June 6, 2016
Solving problems of tomorrow: Alltech's ONE conference
Damien McLoughlin, Anthony C. Cunningham Professor of Marketing (UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School), addressed attendees in Rupp Arena at the closing session of ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference in Kentucky, US.
The 32nd annual three-day conference heard from 60 of the brightest international minds in science, agriculture, technology and business.
ONE explored world-changing ideas and challenged attendees to seek out that one-in-a-million idea that will change the future through innovation.
During the closing session, McLoughlin spoke about red and blue ocean strategies, and the need to address creative destruction in the food and agriculture industry. He urged attendees to differentiate, apply innovative technology and invest today for tomorrow.
"When you are not investing in tomorrow, you will not see success in the future. Businesses are currently too busy, focusing only on the issues of today," said McLoughlin.
During the three-day conference, Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer, Inc. and chief scientist of Primary Data, was awarded the Alltech Humanitarian Award. During his talk, Wozniak encouraged young entrepreneurs to work on small fun things, with close friends, for social good.
"We need to start with the people who want to make a social change," said Wozniak.
"One idea and one choice can simply change the world," said Dr. Lyons, founder and president of Alltech.
Sharing his perspective from more than 35 years in business, Lyons encouraged attendees to focus on one simple idea that will help to improve their business.
The three-day conference heard from Jim Stengel, former global marketing officer of Procter & Gamble, David Hunt, co-founder of Cainthus, and Ramez Naam, co-chair of Energy and Environment and a member of the exponential advisory board at Singularity University.
ONE attracted over 3,000 attendees from 71 countries across the world. The conference will be held again on May 21-24, 2017.
