VOICE Summit sponsored by Amazon Alexa will take place the week of 22-26 July at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark and is expected to attract more than 5,000 attendees and 100 sponsors from around the world.

The call for speaking and sponsorship proposals is now open through 15 March and the organizers are expecting up to 500 proposals for 150 open speaking spots.

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“We’re accepting a broad range of submissions including talks, panels, hands-on workshops, and demos across platforms and vertical industries such as healthcare, retail, fintech, entertainment, search, transportation, smart home/smart cities and more,” said VOICE organizer and Modev founder Pete Erickson.

Pete added, “Last year we received more than 250 proposals so this year we expect that number to double which means getting in will be more competitive, which is great for the attendees,” he added.

VOICE is committed to supporting and promoting diversity in the tech industry. Its organizers urge women, people of color, veterans, and members of the LGBTQ community to submit proposals. Corporate partners also have an opportunity to sponsor, mentor and engage with more than 1000 scholarships available for students and those in often marginalized communities to attend the event.

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In addition to the call for proposals, the opportunity to sponsor is being met with high demand.  Amazon Alexa is returning as the diamond sponsor, and innovative companies such as Applause, Twilio, Appen, Orbita, Botanalytics, Interactions, Bouquet.ai, Jetson.ai and New Jersey’s leading industry association, NJBIA, have signed as additional sponsors. The host committee from 2018 is also returning, which includes NJIT, The Greater Newark Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Newark Economic Development Authority, Citi Medina and local industry leaders.

“VOICE is a must-attend for us. It’s the clear event that draws the global voice-first community of platforms, developers, brands, and agencies taking a lead in this space,” said Cammie Brunelle, head of Marketing for Applause.

Early registration is available with a special offer for the first 500 who register at just $100 for the EXPO + Mainstage + Breakouts pass, valued at $195. The code to register is FIRST500. The code will also apply to the $295 All Access VIP pass bringing that pass to just $200. The EXPO+ Mainstage only pass starts at $95.

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