Day 3: Marks & Clerk reporting from Davos

As I travel to Zurich to catch my flight back to London, I have been reflecting on my two days (how was it only two days?!!) in Davos.

Needless to say, Davos during WEF week is THE place to be. It just feels good. The buzz is electric - there are camera crews on every corner, reporters from big newspapers securing big scoops from the various events, cars with tinted windows whisking very important people to their next events, etc, etc, etc. But besides all of the drama (and the -12 degree climate) there are the rest of us who descend on Davos to connect, collaborate, learn, share knowledge with others, take part in some of the fantastic satellite events and, well, have fun. 

I travelled alone and only knew one person (thank you, Kelly Vero for asking me along), so this was a pretty daunting trip for me. I didn’t know what to pack, what to expect, what to do or where to go, BUT as soon as I arrived all my fears disappeared. I have come away with SO many friends and new connections. It’s cliché to say that Davos is a melting pot of lovely, clever, talented, likeminded people - but it really is. I went to so many events, networking events and panel discussions during my two days there, and was genuinely in awe of the people I met. Everyone’s knowledge of their subject, their passion and enthusiasm, and their keenness to ‘pay it forward’ and help and inspire others was evident. Everyone you meet wants to get to know you, share, and just generally be kind. If you ever get the chance to visit Davos during WEF week, I highly recommend it. 

But enough gushing! What did I actually DO there? Here are some highlights and key takeaways from my trip:

• AI was a real buzz word. I think almost every panel I saw mentioned AI and its impact, or potential impact on, well, everything. I, of course, was keen to add my IP insights wherever possible and connect with as many people as possible in this field – I find it just fascinating. It was interesting to hear (and discuss with massive players in the field) the ‘future of AI’ and where things could lead (AI chip implanted into the brain, anyone?). Knowing Elon and Mark Z were in Davos added to the excitement of these discussions (for me, at least). 
   
• The metaverse is here to stay. I know there are many naysayers on this topic, but believe me when I say – the people who know, know!! 85% of GenZ already have an avatar and, let’s face it, these guys are the future. The metaverse and its capabilities and interoperability (see below) are evolving at lightning speed. It’s only a matter of time until we’re all living glorious lives in the virtual world. Get on board or get left behind! I had some great conversations with companies who are keen to venture into this field. It was great to discuss the IP / trade mark considerations that they should be thinking about before making this transition.
   
• The panel I took part in was so much fun! We had a super engaging discussion about interoperability in relation to the metaverse and it was really interesting to discuss the possibilities of this, the impact that it would have and, of course, considerations for brand owners in relation to their IP. I think it was great that we had various industry experts on the panel so could each give insights from our respective fields and it resulted in a very spicy discussion (you’ll be able to watch the recording of it soon – stay tuned!!). I was able to give an IP perspective on this panel and the follow up conversations that I had with brand owners on this was really insightful.
   
• Equality in business was another key theme on a number of panels. The Female Quotient led a number of super high quality panel discussions at The Equality Lounge on both days. I was really inspired listening to these and meeting so many female founders and entrepreneurs at the event.
   
• Before I left, and on the recommendation of a friend, I signed up for lots of events that I liked the sound of and thought were relevant to me. This is essential if you’re heading to Davos as unless you’ve got a ticket, you’re not getting in. That being said, whilst initially this was a bit of a pain and meant that I had to really focus on my schedule in the busy days leading up to my trip, it mean that I was laser focused on my trip, went to events that were relevant to me and more importantly, once I got to my events, was surrounded by people who were likeminded and interested in similar fields. This made the trip a whole lot more intentional and meant that the networking sessions were productive and resulted in a lot of a great connections.   

There’s so much more I can add to this list! I’ve covered so much ground in these two days but now… I’ve got a flight to catch, and definitely need a lie down!