Vinod Bhat
WAVES is a premier global event that brings together the entire Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector. It aims to connect India’s M&E industry with the global market and the global M&E industry with the Indian market, fostering growth, collaboration, and innovation. WAVES aspires to become a global convergence summit for the media and entertainment industry.
Key Objectives
- Drive Industry Growth: Catalyze the growth of the Global M&E sector.
- Nurture Innovation: Encourage the adoption of cutting-edge technologies like AI, VR/AR, and immersive experiences within the M&E sector.
- Empower Young Talent: Nurture young talent through initiatives like the “Create in India Challenge,” providing them with opportunities to showcase their skills on a global stage.
- Promote Cultural Exchange: Facilitate the exchange of ideas, stories, and best practices between Indian and global M&E professionals.
Major Components of WAVES
- Industry Leaders’ Round Table: Roundtable discussions featuring global top CEOs and industry leaders.
- Global Media Dialogue: High-level ministerial dialogues with key global policymakers to address critical industry trends and challenges, culminating in the ‘WAVES Declaration 2025’.
- Thought Leaders Track: Engagements with global and Indian industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators, including plenary sessions covering the entire M&E industry by global experts, followed by conferences with pillar-specific discussions and breakout sessions for in-depth, industry-specific deliberations.
- Bharat Pavilion: The Bharat Pavilion at WAVES 2025 will offer a captivating journey through storytelling heritage. Showcasing the evolution of print, audio, and visual narratives, it will celebrate the achievements of past and present creators while inspiring the next generation of storytellers to shape the future of the M&E landscape.
- Exhibition: A showcase of cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions across the M&E landscape through large pavilions hosted by leading global and Indian companies.
- WAVES Bazaar: A dedicated marketplace for M&E business partnerships and content acquisition. This includes an e-bazaar, which will serve as the first-ever year-round global content marketplace for the entire M&E sector.
- WaveXcelerator: The WaveXcelerator will be a dynamic platform connecting promising M&E startups with investors and mentors. Through live pitching sessions, startups will have the opportunity to showcase their innovative ideas and secure funding.
- CreatoSphere: Industry-led immersive and interactive zones, a gaming arena, masterclasses and workshops, and the Grand Finale of the Create in India Challenge, culminating in the WAVES CIC Awards.
- WAVES Cultural: Comprises WAVES Live Concerts, WAVES Classicals, National & International Fusion, along with a colocation of cultural events and live events.
Purpose of WAVES
- To promote collaboration, innovation, and discussion in the media and entertainment industry.
- To highlight India’s advancements in the industry.
- To position India as a global leader in the industry.
- To encourage investments in the industry.
- To build a skilled workforce for the industry.
What Will WAVES Focus On?
- Content creation
- Financing
- Gaming
- Animation
- Music
- Intellectual property (IP) creation
- Technology integration
- Creative industry growth
How Will WAVES Help India?
- WAVES will help India attract investments.
- WAVES will help India position itself as a global leader in entertainment.
- WAVES will help India strengthen its contribution to the global creative economy.
- WAVES will help India develop a skilled workforce for the future.
Conclusion
WAVES 2025 will be a catalyst for a global Media and Entertainment (M&E) ecosystem that fosters collaboration, innovation, and talent development. By bringing together diverse stakeholders from around the world, we can unlock the collective potential of the global M&E industry, drive economic growth, and create new opportunities for creative expression and employment. For more information, please visit WAVES India.
