Ranjit Singh, CEO of Genee World

Bett 2017 is packed with invaluable insight, advice and resources to help you improve the educational experience of staff, students and the school as a whole. Therefore, when it comes to ensuring you’re making the most out of your experience, there are several things to consider…

Planning is key - take time to look over which companies will be exhibiting and who will be speaking or delivering sessions, then from this you’ll be able to create a plan of action. Keep an eye out on social media as well as the Bett website and education publications, as these will help summarise and highlight key information leading up to the event, as well as the various exhibitors. From this, you can make note of those with products that will benefit your school. And remember, when it comes to identifying the right products, it’s important not to get blindsided by flashy new gadgets; look for the resources and tools that will integrate with your existing technology. It’s important to balance innovation with efficiency.

Finally, attending talks held on the show floor by exhibitors and influencers is a great way to get an in-depth look at interesting technology, explore ideas and opinions on the successes and challenges we’re facing in the education sector and how we can impact the future of our children for the better.

Genee World will be exhibiting at Bett on stand B121.

Andrew Mulholland, marketing director at Groupcall

My top three tips for surviving Bett, in no particular order, are: 1) Wear comfortable shoes; 2) Plan your visit; 3) Download the Bett app.

Regardless of whether you’re an exhibitor or visitor to the show, or if you’re wearing heels or flats, one thing’s for sure- at Bett, you’ll be on your feet. A lot. The sheer scale of ExCeL London is daunting to even seasoned visitors, and with so much to see - over 700 exhibitors, not to mention all the amazing speaker sessions - you’ll find yourself walking for hours without taking a break. And if you’re exhibiting you’ll be standing, talking to thousands of visitors each day. So, wear comfortable shoes; your feet will thank you after a jam-packed four days. Trust me.

My second tip is to plan your trip before you go. Figure out what your requirements are; this will help you to narrow down which exhibitors you’ll benefit from visiting. It will also let you see where each exhibitor is located so that you can visit a few together if they are in the same area, rather than traipsing up and down the hall every time.

And lastly, download the Bett app. This will help you decide which speakers you particularly want to hear from and plan your schedule, find out the sessions you're planning to attend at the show, plan your way around the show floor, and keep a record of your favourite speakers and exhibitors to visit or revisit at a later stage. All this from the palm of your hand!

Groupcall will be exhibiting at Bett on stand B188.

Peter Carpenter, CEO of TeacherIn

Despite this being our first year exhibiting at Bett, from experience at other events and shows, arguably the most important tip for survival is to plan your visit.

Ahead of the show, make sure you’ve given yourself enough time to look over the exhibitor list and speaker sessions to work out which ones are going to have strategic value for you and your school. Consider which areas are going to provide you with the most effective advice, support and inspiration to help you introduce new processes in the classroom, and share this best practice with colleagues.

While the seminars and sessions will be invaluable, don’t forget to factor in refreshment breaks though to ensure you remain at the top of your game. There are hundreds of exhibitors at Bett, so how do you work out whom to add to the schedule? It’s always worth checking out the big stands like Google and the Microsoft Partner Village to see what’s new, but it’s also useful visiting the start-ups and innovators in areas like Bett Futures to see what they have on offer.

Lastly, but equally as important, is to wear comfortable shoes; it’s a long day and whether you’re there for one or the whole four days, think practically. The exhibition space is huge and if you’re strolling back and forth between arenas, stands and stages, the last thing you want to be suffering from is blisters!

TeacherIn will be exhibiting at Bett on stand C300.

Nina Iles, Launchpad manager at BESA

My advice for anyone visiting Bett 2017 specifically to evaluate some of the very latest edtech trends and cutting-edge innovation is: give yourself plenty of time to explore Bett Futures.

Over one hundred edtech start-ups will be exhibiting within the Bett Futures 2017 edition of the show – half within the Futures dedicated corner of Bett (Hall 1), the other half punctuating the show floor, a moveable feast of new thinkers – look out for the distinctive sky blue themed stands denoting a Futures exhibitor.

Hosted in collaboration with the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) and other key partners – including Innovate My School – and now in its third year, Bett Futures is dedicated to showcasing the very latest in innovative edtech. With companies at various stages of development, the Futures cohorts are enthusiastic innovators of edtech; some of them are, or have been, teachers. They’re all passionate about education, hungry to tell you about their vision and products, and eager to receive your invaluable feedback as they work on the ongoing development of their products and systems.

The majority of Futures cohorts will take to the Bett Futures stage at some point during the show to deliver a two-minute elevator pitch to the Bett audience; they’ll be keen to hear your thoughts and feedback. At other times, the Futures stage will carry a series of panel discussions, while some of the more established cohorts use it as a platform to provide a more in-depth presentation of their innovations. And, if you’re a fan of the weekly #Bettchat on twitter, check out #Bettchatlive from the Futures stage on Thursday at 2pm, hosted by Mark Martin, well-known on Twitter as @urban_teacher.

My other tip on how to make the most of your visit is to use the Bett app, which will certainly make navigating the show floor and finding out what’s on and when a lot easier. And this year, Bett is offering connect@bett, its official one-to-one networking service to help us pre-book appointments with the people we most want to meet at the show.

Finally, I’d remind everyone that networking opportunities at Bett continue long after the show has closed; at the end of each day, ExCeL’s eco-system of hotels and bars will be positively buzzing with the sound of people getting to know each other – it’s going to be a fantastic four days. See you there!

BESA will be exhibiting at stand B138.

Contact www.bettshow.com for more information. Innovate My School invites you to their stand at G80.