Redefining Technology Conferences
When was the last time an event made you think?

For seven years, the Supernova conference has anticipated critical developments on the path to the Network Age. At Supernova, CEOs and bloggers, entrepreneurs and academics, practitioners and visionaries, policy experts and industry thought leaders share insights and build relationships. Only Supernova connects Wharton, one of the world’s foremost business schools, with deep understanding of technology.

Supernova embraces the changes sweeping our world, and the tools that often make the “former audience” better connected and informed than the experts. Join us to find the people and ideas that will shape the future of your business. 
  

About Supernova

"I put together the first Supernova conference six years ago because, to paraphrase Bob Dylan, we all knew something was happening here, but we didn’t know what it was. My conviction was that underneath all the changes - business becoming increasingly distributed, users becoming more knowledgeable, old industry models collapsing, and everything and everybody becoming networked - is one fundamental phenomenon: decentralization.

At Supernova, we bring together business, government, and technology thought leaders to understand how decentralization and pervasive connectivity are changing our world.”

-Kevin Werbach, Host of Supernova

Why focus on decentralization?

Business, technology, and social interactions are decentralizing, tearing apart industries with the force of a supernova. Intelligence is moving to the edges, through networked computers, empowered users, fluid digital content, distributed work teams, and powerful communications devices. Business models are under pressure as end-users gain greater control, computing becomes a commodity, and companies collaborate across geographic boundaries. At the same time, new opportunities are emerging through social software, pervasive wireless networking, massively multi-player virtual worlds, and distributed e-commerce, among other trends.

In essence, these trends are creating a connected world. Platforms such as the Web are no longer the new frontier; they are the baseline. Kevin’s column at BusinessWeek Online, The Surging Tides of a Digital Torrent, identifies some of the developments that the new “global digital back-channel” makes possible.

At Supernova, we attempt to answer “what’s next” after everything is connected. Supernova is the only event that assembles the most compelling people and companies from the converging worlds of computing, telecom, and digital media to put decentralization issues into meaningful social and business contexts.

For a further discussion of the significance of decentralization, see Kevin Werbach’s articles for CNET News.com: Tech’s Big Challenge: Decentralization and Anticipating a Post-Web, Post-PC World.

Who should attend?

* Technology Executives
* Business Strategists
* Entrepreneurs
* Venture Capitalists
* Technologists
* Policy Makers
* Investment Bankers
* Service Providers
* Industry Media and Analysts

Comments on past Supernova conferences

“Supernova was the best conference I have ever been to. I was amazed at the number of engaging people I met there.”
- John Robb, former CEO, Userland Software

“In terms of the useful stuff I learned per speaker, your conference was the best I’ve ever attended.”
- Mike Nelson, Director, Internet Tech. & Strategy, IBM

“It was totally worthwhile. I’m addicted now.”
- Joichi Ito, CEO, Neoteny Co. Ltd

“Good crowd. Interesting program. Great conference.”
- Jeff Ganek, CEO, Neustar

“Supernova brings us out of the weeds, and into the real action. Kevin does a great job bringing together the right folks, and right forum, to advance the debate.”
- Jonathan Schwartz, President & COO, Sun Microsystems

“What an awesome crowd—I thoroughly enjoyed Supernova 2004.”
- Rob Poor, CTO, Ember

“A super way to get immersed in the opportunities and challenges ahead.”
- Blair Levin, Managing Dir., Legg Mason

“Superlative.”
- Amy Wohl, Industry Analyst

Supernova is produced by Kevin Werbach, Assistant Professor at The Wharton School, former Editor of Release 1.0 and former Counsel for New Technology Policy at the Federal Communications Commission