Tech News

Jan 12, 2024
Talk to Lux Narayan, co-founder of event audience engagement technology platform StreamAlive, and it quickly becomes apparent that he is anything but your typical event tech CEO. Not only has the serial entrepreneur founded three technology companies over the past two decades, including AI-powered SaaS StreamAlive in 2021, social media benchmarking company Unmetric and online data backup company Vembu Technologies, but also he is a TED speaker, amateur standup comedian, author and storyteller who feels just as comfortable telling jokes in front of an audience as he does delivering PowerPoint… more
Jan 04, 2024
Want an assistant who works 24/7, speaks every language and provides responses in seconds? MCI Group, a global engagement and marketing agency, launched its new AI Assistant, Jade, to provide automation tools for registration, housing and leads. At the International Association of Exhibitions and Events’ Expo! Expo! In December, MCI introduced six new AI products to help trade show organizers, corporate event planners and exhibitors save time, money and manpower, as well as offer insight into real-time analytics based on deep and vast data sets. “We're anticipating that north of 85% of call… more
Dec 20, 2023
Reposite, an AI-powered meeting and event planning tool, is collaborating with MPI Academy, the educational arm of Meeting Professionals International (MPI), to introduce the AI-Enhanced Event Professional certificate program for meeting and event organizers. Set to launch in January 2024, the new educational program is designed to equip event professionals – including event planners, managers and coordinators, marketing and communication professionals, hospitality and venue managers, and anyone interested in leveraging AI for event design – with the knowledge and practical skills needed to… more
Dec 15, 2023
Maritz, an experience design company that provides event registration services, has partnered with CLEAR, an identity platform with 19 million members, to launch an identity verification solution for trade shows, corporate events and conventions. The goal: Deliver friction-free, secure customer experiences for on-site event registration. At the recent International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) Expo! Expo!, we caught up with Maritz Vice President Product Management Aaron Dorsey and CLEAR Senior Director Channel Partnership Sam Adeyemi to find out the scoop on the new… more
Dec 11, 2023
Article exclusively sponsored by Meet Ribbon It’s a conversation happening behind closed doors, in boardrooms and on the showroom floor: how have online wholesale platforms changed the trade show industry? We wanted to lift the curtain on this debate and have an honest conversation on the impact of Faire and similar platforms. So we brought in a panel of experts from all over the retail ecosystem: sales agency owners, exhibitors, trade show organizers and retail buyers to give their opinion on what it all means and how the industry should pivot. Ribbon’s Co-Founder and CEO Vinit Patil… more
Dec 08, 2023
AWS re:Invent 2023, a conference and expo hosted by Amazon Web Service (AWS) for the global cloud-computing community, attracted tens of thousands customers, partners and AWS team members to Las Vegas Nov. 27-Dec. 1. AWS, producer of one of the largest U.S. corporate events of the year, generated Q3 revenues of $23.06 billion, according to a statement. The cloud unit, which CNBC calls the world’s top provider of computing and storage services, grew revenue 12% year over year for the quarter. “Generative AI took center stage during keynotes, race cars and robots wowed at the expo, and no one… more
Dec 01, 2023
What’s trending in corporate event production in 2023? Sustainability, engagement with technology and tighter timelines, according to Lauren Hendricks, PRG senior vice president business development, corporate and events, who joined the full-service production company in 2019.  This year, PRG has produced and supported hundreds of events — from the Essence Festival and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to Post Malone in Times Square and the Florida Realtors Convention & Trade Expo (view pictures and details from these events here).   Back story Founded in 1983 by Jere Harris, PRG… more
Nov 21, 2023
While audience participation is a critical aspect of any effective and engaging virtual meeting or event, it’s important for event managers to properly vet and prepare guest speakers for panels or live Q&As to protect their event’s integrity and brand image. To help solve this challenge, virtual events company GlobalMeet recently launched Centerstage, a platform for virtually handling and screening guest speakers during digital events, such as investor meetings, town halls, internal HR meetings and more. With this new feature, pre-selected speakers or audience members can be promoted to… more
Nov 16, 2023
Trade show and corporate event organizers now have a new way to tap into the increasing popularity of blended travel while elevating their in-person events with Jampack, a new bundling platform that curates unique and memorable host-city experiences for attendees and exhibitors.  Using the Jampack platform, event-goers can explore and purchase exclusive destination experiences, such as networking-focused dining events, excursions or golf outings, hotel accommodations and stay-the-weekend packages before, during and after trade shows and conferences — setting the stage for elevated networking… more
Nov 09, 2023
If you attended Connect Marketplace in August in Minneapolis or the Events Industry Council (EIC) Global Awards Celebration at IMEX America in October, you may have received photos in real-time via SpotMyPhotos, an AI-powered, automated private photo-sharing technology that goes beyond facial recognition to let people’s photos find them.  Attendees and exhibitors who opt-in to experience this next-gen photo delivery platform at events can enjoy the convenience of having all photographs taken of them instantly delivered to their smartphones, eliminating the need to scroll through hundreds or… more
Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact