From July 8th to 13th, we had the privilege of attending Microsoft Inspire 2017 in Washington, D.C.
It was Kaizen Softworks first time at this event, formerly known as the Microsoft World Partner Conference (WPC), marked Kaizen Softworks’ inaugural presence and proved to be a valuable experience.
In this article, our CTO, Rolando Larrainci, and I will reflect on various aspects of our time at the conference.
Tickets and Pricing
Securing tickets to Microsoft Inspire is an investment, but a worthwhile one. This is the annual event where Microsoft unveils its plans for Partners in the upcoming fiscal year, bringing together over 18,000 attendees from global companies.
Our tickets, purchased a month and a half in advance, cost us $1,900 each. Tickets sell out rapidly, so we recommend securing yours at least a month before the conference. Furthermore, purchasing tickets well in advance can save you money.
Next year’s event is set for Las Vegas, and tickets are already available during the current year’s conference.
Accomodation and Transport
You can book your hotel while purchasing your ticket. While the hotels available are really great, the prices range from USD 250 to USD 350 per night per person, rooms available tend to run out pretty fast too. We stayed 9 nights in a really good Airbnb two blocks from the main conference location, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and paid USD 198 per night for two people.
If you decide to stay in one of the hotels that Microsoft offers while purchasing your ticket, you will have a bus coming to your door to take you to the conference locations. If do not stay at one of these hotels, don’t worry, you can still take those buses but have to move to your nearest hotel bus stop.
Conference Location
Each year, Microsoft selects a different location for Inspire, and this time, it was the vibrant city of Washington, D.C. We took the opportunity to explore the city, renting bikes to visit the National Mall with its monuments and The White House.
It was an excellent decision, highly recommended. The conference venues, including the expansive Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the Verizon Center for keynotes, and Nationals Park for the final party, were impressive and conveniently located.
Keynotes
Get. There. Early.
You really want to get a good seat so plan smart and try to be there early. All keynotes were great and if you are first time attendee you get the benefit of being in a preferential location, being a couple meters from Satya was awesome!
Sessions
There were hundreds of sessions during the week that allow us to understand even more how Microsoft technologies can help our partners.
Having the chance to engage in conversations not only with the Microsoft teams behind it, but also with other partners who are working with the same is priceless.
You can have a glimpse at the session topics at the Microsoft Inspire Session Catalog. The top 10 sessions of Microsoft Inspire 2017 include topics like Cybersecurity, the Digital Transformation, Azure, the new Commercial Sales Strategy for Partners, Microsoft 365 and more.
Connect Meetings
This was one of the main aspects of the experience that we were interested in. You could login into the MyInspire web or mobile app, go to the Networking section, Attendee Directory & Connect Meetings and start working to schedule some meetings with potential partners & clients.
It’s great as you can filter by Job Category, Competency, Business Focus, Company Size, Country and more to later invite to meet and send messages across the platform. We had several meetings in 3 days and it really worth it.
Expo
The Expo Hall was a great place where you could connect with exhibitors and sponsors that were showcasing their products and solutions.
Other interesting areas were the Regional Lounges, where you could connect with partners or even use as point of meeting to receive and chat with partners and potential clients.
I just want to add that many if not every booth were giving away swag and we practically had to buy a new luggage to bring everything to Uruguay 🙂
Why You Should Attend to Microsoft Inspire
In conclusion, we are eager to attend Microsoft Inspire again, and here’s why:
- Networking: Connect with partners who share your goals and ideas.
- Client Opportunities: Meet potential clients who could be part of your market.
- Insights: Gain insights into Microsoft’s plans for the upcoming fiscal year.
- Relationship Building: Foster stronger relationships with Microsoft teams.
- Swag: Collect a multitude of promotional items.
Will we see you in Las Vegas for Microsoft Inspire 2018? Remember, always wear your badge!