In a scenario of deep transformations in both economic and competitive terms, Information & Communications Technologies (ICT) offer companies a key strategic lever which is still underused. Smau presents a new project aimed at revisiting a formula addressing business end users and ICT Channels professionals alike. The Exhibition has been designed with a view to providing insights into the business opportunities offered by the new technologies: success stories of investment in ICT to sustain business, the presentation of market trends and future scenarios, workshops organized by independent analysts, business workshops presented by leading ICT solution providers with testimonials from their clients, customized visits, etc.

DATES AND VENUE:
from Wednesday October 15 to Saturday October 18, 2008

Fieramilanocity, Halls 1-2-3
Entrance gate: Porta Teodorico (underground stops, Lotto and Amendola Fiera)
Opening hours: 9:30 am - 6:30 pm
Entrance conditions: access to Smau is by invitation or for a fee. The ticket price is €15.00 per day. Visitors must register online at the website www.smau.it or at the Reception at their arrival.

EXHIBITION LAYOUT
Smau will develop into 3 different pavilions.
Click here to see the layout of the entire exhibition area.

SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS

SPECIAL FOCUS AREAS
Along with the traditional display areas featuring hardware, software, telecommunications and digital solutions for Public Administration, visitors will find four special exhibition areas at Smau 2008 dedicated to e-Invoicing, Mobile-Wireless-RFId, Information Security, Web, easily identifiable thanks to coloured  signs.

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“PERCORSI DELL’INNOVAZIONE. DALL’IDEA AL BUSINESS”
(“Innovation Itineraries. From the idea to business”) will provide a pre-eminent showcase for the various forms of innovation, thus promoting business contacts and information and knowledge exchange. The initiative is dedicated to Smau professional visitors interested in discovering innovative projects and curious ideas for the world of business: from entities looking for projects to be financed to companies interested in examining new prototypes and technological solutions and in evaluating their potential for their own business.

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CONFCOMMERCIO AREA
Confcommercio – General Confederation of Trade, Tourism, Services and SMEs – will be organizing once again a retail area at Smau, which will see the participation of the leading Italian Retail Federations.

BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS – only in Italian
Smau visitors can participate in a large number of “educational workshops" held by the most authoritative universities and consulting firms or in "business workshops” offering an opportunity to discover the latest technological solutions and future trends thanks to case histories from key vendors. Please note that all these workshops will be held in Italian without any translation service.

To download the entire workshop agenda please click here. (work in progress)

HOW TO GET THERE FROM THE AIRPORTS
Fieramilanocity is located in the heart of Milan but it is easily reachable from the two Milan Airports (Linate and Malpensa). For further information please click here.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS
Through the link below you can check room availability and make reservations with hotels directly, taking advantage of a discount compared to official rates: http://milano.smau.it/html/it_IT/milano/hotel_booking.php

“Fuori Salone SMAU”
With the aim of providing visitors and exhibitors with the opportunity of tasting the brilliant nightlife of Milan, Smau has reached agreements with 200 restaurants and cocktail bars located in various areas of the city and also with “Terme Milano”, a new spa centre in the heart of Milan.
By showing the entrance ticket, visitors will be granted a discount.
Click here to discover who is taking part in the initiative.