FORWARD IV will be the largest gathering of automation experts and practitioners ever assembled in one place. It’s a chance to take a break from work-as-usual to figure out how to work in new and better ways. If you’re planning a digital transformation strategy, trying to make day-to-day operations more meaningful, or searching for new ways to work better, then FORWARD is for you.
We’re packing so much into the two-day in-person event at the Bellagio in Las Vegas this October 5 and 6 that it can be overwhelming (in a good way). So, to help you make the most of your time at the event, we’re rolling out the virtual red carpet and showing you seven things that you definitely don’t want to miss.
1. Visit Expertsville. Automation experts galore.
At FORWARD IV, you can talk 1:1 with the world’s leading experts in enterprise automation. The gathering includes over 40 UiPath sponsoring partners and more than 80 UiPath product and solution experts. You can find all of these experts in Expertsville, the onsite home for UiPath automation visionaries and mavens. You’ll have the chance to see automations in action, learn new ways to deploy robots, ask questions, and get instant answers. If you want to connect with people who are interested in making work more inspiring, this is the place to be.
But as exciting as Expertsville can be, we’re all only human. And that means we need coffee. Experienced conference-goers know how critical coffee is to a successful event (you’ve ‘bean’ there), but we’re striving to beat your expectations here as well. That’s why Expertsville will have Joe Bars, with baristas on hand, to ensure that every time you get your caffeine fix, the taste is as good as the boost.
2. Marvel at our customers: the real onstage talent.
More than 90 UiPath customers and partners will appear live onstage at FORWARD IV to share their automation knowledge and experiences. All of this happens in our Mainstage Keynote theater and our four breakout stages: Inspiration Theater, Innovation Theater, How-to Theater, and Journey Theater.
UiPath product experts will provide deep dives into the UiPath Platform and our upcoming release products in the Innovation Theatre. In the How-to Theater, customers, partners, and UiPath folks will provide demos and practical tips for getting the most from a UiPath deployment. And the Inspiration and Journey Theaters will feature fascinating, compelling stories of how some of the biggest and more visionary UiPath customers got started and solved challenges.
Our smaller stage—the Vision Stage—is home to our Diamond Sponsors. These organizations and their customers have a wealth of automation know-how to share. The Vision Stage was a huge success at FORWARD III, and we believe the expanded venue will easily accommodate the Expertsville visitors who want to join in.
Here’s the takeaway: we want to send you home brimming with new ideas that you can immediately use to help your organization become a fully automated enterprise™.
3. Hear the vision. See the future.
FORWARD IV wouldn’t be complete without a look at the UiPath product vision as outlined by Senior Vice President of Products and Engineering, Ted Kummert, and Chief Product Officer, Param Kahlon. You’ll also get the first look at some of the UiPath product enhancements coming down the line, several exciting new announcements, and highlights of the 2021.10 release. Even better, you won’t be seeing just flashing images on a screen or bullets on a slide. You’ll see these new features in action—and you can check them out up-close in Expertsville.
Day One will wrap up with UiPath co-founder and CEO, Daniel Dines. He’ll share his vision for the future of automation, talk about how becoming a fully automated enterprise can help organizations provide better customer and employee experiences, and chat with some automation luminaries who just happen to be UiPath customers.
We’re heading into 2022 full-steam ahead with a growing lineup of automation innovations. And none of it is possible without you, so we want you to hear all about the vision that drives us.
4. Enjoy the guest keynote address from Shankar Vedantam
Shankar joined us for last year’s virtual Reboot Work Festival, and he’s back live at FORWARD IV by popular demand! Shankar is a journalist who covers the social sciences. His specialty is exploring the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior. He is the host and producer of the podcast Hidden Brain, which draws over three million listeners a week. He also has a book by the same title. On the FORWARD IV Keynote Theater stage, Shankar will use his trademark style of storytelling to reveal how automation could aid in accelerating human achievement.
5. Experience an ‘inside-out’ event.
We’ve designed FORWARD IV to be ‘inside-out.’ We’ve taken most of the activities that usually happen indoors and moved them outside to the Bellagio’s pool deck. In doing so, we’ve doubled the usable space at the Bellagio, and we want FORWARD attendees to feel comfortable interacting in-person with experts and other attendees in the outdoor Expertsville. You’ll have two options for lunch: sit-down (and delicious!) lunches at Topic Roundtables, or boxed lunches (also delicious!) that you can take outdoors, to your room, or to another space you choose.
The pool deck is also where you’ll find our Joe Bars (barista stations) and Fruit Baskets. And theCube will also be outside. This is the broadcast studio for Silicon Angle, whose analysts will conduct a running commentary on the action at FORWARD IV, broadcasting dozens of interviews of UiPath customers, sponsoring partners, and executives.
Finally, to help ensure the benefits that meeting outside brings, we are requiring every registered attendee to attest to being fully vaccinated. This will help protect the health and safety of every attendee. I wrote a blog post earlier this month where I gave all the ‘inside-out’ highlights. Please have a look.
6. Feast like royalty. You deserve it.
Because every FORWARD IV guest is a VIP, we strive to provide a first-class experience. And that includes the food and drink that you’ll enjoy at FORWARD.
From the morning energizers to the seated lunches and beautiful boxed lunch options . . . from the evening Welcome Reception fare to the Automation Celebration feast . . . from the always-open Joe Bars with coffee, pastries, and goodies to the Fruit Baskets with fresh fruit, infused waters, and fruit salads—FORWARD IV will keep your belly as full as your brain with the good stuff you’re craving.
And if you have any dietary restrictions, we've got you covered. There's a place to note dietary needs when you register.
All food and beverage will be served in reusable, recyclable, sustainable containers to keep FORWARD IV a GREEN event.
7. Celebrate human achievement.
Our Automation Celebration on Tuesday night (October 5) will be on the pool deck. We will transform Expertsville into a circus of human talent. And, of course, we’ll have a huge spread of great food. You’ll be able to check out a cool jazz combo and some mind-boggling talent on land and water for a fitting end to a day packed with networking, learning, and wonder.
Remember, innovation isn’t the product of a lone genius in a garage. It’s the result of collaboration, conversation, and hard work. It takes a community. And that’s what FORWARD IV is all about. It’s where you can join a community of UiPath customers and partners who, like you, are forging a new way forward for work and life.
Join us to preview the future of automation and take your next step toward being a fully automated enterprise.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.uipath.com/blog/automation/forward-2021-rpa-conference-reasons-to-attend