Meetings industry professionals at IMEX America this year can discover the latest innovations set to impact the way they do business. Many of these innovations will come from the technology sector according to nearly 40 per cent of meeting professionals.
The survey of nearly 1200 respondents by the IMEX Group revealed that 40 per cent of hosted buyers, 34.5 per cent of visitors and 37.5 per cent of exhibitors thought technology would deliver the next big innovation. New apps, virtual meetings and meeting room technology were all cited as examples of how event technology innovation is making an impact across the industry.
Meeting professionals can preview some of the technology set to make waves in the industry at the #IMEXpitch taking place 18 October at IMEX America. Event technology start-ups have the opportunity to showcase their products to an audience of event professionals at the show, which is held 18 – 20 October in Las Vegas. Applications are now open for the #IMEXpitch, culminating in five finalists competing in a live head-to-head pitch competition.
Each company has five minutes to put forward its product, including the concept, features and unique selling points, to a live audience. The winner, chosen by an expert judging panel, will receive a free space on the Technology Pavilion at next year’s show in addition to press and marketing exposure.
The independent expert judging panel all work with event technology on a daily basis and are always looking out for the latest developments as one of the judges, Tara Thomas, co-founder of The Meeting Pool, explains:
“IMEX has a long history of being at the forefront of showcasing event tech. The competition is truly where the industry looks for the latest innovations changing the game for event professionals and is also an amazing opportunity for startups to attract significant attention and buzz around their products. I’m excited to be involved this year, and to see what I know will be an incredible lineup of companies.”
The Meeting Pool is also powering the TECHknowledge Area at IMEX America where experts will deliver targeted technology sessions, TECHbytes, answering questions on hot topics such as Snapchat, Slack, OneNote and wearable technology, and guiding visitors through the latest tech in the Gadget Lab.
Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, commented:
“Technology has long led the way in innovation, particularly in the meetings sector. This innovation often comes from start-ups entering the industry and we see many interesting ideas from new businesses through our #IMEXpitch competition and across the showfloor.”
Buyers at IMEX America can meet the experts behind the latest innovations in a series of TechTours running throughout the show. By meeting with selected exhibitors on the show floor, they can discover some of the companies who are leading the way in technology impacting the meetings and event sector.
