Marketplace, Mascots, Music: Our Recap of Digital X

In this article you will read,

• what the new Open Telekom Cloud Marketplace offers,
• which topics are of interest to trade show participants in the cloud space,
• and the story behind the dancing mascots all over Cologne!

Two days in Cologne without any carnival, yet full of energy and excitement. On September 18 and 19, and for the sixth consecutive year, Telekom transformed the metropolis on the Rhine into the city of the future. Over 48 hours, visitors at Digital X 2024 experienced what successful transformation looks like and what digitalization can drive and achieve.

Under the motto ‘Ready for Impact’, customer and partner companies shared a wealth of insights and inspiration, brought to life through success stories. Leading personalities from business, sports, and science also shared their stories in a high-profile stage program.

The Open Telekom Cloud was showcased live at various stands and locations throughout the event, including a special highlight in the after-show program. You can get a flavor of the event in the video below: 

Timed perfectly with this year’s Digital X, the new Open Telekom Cloud Marketplace has launched. “Our new platform brings together providers of innovative XaaS products with companies seeking secure cloud applications,” explains Luv Prasad, Senior Product Manager. “With our offering, we’re addressing the growing demand for secure and trusted solutions from a single, convenient source while also fostering connections between our many customers and partners.”

The Marketplace was a focal point of numerous discussions at the Open Telekom Cloud Brandhouse in the My-Da Garden. And it piqued the interest of many visitors: “The collaboration with the Open Telekom Cloud is fantastic. We feel that we are in good hands,” says Patrick Schmidt, Managing Director of the software company Brainyoo Mobile Learning GmbH.  “We have our partner manager Sonia right here with us, who accompanies us and today also presented the Marketplace, where we want to go with our product.”

Our consultants reported that data security and compliance in the cloud were also hot topics in My-Da Garden. “We received very positive feedback from customers, partners, and potential customers. We have worked with many for a long time, while Digital X also allowed us to meet some new faces,” says Reiner Brock, Senior Sales Manager.

Among them were numerous companies hosting their data with hyperscalers but looking for a secure European alternative to meet the needs of regulated industries. “We answered many pressing questions and were glad to highlight our numerous certifications and additional agreements for confidentiality protection,” Brock continues. “We also demonstrated the flexibility of the Open Telekom Cloud and arranged deeper follow-up discussions with many interested parties.

The Open Telekom Cloud was also well received at six so-called ‘Flights’. Around 150 representatives from business, politics, and sports participated in pitch sessions to learn about the advantages of the cloud and how it increases agility and flexibility in an era of skilled labor shortages. Once again, the most frequently asked questions revolved around regulation and compliance.

“The Open Telekom Cloud prioritizes personalized advice and dialogue not only at trade fairs but also in the day-to-day business environment,’ adds Schellhase. The support is also well received by customers. “The cooperation is excellent because we are also very well served as a small company, we are very well served, and we are simply helped,” praises Jens Steinbicker, Titanom Technologies GmbH.

This year, the Open Telekom Cloud was showcased at multiple locations in the city – and even on the streets. Two popular mascots, the Magenta ‘T’ and the Open Telekom Cloud ‘cloud’, danced their way through Cologne’s trade fair districts to the catchy tune of the new Open Telekom Cloud song.

The Open Telekom Cloud was also represented in T-Systems’ Brandhouse. There, the focus was primarily on the Circle Partner Program and – fitting with T-Systems’ focus topic of AI – on various LLMs (Large Language Models) that can be operated securely and scalably in the cloud solution. At the stand in the Stadtgarten, on the other hand, the Open Telekom Cloud, in connection with the TechBoost program, showed how it successfully promotes start-ups and innovations.

The Open Telekom Cloud provided the perfect finale to the fair’s first day with its after launch party in Cologne’s Sartory Halls. Following the Kölsche Night, Open Telekom Cloud welcomed party guests from start-ups to large companies - including customers, partners, and other trade fair visitors. The highlight of the evening was a stage show by Hamburg band Boerney und die Tri Tops, who performed the new Open Telekom Cloud song live with representatives from Open Telekom Cloud for the first time.