Where's The Future?

Event management software can potentially make an event planner’s job more efficient. But when the right software doesn’t exist, planners are left to fend for themselves, often lacking solutions. In July, we discussed this exact issue in the episode, Why is there no good event software? Will and Brandt discussed what features the industry desperately needs and how companies can offer solutions. Two of the most important missing features included tools for budgeting and understanding profit margins. In this episode of the Event Tech Podcast, Will and Brandt welcome a special guest who brings a new and inexpensive solution to event management software, Rob Vaas. Rob is a co-founder and director of a new software company called Joi, a planning and scheduling software with unique features, including budgeting solutions that might be just what the industry needs.

Event translation and transcription are a segment that’s been on the rise in recent years. Will and Brandt discussed the increase of booths for these services at IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX America. As a result, in this Event Tech podcast episode, the tech duo outlines how to work with translation, transcription, and captioning services in your events. Implementing these services into your event can be full of benefits, making your events accessible to international audiences and those with auditory impairments. But, when done poorly, translation, transcription, and captioning services can lead to a poor attendee experience and even offend listeners. To help you ensure that doesn’t happen, Will and Brandt share tips for working with the services and explain how you can ensure you’re getting the total value from these services. Let’s dive in!

We're doing things a bit differently on this episode of the Event Tech podcast. Rather than covering a "new topic," we're checking in with you, our listeners, and readers and evaluating whether we should change anything about the podcast. So whether you're a new or long-time listener, stay tuned and reach out. This is an engaging episode, and we have many questions for you.

According to Forbes, in-person events increased by 255% from the 4th quarter of 2021 to the second quarter of 2022. Still, as we move into 2023, more and more companies announce layoffs, spending freezes, and low metrics. And these are just a few of several trends in events to keep your eye on. In this episode of the Event Tech podcast, Will and Brandt discuss current event industry trends and the future of events. They’ll also share two helpful tips for navigating the choppy waters ahead.

IMEX is one of the most significant events for the events industry, not just in the States but globally. And after a long few years, a massive return to in-person events in 2022, and a looming recession, the IMEX America 2022 event has been long awaited. Despite how gloomy current events might feel, Will and Brandt have some inspiring things to share. In this Event Tech episode, they’ll continue discussing the trends they noticed from the previous IMEX Frankfurt event, cool new logic utilizations, and…booze? Let’s get to it!

A lot has changed about the world in recent years. It’s not always helpful to ruminate on what we should have done, but today Will and Brandt do precisely that. In this episode of the Event Tech podcast, the tech duo looks back on 2020 and 2021 and considers how they would do things differently if they had to relive the pandemic.

As layoffs continue to make headlines across industries, the events industry is also bracing itself for an economic downturn. More and more companies in the events industry announce layoffs, downsizing, and consolidations each week. According to Brandt, the industry should have taken preventative action before reaching this point. Join Will and Brandt as they discuss how we got here and how to navigate layoffs and consolidation in the events industry. While they can’t predict the future of events (as we’ll find out), they have been discussing this topic for months and are ready to offer actionable advice and support.

This year, a Marriott data breach has made headlines again. It’s 2022, and the world is no stranger to poor data protection. Every year, the events industry and event professionals handle data for millions of people. It’s our responsibility to ensure their data is secure and our systems are risk-free. That’s why today’s episode focuses on how you can increase data security and protection in your business. Will Curran and Brandt Krueger share first-hand what they’ve learned from working with valuable data. Together, they’ve come up with 6 data protection tips that will help you avoid making common data security mistakes.

Building an online community can take years of hard work. That’s why Endless Events’ very own Will Curran and Kyle Kosinski created the #EventProfs community. They’re on a mission to build and grow a community from the ground up so they can better understand what it takes to develop an event community. #Eventprofs is designed to put your knowledge on center stage. In Kyle's words, “Whether you're a festival producer or a lighting technician, you can teach the whole world of event professionals what you know and help make everyone's events better.” But in today's episode, Will and Kyle share their valuable insights as they learn how to build an event community.

Augmented reality (AR) has the potential to revolutionize how we live our lives, but are we there yet? Will and Brandt are excited to see just how revolutionary AR will be for events. In today’s episode, Will Curran and Brandt Krueger discuss AR for events. Together, they explore how AR for events can reshape how people interact with each other and their venues. Looking past flashy screen-based AR, Will and Brandt focus on what they hope to see, issues that may arise, and what might be around the corner in AR tech.

Event chatbots are becoming increasingly common in the event industry. While chatbots are helpful when engaging communities during events, they can also be an excellent tool if you want to implement the community model and engage your attendees all year. Today, Will, Brandt, and Kyle discuss event chatbots in 2022 and the community model with chatbot expert Chuck Elias. They update us on how chatbot technology has evolved in recent years and how you can use event chatbots to successfully engage a community year-round.

Fresh off the plane, Brandt Krueger returns to us from the IMEX event in Frankfurt, Germany. Unfortunately, Will wasn't in attendance this year. That's why, in today's episode, Brandt gives him a full recap on this year's event. In a global industry that's still feeling the effects of the worldwide pandemic, Brandt focuses on the trends he saw at IMEX. The two discuss how new factors, like an uncertain economy, may also play a role in recent trends. But don't let that hold you back. Today's episode is full of helpful insights into the powerful ways the events industry is adapting to the ever-changing landscape of event tech. To wrap the episode up, Will tells us he's feeling some FOMO (fear of missing out). "We'd love to hear from you if you were at IMEX Frankfurt," he says. "What'd you think about it? Was there anything that caught your eye? Or, was there something we talked about that you'd like us to dive into deeper?" Reach out! We always love to hear from our listeners.

Like the software industry, the event management industry has tech stacks. Event tech stacks consist of all the technology that helps an event run efficiently. Event planners often forget to consider whether their tools are suitable for the job and their budget leading to overspending and inefficient processes. Re-evaluating your tech stack can help ensure your events improve and run optimally year after year. In today’s Event Tech Podcast episode, Brandt Krueger and Kyle Kocinski talk about the event tech stack and several tools that event planners might want to incorporate into their stack. They think event planners should re-evaluate their stacks regularly to make the most of their time and money. Brandt concludes by emphasizing the major takeaway from today’s podcast, “Take a moment to think about where you might be able to shave some time off your work and what tech might be able to help you do that.” He invites listeners to reach out with their responses to today’s conversation at [email protected].

The event management industry lacks robust software designed for the unique needs of the event management industry. Many event planners rely on tools not made for the industry and attempt to find alternative solutions for the tasks they must accomplish. In today's episode, Will and Brant talk about the event management industry's unique client base and where event management software fails to meet client needs. Possible solutions to the lack of budgeting and profit margin projection tools include templates and building your own tool. Will and Brant explain how these options may work and how they have failed in the past.

Pricing transparency in event technology companies is lacking, to say the least. Many event platforms offer no pricing structures at all while others only give ballpark estimates. As a recent Skift Meetings article points out, event planners often have no time or energy to sit through long demos and discuss pricing for weeks. But as Will and Brandt point out in this episode, transparency is not easy to achieve in the world of SaaS and event technology. Costs depend on the size of the event and the features planners want to implement. Our dynamic duo has talked about transparency in the event industry before, but not about the event technology space specifically. But if you need a transparent comparison of top event platform providers, make sure to check out Endless' transparent 100 Top Event Platforms spreadsheet where you can compare companies based on pricing, features, and more. And now, without further ado, here is the Event Tech Podcast!

Today's episode of the Event Tech Podcast was inspired by a recent Event Leadership Institute summit where Brandt and Will did a fast rundown on ten event technology trends. For each of them, they had to quickly decide whether they truly were a trend or just hype. Most of the trends have gotten their own standalone Event Tech Podcast episode already. If you need a quick refresher on what Will and Brandt think about them, then this episode is perfect for you. Here are the 10 event technology trends that Will and Brandt discuss in this unique and exciting episode: NFTs, blockchain, metaverse, drones, smart glasses & AR, community marketing, privacy & security, machine learning & AI,, facial recognition, attendee tracking. Which ones will make it to the hot list and which ones are merely hype? Tune in and find out. Read the episode's show notes here.

Between the brain drain in the events industry and labor shortages, the event technology labor has transformed dramatically. And not for the better: event planners are finding it increasingly hard to hire reliable and experienced vendors at a reasonable price. Those who have survived the harsh conditions of the pandemic are fully booked and expensive. On the other hand, there is a wave of new labor coming in, but they are not as experienced. Aside from increasing their event budgets, what should event planners do? Join Will and Brandt as they talk about the current state of event technology labor. They give sound advice to event planners and up-and-coming event technology enthusiasts who are just getting started in the events industry. See the episode's show notes here.

In this week's Event Tech Podcast episode, Will and Brandt discuss Peloton because, as it turns out, their workouts make for a great hybrid event case study. They claim that event planners should take note. After all, the world-famous exercise equipment company has managed to grow a strong community through its content delivery, social media presence, and audience engagement. Brandt admits that he never thought of Peloton content as a hybrid event case study. But in this episode, he admits that Peloton indeed ticks off all the hybrid event boxes. They talk about the technology, production, content, diversity, and gamification aspects of Peloton. Even if you do not own a Peloton, this episode is well worth a listen. It just might inspire your hybrid event planning process. See the episode's show notes here.

There are many ways to send out event notifications: via email, SMS, private messaging apps, and event platforms. And as we embrace event technology as the base of our events, they're becoming increasingly more important. How we communicate with our attendees matters, so it's vital to learn what mode of communication they prefer and not be too spammy. So, what is the best way to deliver email notifications? Is it push notification or a text? Brandt and Will go over several solutions, discussing the pros and cons of which. But as always, what matters the most is that event planners know their stakeholders well. Don't force anything they do not like or know on them just because it's the newest event tech trend. Read the episode's show notes.

The Event Tech Podcast is often so excited about all the innovation, new event platforms, and other event tech solutions on the market that we forget to talk about the digital divide in the events industry. Let's face it: most event technology needs a strong internet connection to run smoothly. But what about those who don't have their own Wi-Fi set up? In today's Event Tech Podcast episode, Will and Brandt answer a poignant question by one of the podcast's listeners. Attendees need Wi-Fi to access virtual events. So, how can we connect with low-income families who might not have access to the internet? A difficult question, but Brandt and Will come up with several solutions. Then, they also address how certain people might simply be reluctant to embrace event technology, such as Metaverse or VR. What do we do with those audiences? Surely we cannot just leave them behind. Tune in and find out what our event tech masters have to say! Check out the episode show notes.

The Event Tech Podcast hosts believe that event technology is an amazing foundation for events. Numerous data insights, continuous audience engagement, and endless sponsorship opportunities - what's not to love? Today, they discuss yet another amazing event technology solution: data-based matchmaking services. Not only do matchmaking services change the way we can network at virtual events, but they also have immense potential to improve remote company culture and make the most of our internal meetings. It just so happens that in one of the latest acquisitions in the event technology world, two companies that are all about elevating breakout rooms and providing matchmaking as a service joined forces. We're talking about twine acquiring Glimpse - a match made in heaven. Will and Brandt welcome Lawrence Coburn, the co-founder and CEO of twine, and Helena Merk, the co-founder and CEO of Glimpse, to talk about their respective products, the recent acquisition, twine for Zoom, and the metaverse-like future of remote work. Tune in; match-optimization technology doesn't only concern event planners, but also everybody interested in making their remote works more connected in organic and dynamic ways. Check out the episode's show notes!

Every now and then, the Event Tech Podcast reviews a certain product or service. This week, Brandt and Endless Events' Kyle Kocinski do a case study on Remo, one of the top 22 event platforms to use in 2022. The competition among event platforms is stiff these days, so it's crucial that event planners understand what makes a certain platform stand out from the rest. Brandt and Kyle welcome Amy Hyatt, the Head of Customer Success at Remo, who brought along Remo's client, Michael Willoughby, the Tech Director at Battle Born Progress. They go over Remo's features and learn what Michael's experience with the platform has been like. Remo is a map-based virtual event platform that has been building events and meetings since 2018. Among their most celebrated features are brandability, customer support, community, and interactive maps. Once Battle Born Progress got a taste of the virtual world, they are not going back, Michael says. Remo must be something right! Tune in and learn what makes the platform stand out from the rest in this Remo case study.

When we talk about the most popular event platform features, we typically think of registration and ticketing, integrations, gamification, and analytics reporting, for example. But what good are any of those if event planners are not taught how to use them or if they stop working mid-event? Will and Brandt think that the #1 event tech feature should therefore be customer support. Event planners should have somebody available to them 24/7. The success of their event depends on it! In today's Event Tech Podcast episode, Will and Brandt will talk about the importance of customer service and what planners can do to choose the right platform when doing research. It's all about the onboarding process and transparent implementation. And finally, software companies should see event planners as long-term partners rather than one-time customers.

Events are not simply about delivering valuable content and giving people some time to speak to each other. No - the magic of events lies in the overall experience your audience has. Today's Event Tech Podcast guest knows this even though he's not an event prof. He's been to many conferences both as an attendee as well as a keynote speaker, so he knows all about engagement and networking at events. Our guest is Mark Herschberg, an MIT instructor, the author of The Career Toolkit, speaker, and CTO. While he is not in the events industry bubble, he nonetheless knows a lot about events and conferences. And what he's noticed is a serious lack of audience engagement. In his blog post, Creating Engaging Conferences Your Attendees Will Love, he explains that content alone is not enough to make an event a success. Instead, event planners should focus on creating the right experience for the attendees. But how? Tune in to today's Event Tech Podcast episode and find out! Will, Brandt, and Mark will be talking about networking at events and audience engagement tactics that truly go a long way when creating engaging event experiences.

This week's Event Tech Podcast episode is a little bit different. Rather than having a regular conversation about event technology, Will and Brandt are sharing the contents of a session they led at the FICP Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona back in November 2021. The session was titled 'Technology Tools and Trends Driving Engagement, Collaboration and Innovation'. And since they talked about event technology trends for 2022 and beyond, the talk is just as relevant today as it was four months ago! It's a great episode to catch up with everything Will and Brandt have been talking about in the past year and to see just how engaging this dynamic duo sounds in front of a live audience. They go over several favorite event tech tools, future predictions, and general event planning tips. Enjoy!

Last week, the Event Tech Podcast hosted Kyle Kocinski as a guest of honor and went over event technology trends and predictions for 2022. Today, the dynamic tech duo picks up where they left off last week, focusing on one 2022 event trend in particular: mergers and acquisitions in the event technology world. It all started in 2020 and continued with full steam head in 2021: we saw huge investments in event platforms and multi-billion dollar valuations of some of the largest players in the field. At the same time, there were so many mergers and acquisitions that we could barely keep count. What about this year? Is this trend going to continue or will it slowly die out? At first, they were skeptical, but Brandt and Will believe that the era of mergers and acquisitions isn't just over yet. They discuss where this trend is leading us and what the event tech market might look like further down the line. It's a must-listen for everyone interested in the financial aspects of event technology as well as those who like to have a pulse on the state of the events industry in general.

Can you believe it? It's 2022! And what better way to kick off a new year than with an event tech predictions episode? As our most loyal listeners know, Will and Brandt love to make educated guesses about the events industry. From evaluating what Starlink might mean for the events industry to brainstorming about facial recognition technology, they never shy away from having a heated discussion about the future. Will and Brandt are joined by a regular guest on the Event Tech Podcast: Endless' very own Kyle Kocinski. As the mastermind behind the top 22 event platforms to use in 2022, he has a great grasp of where things are going in the ever-evolving world of event technology.

It's almost 2022! By now, most of us have attended more virtual events than we can count and gotten used to the concept of remote work. While successfully joining a Zoom call used to be considered a success in itself, we are slowly, but surely, raising our standards around presenting ourselves on cameras. Brandt and Will have covered this topic in the past: they've talked extensively about setting up great backdrops and getting your audio in order. Today, they go into the nitty-gritty and focus solely on the art of maintaining eye contact with the camera. They don't lose much energy explaining why eye contact matters. It's pretty straightforward: eye contact makes us feel connected and engaged. They go over simple solutions for improving the way we interact with the camera. Some will cost you absolutely nothing, while others can be bought for a reasonable amount of money. For the very last time in 2021, here is the Event Tech Podcast!

As listeners of the Event Tech Podcast already know, choosing the right event platform is one of the most important decisions event planners can make for their long-term event strategy. Last week, the Endless Events team published the list of the 22 best event platforms to use in 2022. Enthusiastic and curious as ever, Will and Brandt wanted to know what went on behind the scenes. How did they rank them? What features did they prioritize? Today, they're on a quest to find out! And who better to talk to about top event platforms than Endless' Kyle Kocinski! He's been on the Event Tech Podcast before, talking about the future of virtual and hybrid event platforms. Today, he joins the podcast again to explain how the Endless team created this report. What makes this list credible is the fact that none of these top event platforms paid Endless to be featured on the list. Kyle says that he and his team considered over 500 event technology providers and ranked them based on several parameters. Press play and find out more about the logic behind putting together this informative list and more!

It's Monday, which means it's time for another episode of the Event Tech Podcast! Will is really excited to talk about event staffing today. It's a topic that he's talked about in the past, from dissecting AV proposals at the AV Audit to giving useful AV audit tips to planners at Whiteboard Wednesdays. And similarly, Brandt and Will covered the topic of saving money on AV in the past as well. But today, Will and Brandt want to talk about understaffing in particular. Far too often have they seen one person do a job of multiple people at events. Sometimes, they were that person themselves! Now that we're planning in-person and hybrid events again, it's the perfect time to revisit this popular topic. The way they see it, certain AV labor positions might become even more overworked in this new era of the events industry. So, press play and find out more!

Halloween is upon us, which means it's time for the Event Tech Podcast to cover a truly spooky topic: scope creep. See, it even has the word 'creep' in it! So, what does it mean? When your project's vision and goals change so much that they no longer fit the initial agreement, you've got yourself a pretty bad case of scope creep. Not only is it a living nightmare for all project managers, but it also negatively affects everybody else in the process: your team, your stakeholders, and your attendees. In an industry in which changes and flexibility are the norm even if you've got the best event timeline and you know your event goals inside and out, scope creep is all the more dangerous. Brandt and Will have both experienced it, so they've decided to share their negative experiences with the listeners and come up with some solutions that help curb this fiendish phenomenon.

It's been 18 months since many event profs first encountered Zoom. Back then, turning on the laptop camera and joining the call successfully was already considered a huge success. But as time went by, the standards for virtual event production started rising. Presenters and team members alike learned how to look better on camera. Event technology masters, such as our hosts, Will and Brandt, gave out advice on the best virtual speaker gear. As we're slowly stepping into the third year of the pandemic, we've all come to understand that looking your best on video calls matters ... Or did we? The Event Tech podcast duo thinks that there's still room for improvement. And so, they decided to go back to basics and revisit this good old topic. It doesn't just apply to event planners who are planning their next big event. If you ever need to hop on a call, you should give this episode a listen. You might feel called out, but remember, Will and Brandt are only trying to help and make the events industry a better place. Without further ado, let's talk tech!

What better way to learn more about the exciting world of event technology than listening to an awesome product spotlight episode of the Event Tech Podcast? Today, Will and Brandt bring two guests in to hear an unbiased review of Accelevents, an all-in-one hybrid and virtual event management platform. After all, in a world where there are more than 100 virtual event platforms, it's sometimes hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. Please welcome Jonathan Kazarian, the CEO and founder of Accelevents, and Stephanie Baiocchi, the director of membership & events at IMPACT. Not only do they talk about this particular event platform's solutions, but they also nerd out about data analytics, virtual audience engagement strategies, and the ROI of virtual events. Press play and join them!

It's Monday and there's no better way to kick off a week than with a brand new episode of Event Tech Podcast. These days, Will and Brandt are bringing in exciting guests to talk about the hottest trends in event technology. Last week, they talked about better brand management with Astute Review. This week, however, they are bringing in someone some of you might know as the host of Event Brew: Nick Borelli. Yep, that's right: we finally got ourselves a crossover episode! And what's on the menu? Nick, Will, and Brandt discuss Facebook's announcement that they're planning on becoming a metaverse company and Facebook Horizon, a virtual reality that is currently in the beta phase. And since this is the Event Tech Podcast, they elaborate on the implications this futuristic technology might have for event planners.

Every once in a while, our hosts Will and Brandt love to bring guests to the Event Tech Podcast and have them talk about an exciting technology or software they've developed. In September 2020, for example, we had the opportunity to learn more about virtual engagement strategies with Sketch Effect. And today, the techie duo welcomes a very special guest who developed a brand management tool and mostly works with consulting firms and banks. However, brand compliance is an integral part of building long-lasting relationships with clients in all industries, the events industry included. James Hirchak is the president and co-founder of Astute Review, a company that helps companies ensure their brand compliance by offering two computer software solutions: a PowerPoint automation tool and a real-time brand monitoring tool. Will and Brandt brought him on the Event Tech Podcast to explain what these tools do and how they can be used by event professionals.

One of the hottest topics in the events industry nowadays is hybrid and virtual audience engagement. But as the Event Tech Podcast highlights today, you can't really talk about audience engagement without including audience response systems in the conversations. After all, the best way to learn what makes our beloved attendees tick is to simply ask them. Right? In this episode, Brandt welcomes back Kyle Kocinski, the Head Of Implementation at Endless Events, to fill Will's shoes. Some of you might know him already as he joined the show in the past when the tech nerds talked about virtual and hybrid event platforms. Today, they talk about the history of audience response systems, comment on the current state of audience engagement tools, and recommend some of their favorite tools to our listeners.

Brandt and Will are on a futuristic roll! In the last Event Tech Podcast episode, they talked about face recognition technology in events. And since nothing gets tech nerds riled up more than AI, they'll be talking about AI in event apps today. When talking about AI, we must be careful: all that glitters is not gold! Many event apps and tools claim they feature AI to lure techy people in, but in reality, they (only) feature predictive analytics or machine learning. So, which one is which and why does it matter? After this Event Tech Podcast episode, you'll know better than to jump on every AI-related hype train!

What's up, Event Tech Podcast listeners? Today's episode is perfect for all fans of Westworld and Blade Runner. Will and Brandt will talk about facial recognition at Disney Parks and events in general. Why Disney? They have always pushed the envelope in terms of what's possible in technology. First, they did the MagicBand and now, they're moving towards facial recognition. Inspired by the last episode with CrowdPass, Brandt also wanted to continue exploring the related topic of attendee tracking. This episode is futuristic, informative, and also a little bit creepy. Don't skip it, it's like listening to a Black Mirror episode - in a good way!

Just three months ago, event profs were wondering whether it was too soon to lift restrictions and go back to in-person events. While they were skeptical back then, we are glad to say that the era of post-COVID events is officially here! That being said, some safety concerns absolutely need to be addressed. Since this is the Event Tech Podcast, we are going to talk about how technology can ensure better safety at in-person events. One such technology is CrowdPass! What is CrowdPass, you might be wondering? You'll find out from Brandt's two very special guests! Some of you might know Lawrence Helfant as the co-founder of CrowdSync technology and Crowd Health. Half a year ago, he co-founded the CrowdPass software. It just might be a gamechanger in bringing in-person events faster and more efficiently! He is joined by Quinn Zsid, the marketing director of all three projects. Let's get to it, shall we?

The two hottest topics in the ever-evolving events industry right now are the long-awaited return to in-person events and hybrid events. But as our hosts Will and Brandt have said time and time again, it's not about going back to how things were pre-COVID. It's about embracing the lessons learned along the way and incorporating them into our new events. One of the questions that they get a lot concerns hybrid event staff, so they've decided to share their knowledge with the whole wide world. They cover all levels of staffing at hybrid events, beginning at basic customer support and tricks for higher audience engagement. Then, they move into discussing AV labor positions. Mics, cameras, graphics - they cover it all!

Today's an exciting day for the Event Tech Podcast! Our resident hosts, Will and Brandt, welcome a guest to talk about virtual and hybrid event platforms. Dear listeners, please welcome the knowledgeable Kyle Kocinski, the head of implementation at Endless Events! In one of the most resourceful conversations in the history of this podcast, Kyle talks about how event platforms have adapted since last year and where are they going next. From must-have features to pricing, he covers it all. After all, event platforms are key to planning the best hybrid or virtual event and are definitely here to stay.

In today's episode of Event Tech Podcast, Will Curran and Brant Krueger talk about one of the most exciting new technologies in the world, or shall we say universe: Starlink. Last year, Elon Musk's SpaceX launched the innovative broadband internet service for the first time and now, it's seeing some huge developments. It sent out a beta program which enables users to set up satellite internet for approximately $100/month. And what does this mean for events? In this episode, Will takes the wheel and brings Brandt up to speed about the project. Together, they embark on a journey of exploring the potential benefits of Starlink in events!

Event app platforms have been all the rage for quite some time now in the world of event tech, so it's only natural that investments in event platforms come next. Hopin, the 2019 London-based start-up, is considered a unicorn among event apps. In such a short span of time, it has managed to attract enormous investments. But should we care? Time and time again, Will and Brandt have proven to the Event Tech Podcast listeners that they are experts in all things tech. In this week's episode, however, they demonstrate that they also have a sharp eye for business. They take a closer look at the news about Hopin's staggering $5.65 billion valuation. Most readers take such news at face value and view the investment as a success, but Will and Brandt know what goes on behind the scenes. What exactly does this mean for Hopin and what does it say about other event platforms? Tune in and find out what the spicy duo has to say!

Remember the times when we could visit exhibitions and see countless of exhibition booths in person? The hosts of Event Tech Podcast, Brandt Krueger and Will Curran, certainly do. Back in the day, they flew all the way to IMEX Frankfurt to see what the exhibitors had to offer. This year, however, they had to content with visiting CES 2021 virtually. And while they missed out on trying out the year's newest innovations for themselves, they agree that there's still value for exhibitors in the virtual world. In this week's episode, Will and Brandt move away from pure tech talk and talk about virtual events for exhibitors. Unlike many would like to believe, the key to driving value in digital and virtual events is not necessarily cutting-edge technology. What is it, then? Tune in and find out for yourself!

A year ago, the events industry had no choice but to master the art of virtual events. As restrictions are slowly lifting and the worst is hopefully behind us, we can glimpse the future and the post-Covid events. Our hosts Will and Brandt are event industry experts, so believe them when they say that the next big industry standard is hybrid events. One of the greatest challenges the future poses are hybrid event interactions. How can we bridge the gap between the virtual and the in-person audience? The last thing we want is for the virtual guests to feel like flies on the wall or as if they were sitting at the kids' table, as Brandt cleverly put it. But we are getting ahead of ourselves - tune in and learn what else our lovely hosts have to say about hybrid audience engagement and interactions between the two audiences.

Before the pandemic hit in 2020, the events industry was a well-oiled machine. Virtual and hybrid events were nowhere near as common. While every big event to already had its own event app, the event app design was something only a few businesses dealt with. Then came March 2020 and with it, huge changes. Event technology is no longer just one aspect of an event. It's the very heart of hybrid and virtual events! No wonder our hosts believe that it feels as if we've time-travelled all the way to 2030 in the last 10 months as far as technology goes. Today's Event Tech Podcast episode tackles it all: the changes in the world of event tech, hybrid events, awesome event app design advice for increased engagement, and speculations about the future. Will and Brandt are passionate techies, so they know it all!

Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the biggest and most exciting events in the world of tech. As proper tech nerds, our hosts Will and Brandt always check out what the year's biggest innovations and trends are. They have covered the CES 2019 in the past, and it's high time they go over the CES 2021. Because of the unprecedented state the events industry finds itself in, the CES 2021 went virtual this year for the very first time. One of the main appeals of the CES in general was sorely missing: the visitors couldn't try out innovative new products themselves. And while Brandt and Will would have loved to give the newest flying cars a go, that didn't sour their experience. Here's their take on the tech highlights of the CES 2021 as well as the execution of the thrilling event itself.

The Event Tech Podcast is back with its third and final installment on the best virtual speaker gear. After talking extensively about sound, video and lighting, it's time to look into backdrops. While the most expensive options generally bring the best results, it's not necessarily so when it comes to backdrops. One of the main takeaways from the 2021 Event Trends is that expectations towards virtual presenters are slowly, but surely rising. A huge part of that is minding the space you're in and what other people can see. Our hosts Brandt Krueger and Will Curran got creative and talked about all there is to know about the art of setting the perfect backdrop. Who is your audience? What kind of a message you want to send? Should you get personal or is it better to keep it neutral? What kind of backdrops even are there? All this and more in today's Event Tech Podcast. Take it away, tech-nerds!

A couple of weeks ago, we began our mini-series on the best virtual speaker kits. And the first episode was all about sound. What are the best microphones speakers can use to deliver top-notch presentations? As usual, our hosts Brandt Krueger and Will Curran did a deep dive into the subject. But no educational content surrounding this topic would be complete without going into the specificities of lighting and video. As mentioned in our 2021 event trends guide, attendee expectations will be on the rise. And in order to correspond to said expectations, planners must support their speakers as well as possible. A great first step is, of course, to get educated on the best virtual speaker kits out there. So press play and join us for round two of the Event Tech Podcast's take on the subject!

When you work in production, you come across your own particular brand of horror stories. And now that our professions have been irrevocably changed, these happen quite often. So it's not hard to imagine that people like our host, Brandt Krueger, technical producer extraordinaire, have quite a few tales to tell...and it's worse than you might think! But just like with every bad experience, there's something to be learned. This is why this week's episode of the Event Tech Podcast will be all about a live stream horror story that Brandt recently lived through. And as he explains to us and Will just how abysmal the whole experience was, there are plenty of notes to take. It's time to learn from other people's mishaps but in an enjoyable way. Press play and join our lovely hosts for another episode of the most tech-induced podcast in the industry!