Exhibition World Issue 1 | Page 47

Event Tech

Scotland ’ s 21CC Group acquires VFX firm

Scotland-based events company , 21CC Group has announced its acquisition of laser and visual installation company , funktioncreep .
21CC says the six-figure deal will create new opportunities for the group to move into new sectors . funktioncreep provides laser shows , tour and festival video operators , architectural projection mapping , LED and holographic projections , and in-house content creation , and has delivered more than 1,600 bespoke productions since it was established in 2006 .
Clients include Peter Vardy , People ’ s Postcode Lottery , Culture Creative , Tigerlily , Edinburgh ’ s Hogmanay , among other household names .
Geoff Crow , director of 21CC Group commented : “ In line with our ambition to become the market leaders in event sector technology and sustainable technical advancements , and with sustainable event delivery high on the political and social agenda , the next natural stage of development for 21CC Group is lasers , projections , and holographic productions .
“ One of our founding mantras was to be at the cutting edge of technology within the events sector and acquiring functioncreep brings new skills , experiences and abilities into 21CC Group , which will enable us to push and develop new technologies within the sector , to ensure we remain just that ; on the cutting edge of technology .” funktioncreep technical director
Above : Geoff Crow ( left ), director of 21CC Group , and funktioncreep technical director Andy Stentiford ( right )
Andy Stentiford said : “ The new technologies employed by both companies on events have blurred the line between our businesses , so it made complete sense to join forces , allowing us to bring the joint 21CC Group / funktioncreep offering to all our clients .
“ This structure will also enable funktioncreep to offer existing clients a wider range of in-house services .”

First virtual speaker bureau launches

Vox Futura has launched , staking its claim as the first virtual avatar speaker bureau . The firm promises to provide a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to in-person speaking engagements by using photo-realistic or AI-generated virtual avatars and digital clones . While platform agnostic , the first cohort will be powered exclusively by HeyGen , a generative AI platform .
The technology is designed to address certain industry challenges , including rising business costs , the availability of international speakers , time zones , unreliable transportation , and budgets . Vox Futura ’ s product will be aimed at conference creators , marketing heads , business leaders , and C-suite executives .
Beyond speaking engagements , Vox Futura can be used for introducing workshops , inspiration sessions , training , company all hands , opening meetings , cultural and artistic events , employee onboarding , internal communications and beyond .
Co-founder Paul Armstrong comments : “ We bridge the gap between the dynamic demands of modern events and the evolving digital landscape . Our service isn ’ t about virtualising speaking engagements ; it ’ s a thoughtful response to the pressing challenges of accessibility , cost-efficiency , and environmental sustainability the event industry and world face .”
Tracey Follows , co-founder and futurist , says : “ Personal identity is being transformed and expanded – each of us is no longer just one physical immutable self , but a variety of expressions , representations , and profiles .”
48 Issue 1 2024 www . exhibitionworld . co . uk