BangaloreIT.biz seems to be losing fizz

The exhibitors and participants at 14th edition of Bangalore’s premier IT event were a frustrated lot on the third day of the “mega” event.. The event, which is estimated to have cost Rs 2.5 crore, according to the organisers, seemed to have neither attracted the general public nor enough business visitors.

Say IT expo, and one what would expect to see robots, newest gadgets and high-end technology on show and what comes to ones mind is CeBIT, the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions held in Hannover, Germany, which is set to see 4,200 companies from 70 countries participating this year..

Bangalore event, the government claimed, had 110 stalls. The number of participating entities, even smaller. Many participants were nothing more the various government departments.

Seemed more keen on occupying the stalls than exhibiting whatever they could. Their staff seemed bored and trying to kill time, and escaping the ‘drudgery’ of their office work.

It was mostly boredom that was visible among many of the participants too. “It’s so badly organised. We don’t have any idea of what events are happening. No announcements are being made and we don’t even have our basic needs met. There’s no water even,” said Mohanram P V, senior vice- president of a start-up MIBS, a firm into innovative green technology. He lamented that there were hardly any business visitors coming, adding that it’s probably because of not enough publicity being given to the event. .

Interestingly, there were eight rural BPOs, the first time that the event had seen rural BPOs. The small firms spanned the areas of transcribing to data entry to even web designing. For them it was a learning experience though they did not get to any business in the first place. Said a participant pointing to some of the vacant stalls: “The participants left after the first two days as no one was visiting the stalls.” Another added: “The media has also ignored it this time around.”

But, the organisers and the government officials had a very positive take on the event. “It has moved from being just a product exhibition to a discussion and brainstorming, and networking between innovators and R&D professionals. This is definitely a positive development,” said chief of MM Active, the organiser of the event.