Bubbling up
ExpoPlatform founder Tanya Pinchuk tells Emily Wallin that while the purely virtual bubble may have burst , tech innovation can help face-to-face events rise to the top xpoPlatform was
E born from Ukraineborn founder Tanya Pinchuk ’ s entrepreneur visa application back in 2013 .
Pinchuk envisaged a smart event technology solution that could enhance live in-person events – and says most of their original business plan is now in full swing .
The Cambridge-based AI-powered event management platform more than doubled its workforce in the past 12 months .
Pinchuk recognises the virtual event bubble is bursting – but says ExpoPlatform ’ s success is down to its ability to measure and grow the value at face-to-face exhibitions .
“ At the core of our platform is an AI matchmaking algorithm ,” Pinchuk says , describing how ExpoPlatform works . “ It ’ s personto-object matchmaking , which is different or more extended to person-to-person , where we provide suggestions and recommendations to every visitor and exhibitor of people to meet , but also products to view , companies to get in touch with , sessions to attend , news to read , different types of objects based on their interests and behaviour .
“ We analyse their behaviour and peer-to-peer behaviour and build it . Also , we provide 365 communities and marketplaces , working with industry associations and portfolios
Tanya Pinchuk
of events where they can extend the event experience and keep connecting , entertaining , engaging and educating people throughout the year .”
Virtual vs live Looking at the future divide between virtual and live events , Pinchuk says : “ I think there is a false dichotomy of live and digital . When we speak about events , I think that the last two years proved that technology allowed us to keep staying in business . And when we could not , organisers kept moving , increasing adoption of technology for the audience .
“ I think that what we ’ re seeing now is like tectonic shifts that are happening , where we are building new industry standards .
“ The industry standards that we had before Covid-19 are very much improved and enhanced with technology . If we take , for example , lead retrieval , what we ►
www . exhibitionworld . co . uk Issue 5 2022 49