Detch Singh’s Cannes Diary #3: Serendipity and the impact of unplanned connections

After a whirlwind few days of panels, parties and spontaneous encounters, Hypetap Co-founder and CEO Detch Singh shares his parting thoughts on why the best moments at Cannes often happen off-agenda – and why he’s already wishing he’d made the trip sooner.

My final day in Cannes. I’ve quickly learned that one of the biggest challenges here aren’t rosé hangovers but time. I was pretty light on the booze anyway, but I’d imagine that would have made the time challenge even greater. There are so many official and unofficial programs running that you know you’re missing out on something great no matter where you head. It’s impossible to juggle it all, especially when the real world and your inbox don’t slow down just because you’re on the French Riviera.

This morning was a perfect example. I had to do some reorganising. If you read my entry from day two, you’ll remember I mentioned being ready to ditch your schedule at a moment’s notice? Well, that happened today.

I’m a big believer in serendipity, and I think that’s what Cannes is also about… the connections you don’t plan for. I had a few fantastic chance meetings today, bumping into people from all over the world who are doing really interesting things. I made the call to lean into that and spend more time with them instead of rushing to more sessions. It felt right, and I’ve come away with some genuinely positive and fruitful new relationships.

And with that, it’s a wrap on my first Cannes. It’s been an incredible few days which have had me wishing I’d taken the leap earlier. The schedule continues for another couple of days but I need to get back to real life unfortunately, It’s time to head home. Most satisfyingly though, I get to chop off these wristbands. Signing off!