• One of the pioneers of tech entrepreneurship in Argentina
  • Co-founded Officenet in 1997, several years before the rise of unicorns like Mercado Libre, Globant, and OLX
  • A prominent thinker and technology communicator, his content reaches millions across platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify
  • Author of three acclaimed books, including Artificial (co-authored with Mariano Sigman), Pasaje al Futuro, and Guía para Sobrevivir el Presente
  • As a digital creator, he was nominated for a Martín Fierro award and won the Spanish ÍDOLO 2024 award in the Science, Culture, and Technology category
  • Named a Distinguished Personality in Science and Technology by the City of Buenos Aires, received the Konex Award for the most innovative entrepreneurs of the decade

Santiago Bilinkis is one of the pioneers of tech entrepreneurship in Argentina. He co-founded Officenet in 1997, several years before the rise of unicorns like Mercado Libre, Globant, and OLX. In the process, he experienced all stages of business development, from the very beginning starting with the idea to startup, and then to becoming the CEO of a leading company in Argentina and Brazil, which was eventually acquired by Staples, the largest company in the world in its industry. The story of Officenet was the subject of two case studies at Harvard Business School and one at Columbia University.

Over the last 15 years, Santiago has become an influential thinker and author, as well as one of the leading technology expert and communicator in the Spanish-speaking world. He has published three books, hosts radio and podcast segments, and creates content for major social media platforms. As a digital creator, he was nominated for a Martín Fierro award and won the Spanish ÍDOLO 2024 award in the Science, Culture, and Technology category. He was also named a Distinguished Personality in Science and Technology by the City of Buenos Aires, received the Sarmiento Award from the Argentine Senate, and the Konex Award for the most innovative entrepreneurs of the decade. His content reaches tens of millions of people every month via YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify. His distinctive trademark is finding simple and entertaining ways to address complex topics to stimulate curiosity and critical thinking.

He holds a degree in Economics with a gold medal from the University of San Andrés. He is married and has three children.

Santiago tailors each presentation to the needs of his audience and is not limited to the topics listed below. Please ask us about any subject that interests you:

  • Innovation 
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Technology
  • Entrepreneurship
     

The AI is here– What Do We Do Now?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has established itself as one of a groundbreaking technological innovations of our time. Its ability to mimic human intelligence and perform complex tasks has revolutionized numerous industries and transformed the way we work and live. While we initially expected AI to replace repetitive, mechanical jobs, one of its most surprising aspects is its capacity to engage in creative activities.

Through generative AI techniques, computer programs can create original content in various artistic forms such as poetry, music, and visual imagery. This raises fascinating questions about the intersection between human creativity and machines' ability to generate innovative works. It challenges us to rethink the role of creativity in an increasingly technology-driven world.

The rules of the game have changed, and now we face a new challenge: learning to collaborate with this new player. Effectively integrating AI into our personal and professional lives is key to harnessing its full potential. We must adapt and understand how this new mate works, collaborating with it to enhance our skills and achieve our goals more efficiently. By recognizing AI as a powerful tool, we can establish a unique synergy that allows us to elevate our lives and careers to an entirely new level.

In this conference, we will explore how AI functions as a tool and how to leverage it for our benefit to improve skills and achieve objectives. We'll address the challenges this entails, seeking a balance with ethical and social values.

The Challenge of Innovating in the Digital Era

The pandemic completely disrupted our routines and habits, having a profound impact on our lives and businesses. It halted many processes almost entirely but, at the same time, pushed us to do more in terms of digitization in the last two months than we had done in the past 10 years.

We now feel that this has led to irreversible changes. However, the bad news is that in most critical situations that seemed to generate a before and after, once the situation forcing us to introduce changes is gone, we tend to revert to our old routines and undo much of the progress made. This is because habits are incredibly difficult to break. If we want some of the changes and lessons learned from this challenging situation to endure, we will have to actively work to make it happen. It would be a shame to waste this opportunity!

Transforming organizations is a monumental challenge. The reason is simple: companies are being confronted with a context that is very different from the one they were created for.

Until a couple of decades ago, the secret to building a great business was finding a recipe for success. Once an entrepreneur or company found it, the next step was to set up a robust corporate structure to apply that formula methodically, effectively, and consistently, day after day, month after month, year after year. This goal, to keep something that already works running, corresponded to a particular incentive scheme that attracted a specific type of person. In such a company, innovators and rebels were considered a nuisance, a threat to the stability that was the ultimate value in organizations.

However, it goes without saying that the rules of the game have changed: those that govern today are the exact opposite! It is precisely the formula that worked until yesterday and made you successful that can lead you to failure tomorrow if you are not able to change in time. But neither our brains, nor companies, nor methods had time to adapt to these new situations and continue trying to lead us down the proven path. Today, success seems to be the best recipe for failure!

In this conference, we will talk about the main barriers that companies face in their efforts to digitalize and become innovative organizations. We will also discuss the individual and collective changes needed to successfully navigate digital transformation.

  • Travels from: Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Fee Range: USD 15.000 to USD 25.000


*Fee Range:

Fee ranges listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline. Please note: if a speaker has a fee range listed such as USD 20.000 to USD 40.000, it indicates that the fee falls within that range. Speakers’ fees are subject to change without notice. Fees often vary based on several factors, including speaker’s availability, length of presentation, supply and demand, and event location, among others. Please contact us with your specific event details and requirements, and we will provide you with a precise quote.