Image Gallery: Microsoft Inspire 2017
The event drew 17,000 partners from more than 140 countries to Washington, D.C. Highlights and a recap in our image gallery.
July 14, 2017
![Microsoft Inspire Microsoft Inspire](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt10e444bce2d36aa8/bltcdd34e41e8cce4bc/65250dca9e569b875a7663e1/IMG_0552.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Gavriella Schuster
Microsoft’s corporate vice president, global partners channel and programs, Gavriella Schuster, made her way around The Commons, welcoming and conversing with partners and vendors during the Microsoft Inspire Welcome Reception.
Community Hub
The Community Hub on The Commons was the place for partners to gather, connect and network, as well as hear speakers present on a variety of topics such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital marketing, Internet of Things (IoT) and social selling.
Microsoft Technology Center
Among the many scheduled sessions at the Microsoft Technology Center on The Commons, these attendees are learning about Microsoft Cognitive Services to give apps a human side. Microsoft Cognitive Services API categories include: vision, speech, language, knowledge, search and labs that take an early look at emerging cognitive services.
Neudesic
Not only did Neudesic, a technology and solutions firm, win the 2017 Microsoft Country Partner of the Year Award for the U.S, the company also picked up the 2017 Microsoft Cloud Apps Global Partner of the Year distinction. Way to go, Neudesic!
Partner Community Board
Microsoft partners set up regional lounges on The Commons. Here in the U.S. Region Partner Community is a U.S. Partner Community Board where visitors could ask a question or make a connection. What did some of the posts say? “Who knows health care in Nashville?” “Looking for an MS Partner working with publishers,” including an email address. “Love my Microsoft partners!”
IAMCP WIT
There were a few hundred attendees at the International Association of Microsoft Certified Partners (IAMCP) Women in Technology (WIT) Charity Luncheon — featuring Harvest for Humanity. The WIT offshoot has grown from three to 50 communities worldwide, in a mere three years. The “Be Bold”-themed event featured speakers, Gavriella Schuster, corporate vice president for Microsoft’s partner group; Toni Townes-Whitely, corporate vice president, Microsoft Worldwide public sector; and a few others.
CEO Satya Nadella
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella delivered the opening keynote and named the four key opportunities, or ingredients of digital transformation, projected to be a $4.5 trillion market: the modern workplace, business applications, apps and infrastructure, and data and artificial intelligence (AI).
GDPR
With the deadline for the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) less than a year away – May 25, 2018 – partners, worldwide, need to sit up, pay attention, and learn about the opportunity to help their customers. Microsoft has several GDPR resources available: the Security and Compliance Playbook; GDPR Assessment; GDPR Product Demos; and the GDPR Activity Hub.
One Commercial Partner
Work hard, play hard. Partners have a lot to absorb about Microsoft One Commercial Partner and the myriad of content presented at Inspire sessions. It’s no wonder everybody was ready to party. U.S. partners got to celebrate at the U.S. Partner Celebration held at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. In addition to being able to roam through the 85,000 square feet of exhibition space featuring objects, exhibitions, interactive stations and videos, there was entertainment by Johnathan Lee Iverson, The MusicianShip Washington Youth Choir, and the Drumadics. And of course there was food and drink.
Carrie Underwood
As usual, Microsoft’s Partner Celebration event delivered. Seven-time Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood performed at Nationals Park. In addition to the concert, there was a variety of draught beers and ballpark food.
Next Year
It’s never to soon to plan for 2018. Microsoft Inspire 2018 is headed west to Las Vegas, July 15-19.
Next Year
It’s never to soon to plan for 2018. Microsoft Inspire 2018 is headed west to Las Vegas, July 15-19.
Microsoft Inspire 2017 – formerly known as Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) – drew about 17,000 partners from more than 140 countries to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. this week.
They came to learn about the vendor’s biggest sales model reorganization in more than a decade and how the strategic business shuffle is not only designed to simplify how Microsoft and partners go to market but also how to target and grab a significant chunk of a $4.5 trillion digital-transformation opportunity.
Read our coverage from this week’s event:
Follow senior editor @LynnHaber on Twitter.
Read more about:
AgentsAbout the Author(s)
You May Also Like