IBTM Events launched a new platform this week called IBTM Connect. The online resource hub is designed as a space for business events professionals to access and share knowledge and practical guidance, increasingly relevant in today’s uncertain world. 

According to IBTM officials, the launch is part of a three-step plan to connect exhibitors, hosted buyers and the wider industry as we collectively navigate the impact of COVID-19.

Event management solution company Aventri is partnering with three digital event providers — Digitell, Evia and Intrado Digital Media — to help customers who have had to rethink their events in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. These new offerings will provide all current Aventri customers and any event planners globally with the option to move their events to a virtual platform or to add a digital component to any event. 

Event organizers seeking another digital alternative to printing thousands of program books for conferences and events now have a more cost-effective option. Application and review software platform company OpenWater has unveiled ProgramBook, a mobile app that transforms printed content including abstracts, sessions and author information into a searchable mobile companion available for both Android and iOS devices. 

Debuted this week at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival Haute House, Proxfinity CUE 2.0 gives event attendees an easier way to network through what company officials describe as “professionally identifiable data.”

In Spanish, “cambio” means “change.” And that’s exactly what SaaS-based job match platform Cambio aims to do — revolutionize the way job seekers, hiring managers and recruiters connect. Brokering connections is just the beginning.

Diversity (or the lack thereof) remains an ongoing issue for most corporations, and by extension, most event teams. Founder and CEO Neil Patwardhan believes that Cambio, which he describes as a “data-driven global talent matching platform designed to quickly match at scale,” can help by addressing the diversity challenge at the top of the funnel. 

There’s a whole new component coming to face-to-face events, with “face” being the key factor. Facial recognition for on-site check-in is slowly gaining traction, with more registration suppliers adding the technology to their portfolios.

Launched at IAEE’s Expo! Expo! in Las Vegas in Dec. 2019, registration and housing provider Streampoint Solutions’ FaceReg promises to reduce wait times for on-site check-in. 

The trade show floor at Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition, which took place Dec. 3-5 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, featured plenty of new and innovative event technology and tech partnerships to keep attendees buzzing.

While the primary pitch at Expo! Expo! was to exhibition managers, there are also use cases for any corporation that offers exhibits and sponsorships as part of its events. Here are a few event tech providers that generated lots of excitement on-site.

New in-venue smartphone app APPIX can be used to increase audience engagement — and now helps event organizers make their events safer, too.

The app debuted earlier this year targeting a wide range of use cases for immersive live event experiences. From participating in venue-wide displays of phone screen projections to receiving exclusive real-time content, messages and videos throughout an event, APPIX allows everyone in attendance to become part of the live show.

The forthcoming expansion of the Wynn Las Vegas convention center, set to be complete in February 2020, is getting more high tech. Cox Business announced this week that it will support the property with increased connectivity.

When the expansion is complete, Wynn Las Vegas will have 300,000 new square feet of rentable space, offering a total of 560,000 square feet across four pillar-free ballrooms, 57 meeting rooms, a 20,000-sq.-ft. outdoor pavilion and a 20,000-sq.-ft. adjacent lawn.

Event marketers today are using digital tools to provide better end-to-end experiences. Attendees expect convenience along with accurate, real-time information and crave two-way conversations, says Danielle Puceta, Freeman’s senior vice president of digital.

These are the main drivers for Freeman’s new Explore, Luminate and Fluent digital solutions. The offerings are designed to help event marketers increase and enhance attendee engagement.