Pioneers, Thought Leaders, Adventurers, Artists, Game Changers, and Quantum Computing with Me
Today I presented “Quantum Computing: Science Fact or Science Fiction?” at the ME Convention in Frankfurt, Germany. Let me just say, it was a pleasure. Mercedes-Benz and SXSW promised a conference without limits, and they delivered. The event touted an international lineup of 150 pioneers, thought leaders, adventurers, artists, and game changers. People like Buzz Aldrin, Beth Ditto, Sheryl Sandberg, Amber Valletta, Neil Harbisson, and Hans Ulrich Obrist. It’s an intimidating list. There were also some very inspiring workshops, a hackathon, pitches, and discussions with the brightest minds of our time.
SO, HOW DID I STACK UP?
Bleh.
We’ll have to wait for the video to be posted, but I felt pretty decent about it. Unlike my talks from earlier this year, this one was fairly high pressure. Not just because of the quality of the other presentations (which were INCREDIBLE), but also because of the potential language barrier. I mean, I know many people in Germany speak English, but it was on my mind as I approached the stage.
The most interesting aspect of presenting (and this is not a criticism at all) was that the two keynote stages were separated by a large curtain. Because of this, the audiences on both sides wore headphones. The technical teams at the conference did an amazing job, but I feel like this gives me an excuse. Say my jokes didn’t get all the laughs they normally do. That was probably due to my timing being thrown off by the setup, right? Right.
Overall, this was one of the best events I’ve been to in my entire career. I hope my presentation addressed the audience’s questions. If not, I hope I addressed them in Q&A. If the video is made public in the future, I’ll add a post about it so I can share it with you.
