Lift is a series of events built around a community of pioneers who get together in Europe and Asia to explore the social implications of new technologies.

Each conference is a chance to turn innovation into opportunity by anticipating the major shifts ahead, and by meeting the people who drive them.

Lift10 will welcome 1000 participants from 40 countries to explore the most overlooked aspect of innovation: people. Known in the techno-parlance as users, consumers, clients, prosumers, citizens or activists, people ultimately define the success of all technological and entrepreneurial projects.

They adopt or refute, promote or demote; embrace, reject, or re-purpose. Their approaches are unique, influenced by cultural and generational diversity. A decade after the rebirth of user-centered design and innovation, it’s time to explore the myths and uncover the reality behind the “connected people”.

Generations and technologies
How to go beyond the usual clichés on generations, with Seniors unable to benefit from technology and Millenials ruining their future careers on social networks?

The redefinition of Privacy
What is privacy in the 21st Century? Is personal security threatened by the massive collection of personal data?

Communities
Since 2006 Web 2.0 has celebrated the so-called “amateur revolution”. What did we learn in the past 5 years? Are we reaching the limits of Web 2.0?

Politics
Beyond the much talked-about political campaigns on Facebook, how to turn users into engaged citizens in public action?

The old new media
Newspapers are struggling, TV is not sure of what the future holds. What is at stake nowadays when informing, reaching and involving people?

Each event is built around three key ingredients:

* talks and workshops given by some of the moment’s brightest and most inspiring people. The program is divided into two parts: the official program (15 hours of talks, managed by the Lift team) and the open program (50+ hours of workshops/talks/discussions, managed by the community via an online proposition and voting system).
* artistic activities created to facilitate networking and to inspire, allowing attendees to network, play, create, and keep their minds fresh. This part of the conference is called the Lift Experience.
* social events where lifters get together around our legendary fondue or a traditional Korean meal.

Lift attendees come from the several different sectors: private (entrepreneurs, managers, investors, researchers), academic (students, professors, researchers), media and art (designers, artists, journalists) and international (NGOs, UN agencies).

Goals

* Turn change into an opportunity
Change can be a threat if you do not anticipate it in time. By coming to Lift you will get a preview of the big changes that will impact you, your job, your organization, and your life… enabling you to prepare for what lies ahead.

* Inspire
Like some of the world’s most creative organizations, we believe that one of the best ways to generate new ideas is via cross-polinization, a horrible word for a fundamental truth: you will get more inspiration from an event featuring speakers from diverse backgrounds that at a professional convention where everybody basically agrees on everything. Come and listen to ethnologists, entrepreneurs, artists, designers, or even the Vatican webmaster. They all have ideas that you will be able to reuse in your daily lives!

* Connect
What use is an idea without the people behind it? Usually not much. At Lift we focus on bringing together all types of participants, whatever their background and role in the event may be. We treat everybody the same, and this creates amazing networking opportunities, and lets you meet the people behind the great ideas.

Values

Since the creation of the conference we subscribe to a certain set of values. The most important ones are:

* Independence
Lift is an independent organization. Our editorial team is completely separate from our partnerships team. If a speaker is on stage it is because we think he/she is relevant, not because we received a payment or sponsoring. You cannot pay to speak at Lift, and pitches are not allowed with two notable exceptions: non-profit organizations are allowed to promote their projects (Amnesty International at Lift06, Wikipedia at Lift07, and WattWatt at Lift08 and Lift Asia 08), and during the open program pitches are allowed if voted in by the community. We also do not get commission from the hotels/restaurants/airlines that we recommend – so you can be sure we are recommending the best, and not those who give us more money.

* Diversity
Lift is committed to bringing you diverse points of views, and we try to invite speakers from all continents as well as a large number of women speakers.
* Openness
Lift is flat, open and collaborative. We treat everybody the same and ask our guests to act likewise.

Locations

Lift has grown from a local conference into a series of events happening in:

* Geneva, Switzerland
* Jeju, Korea
* Marseille, France

We are always open to new adventures, and if you would like to run a Lift in your country please get in touch with us!

By the numbers

“Torture numbers, and they’ll confess to anything.”, Gregg Easterbrook

* 4,000 attendees from 60 countries.
* 8 events held on 3 continents in 3.5 years
* 2 million visits and 13.5M page views on liftconference.com per year (full stats)
* 450+ articles and interviews in national (TSR, Bilan, RSR, Swissinfo) and international (BBC, CBC, BusinessWeek, FastCompany, Wired, AFP, Europe1) media
* 200+ talks available free on video
* 5000+ members in the Lift community
* 180+ speakers from more than 40 countries
* Lift@home events happening in Toronto, Tokyo, Barcelona, London, San Francisco, Brussels, Barcelona, Zurich, New York, etc.

Team

The event is organized by a team located in Switzerland and Korea, with the help of an international advisory board.