Subscribe

Software is the future

Samantha Perry
By Samantha Perry, co-founder of WomeninTechZA
Barcelona, 10 Jul 2013
No one can ignore software, says MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor.
No one can ignore software, says MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor.

Global enterprise software platform provider MicroStrategy has kicked off its Global Customer Conference - MicroStrategy World 2013 - at the Barcelona International Convention Centre.

The conference runs from 8 to 11 July and is being attended by some 1 000 people from 44 countries, mainly MicroStrategy customers, partners and prospects.

MicroStrategy president Paul Zolfaghari says the event is the largest uniquely business intelligence event in Europe. He adds that it is appropriate, given the company's mobile focus, that it is being held in Barcelona - home to the annual Mobile World Congress show and known as the "mobile capital of the world".

MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor presented the first keynote of the event (the second will kick off day two of the conference). He says Barcelona is an important city for MicroStrategy, as it opened its first European office in the city in 1994 when it entered the market here.

Saylor focused on the company's corporate commitments in his keynote, outlining where it is making investments, and where it is enthusiastic about the future.

"Half of the economy of the world is dematerialising into software," he says. "Services, books, products, entertainment, education, teaching - it's all becoming software or software-infused. The impact on our customers is clear. Everyone has more software to build than they did 10 years ago. The significance of those apps is more important than 10 years ago.

"Ten years ago, using a Web browser to bank was interesting, but not common; 20 years ago, it was unheard of. Today, not a bank in the world is not concerned about how its customers integrate with the bank using smartphones. Is it safe? Secure? Should we support Android, tablet, iPhone?

"If you're a corporate, or an educator, or in government, you can't ignore software. The world is changing - our customers, governments, corporates are building the most interesting apps ever - building new industries, destroying old, changing the balance of power."

Disclaimer: Samantha Perry is being hosted in Barcelona by MicroStrategy.

Share