Tech
Katie Morhen, founder,
52Eight3.
2019 has been
an exciting year
for event tech.
Powering exhibitors with
smart badges, touchpoints
and apps, allows them to
collect data live onsite and
is fast becoming the norm to
prove value and ROI.
Organisers can in turn
track a company’s success
and also identify key
hotspots on their show-
floor. Whilst this of course
screams ‘additional revenue’
for many exhibition
directors, it also highlights
the continuing need to
educate and support
exhibitors in making
those connections in the
first-place, hence the rise
of adoption in simplified
exhibitor portal dashboards
to increase engagement
pre-show combined
with matchmaking and
networking tech for onsite.
58 — December
Kuldip Sandhu, head of IT,
ExCeL London Christian Ary, co-founder,
Rabbit Global Adam Parry, co-founder, Event
Tech Live
We have recently
installed Wi-Fi 5,
increasing capacity
to 100,000 concurrent
users, enabling faster
connectivity and allowing
for a smooth transition to
Wi-Fi 6.
Other technology
initiatives designed
to enhance the guest
experience include large,
high resolution digital
screens at the Custom
House arrival, and the
integration of state-of-the-
art AV and connectivity
in the new Prince Regent
meeting rooms. We’ve
launched Workplace by
Facebook to support internal
communications. Smart watches and mobile
phones have been more
helpful, offering a level
of connectedness and
the ability to get so much
done whilst on the move at
exhibitions. AR/VR headsets
have added a further level to
experiences. Less obvious
are the advances made in
foot health technology.
We still do a lot of our
networking on foot, not
realising the mechanical
stress borne by our hips,
knees and joints. Footwear
engineered to be lightweight,
ultra-soft, energy absorbent
and durable, yet crafted to
be luxurious, can really
energise a visitor’s
day. Here are three companies
that have caught my
attention. Spelfie - the space
selfie - brings intergalactic
fun to an event. It gives
event attendees the ability
to capture their memories
from space, using satellite
technology. A brandable and
shareable feature idea for
any exhibition. My second
pick is Ticketpass, an ethical
ticketing platform. For
every ticket sold they donate
50% of the booking fee to
help charities all around
the world selected by the
event organiser or attendee.
Finally, Chili Piper's
intelligent assistant offers
a simple way to book a
meeting or start a phone
call immediately upon an
internet form submission.