5 Takeaways For Event Organizers From Dreamforce 2023
October 10, 2023
Touted as the largest AI event in the world, Dreamforce returned Sept. 12-14 to Moscone Center in San Francisco, but Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff told the San Francisco Chronicle it could be the last in the city if the conference was “impacted by the current situation with homelessness and drug use.”
The 21st annual event drew an estimated 40,000 Salesforce customers, partners and employees who gathered for three days of learning, fun, community building and philanthropy.
Dreamforce was projected to generate $89.3 million in local spending. A CoStar Group report revealed a 93.6 percent average hotel occupancy rate during the conference's peak evenings Sept. 11-13. By comparison, the city’s average occupancy rate for July 2023 was 66.1 percent. During the week of Sept. 10-16, San Francisco hotels raised average daily rate and revenue per available room by more than 30 percent as a result of the Dreamforce 2023 conference, according to CoStar.
During an on-stage chat at Dreamforce 2023 with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Benioff said, "This is probably the cleanest I've ever seen San Francisco. Why can't San Francisco be like this every single day?"
Despite Benioff’s praise for the city’s efforts to clean up the area around the Moscone Center, a Chicago surgeon was apparently attacked and injured while attending Dreamforce, according to a story in the Daily Mail.
But the overwhelming majority of attendees had a positive experience this year. “It was great,” Mobly Co-founder and CEO Zach Barney, who has attended the conference twice before, told Corporate Event News. “I met lots of great potential customers and resellers.”
TSNN curated a list of five highlights from Dreamforce 2023:
- Education. More than 1,500 sessions and workshops featured product experts and global leaders — from OpenAI’s Sam Altman and entertainer and tech entrepreneur will.i.am to Salesforce AI CEO Clara Shih and Thrive Global Founder Arianna Huffington.
- Hybrid experience. Salesforce+ Dreamforce, its free streaming service, offered 72 hours of live broadcast, global takeovers, 120+ on-demand sessions and more. The virtual schedule included exclusive content and digital-only moments, so onsite attendees were also encouraged to register for the Salesforce+ Dreamforce experience.
- Keynotes. Kicking off the conference, Benioff told the audience the event was the most sustainable Dreamforce yet, with 74% of structures recycled or reused. Other keynotes featured success stories from Salesforce customers using its technology and live demos of the company’s latest innovations.
- Partners. Salesforce has an ecosystem of more than 11,000 partners around the globe. Among the standout exhibitors at Dreamforce 2023: Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS), IBM, Deloitte, CGI, KPMG and Snowflake.
Entertainment. Multi-Grammy Award-winning artist Foo Fighters headlined Dreamfest, a concert to benefit the University of California San Francisco's Benioff Children’s Hospitals. Past performances at Dreamforce have included artists such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Lenny Kravitz, the Killers and Alicia Keys. Held Sept. 13 at the Chase Center, the annual concert has raised more than $100 million, according to Salesforce.
Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE, listen to our latest podcast HERE and engage with us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
Add new comment