Businesses, manufacturers, and technology providers across industries are uncovering lucrative business opportunities as the Internet extends beyond computers to connect billions of physical devices like car tires, heavy equipment parts, and consumer products.

Today, at the annual Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) Executive Strategy Forum, industry leaders will share their strategies for driving market share, profit, and revenue using the X Internet or extended Internet — a set of technologies that connect firms’ information systems to physical assets, products, and services such as RFID (radio frequency identification), wireless networks, and telematics. The two-day Forum will attract more than 400 business executives to the Westin Copley Place in Boston.

“Two years ago, Forrester introduced the extended Internet — not a concept concocted by bleeding-edge risk-takers, but rather a practical idea that mainstream companies are applying right now,” said George F. Colony, chairman of the board and chief executive officer at Forrester Research. “During the next 10 years, many more devices will connect to the Internet, representing $2.7 trillion worth of potential investments in Internet devices and services. Smart global businesses are starting to connect their physical and digital worlds to see real payoffs today. Extended Internet is the next big IT spend.”

The Event, “Using The Extended Internet To Reshape Your Business,” will use numerous case studies from US and European businesses to teach companies how to use these technologies to continually satisfy customer needs and engender trust, run more efficient operations throughout the supply chain, and create lucrative aftermarket services using existing business intelligence. Forrester will also moderate a debate about the consumer privacy tradeoffs of extended Internet technologies on October 29, 2003.

Industry speakers and panelists include:

Tuesday, October 28:

  • Carly Fiorina, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, HP
  • R. Kerry Clark, Vice Chairman of the Board and President, Global Market Development & Business Operations, Procter & Gamble
  • James M. Micali, Chairman and President, Michelin North America
  • Paul S. Otellini, President and Chief Operating Officer, Intel
  • Martin D. Madaus, President and Chief Executive Officer, Roche Diagnostics
  • Neil Gershenfeld, Director, Center for Bits and Atoms, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Wednesday, October 29:

  • Mark V. Hurd, President and Chief Executive Officer, NCR
  • Mark Roberti, Founder and Editor, RFID Journal
  • Barry Steinhardt, Director, Technology & Liberty Program, American Civil Liberties Union
  • Daniel W. Sutherland, Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • Kirk A. Gutmann, Information Officer, Global Product Development & Global Service Delivery Group, General Motors
  • Dr. Claus Heinrich, Executive Board Member, SAP AG

Forrester speakers include:

  • George F. Colony, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
  • Mike Gilpin, Vice President, Research Fellow, Research Director
  • Michelle de Lussanet, Senior Analyst
  • Navi Radjou, Principal Analyst
  • Christine Spivey Overby, Senior Analyst