most importantly, though, for digital and hybrid events: functions and opportunities for matchmaking and networking. Of course, there will also be CEO keynotes, discussion forums, seminars, and keynote speeches from global tech companies. The annual exhibition provides various networking opportunities, including personal meetings or video conferences, to create the most effective and direct communication channels for exhibitors and buyers.

Computex 2022 will open on May 24, 2022. Several tech giants have already pledged their support for participating in Computex 2022 Hybrid, including Acer, AMD, ASUS, Delta, GIGABYTE, Micron Technology, and MSI. NVIDIA, NXP, and Supermicro will also be attending this fair.

The last day to register for Computex 2022 is March 1, 2022. Online registrations at

https://events.taiwantrade.com/COMPUTEX22

For quick decision-makers who book by January 31, 2022, there is a 20 percent discount.

The last day for the Innovex early-bird registration is March 31, 2022, at

https://events.taiwantrade.com/InnoVEX22

What does this mean?

The trade fair landscape in 2022 remains very unclear. After CES, Computex is also making a bold move and planning to go hybrid again in 2022: live in Taiwan, or alternatively, one can also exhibit digitally. Either way, it’s a bold signal in the current situation.