Tech start-ups to compete for business boost at IMEX in Frankfurt

Tech start-ups to compete for business boost at IMEX in Frankfurt
Applications now open for #IMEXpitch

Event technology start-ups have the opportunity to showcase their products to an audience of event professionals at IMEX in Frankfurt this year.

Applications are now open for the #IMEXpitch, culminating in five finalists competing in a live head-to-head pitch competition at the show.
Each company has five minutes to put forward its product, including the concept, features and unique selling points, to a live audience of up to 60 attendees. The winner, chosen by an expert judging panel, will receive a free space on the Technology Pavilion at IMEX in Frankfurt 2017 in addition to press and marketing exposure.
Last year’s winner was InitLive, a software company from Ottawa, Canada, which pitched its all-in-one software solution for event staff and volunteer management on mobile devices.
The six judges are all individuals who work with event technology on a daily basis and are heavily involved in the latest developments. They will select the winner at the #IMEXpitch final held at the show. The selection criteria covers ease of implementation and practicality, innovation and sustainability among other factors. Meetings industry professional, Christine Fuchs from the social fox, one of the judges and self-confessed ‘social media marketing geek’, explains:
“I’m very much looking forward to seeing great ideas and fun tools which are self-explanatory in usage and real assets for meetings and events. Major digital trends like augmented reality, the internet of things or full service / market research apps are already changing the meetings industry as we know it. In general, developments in the digital world will never be as slow as they are today. Therefore, we need ideas and tools that are fast forward and flexible. So I’d be curious to see ideas functioning like a chameleon: swiftly adapting to the surroundings to perfectly fit in!”
This competition is part of the IMEX education program and will take place at the Inspiration Hub on 19 April 2016 at 16:00.
The deadline for applications is 1 March 2016. For further details see www.imex-frankfurt.com/imexpitch

 

Event-Technologie Startups aufgepasst

Event-Technologie Startups aufgepasst: der Erfolgs-Turbo auf der IMEX 2016 in Frankfurt wartet
Bewerbung für den #IMEXpitch ab sofort möglich

Startups der Event-Technologie haben auf der IMEX in Frankfurt bereits zum zweiten mal die Chance, ihre Produkte und Ideen einem Publikum voller Experten der internationalen Veranstaltungsbranche zu präsentieren.

Bewerbungen sind ab sofort möglich. Die ausgewählten fünf Finalisten stellen ihre Konzepte in einem spannenden Kopf-an-Kopf Wettbewerb live auf der IMEX vor.

Das Wettbewerbskonzept ist effektiv und prägnant: Jeder der Finalisten hat fünf Minuten Zeit, um das eigene Unternehmen, die Idee sowie die Vorteile und USPs (Unique Selling Points) einem Live-Publikum bestehend aus ca. 60 MICE Profis (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Events) vorzustellen. Dem Gewinner, der von einer Experten-Jury ausgewählt wird, winken attraktive Preise. So darf sich der Sieger auf eine kostenlose Messeteilnahme am Technology Pavilion auf der IMEX in Frankfurt 2017 und ein attraktives Marketing- und PR-Paket mit zahlreichen Veröffentlichungen rund um die IMEX freuen.
Der letztjährige Gewinner war InitLive, ein Softwareunternehmen aus Ottawa in Kanada mit einer innovativen All-in-One Softwarelösung zur Planung und Koordination von Personal und Freiwilligen im Eventmanagement auf mobilen Endgeräten.

Die sechsköpfige Jury besteht aus Experten, die täglich selbst mit der Event-Technologie arbeiten und mit den neuesten technologischen Entwicklungen bestens vertraut sind. Die Jury wird den Gewinner im Rahmen des Finales des #IMEXpitches direkt auf der IMEX küren. Die Selektionskriterien umfassen neben der Implementierbarkeit und Praktikabilität auch die Innovationskraft und Nachhaltigkeit des Konzeptes.

Dazu Christine Fuchs von the social fox, Jury-Mitglied und IT-Expertin:
„Ich freue mich sehr darauf, wundervolle neue Idee und Tools, die Spaß machen, selbsterklärend und noch dazu eine Erleichterung für die Eventplanung sind, zu sehen. Große digitale Trends wie die Augmented Reality, das Internet der Dinge oder Marktforschungs- und Full Service-Apps verändern bereits die Veranstaltungsbranche. Die Geschwindigkeit der technologischen Innovationen wird weiter rasant zunehmen. Deshalb brauchen wir Tools und Ideen, die schnell und flexibel sind. Ich bin schon neugierig darauf, Ideen kennen zu lernen, die wie ein Chamäleon funktionieren und sich schnell an neue Herausforderungen anpassen.”

Der Wettbewerb ist Teil des IMEX Aus- und Weiterbildungsprogramms und findet am Dienstag, den 19. April 2016 um 16:00 Uhr am Inspiration Hub auf der IMEX in Frankfurt statt.

Anmeldeschluss für die Teilnahme ist der 01. März 2016. Weitere Informationen unter:www.imexfrankfurt.com/imexpitch

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IMEX in Frankfurt takes trade show value to new heights with personalised support services

IMEX in Frankfurt takes trade show value to new heights with personalised support services, guided tours and new hosted buyer groups

A number of innovative new support services and education offerings, plus a rise in new hosted buyer groups and exhibitors will be some of the hallmarks of the IMEX in Frankfurt trade show, opening May 20th at Messe Frankfurt.

A new pre-show concierge service to help first-time hosted buyers get the most from their attendance at the show is being launched this month (March). It is one of several new ideas being introduced by the IMEX Group to increase business and networking value for buyers attending the trade show. Each new buyer will receive a telephone call from the IMEX concierge team giving them the opportunity to ask questions relating to travel, appointments with exhibitors, the education programme or other subjects.

Beyond the trade show format
In addition to a brand new IMEX App, delivered by QuickMobile; refinements to the IMEX portals and website plus live, preshow ‘how to’ webinars, IMEX now offers a wide choice of personalised support services for exhibitors, intermediaries, trade visitors and hosted buyers. These high quality, high-touch services build upon the core trade show format (which combines business, education and networking) with new opportunities to both increase and demonstrate return on investment.

New hosted buyer groups
20 new hosted buyer groups are confirmed to date and include groups from Travel Alberta, Hong Tourism Board and Energy Cities Alliance.

Among the 3500 exhibiting companies attending will be some exciting new exhibitors and destinations including Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hong Kong, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Peru. Hotel groups are once again a growth area at IMEX with Club Med, Dorchester Collection, Falkensteiner Hotels, Great Hotels of the World, Le Hotels and Parc Hotels all attending as new exhibitors.

Several new educational and exhibitor hubs are being introduced on the show floor, allowing for allied or complementary exhibitors to be found in one place. Technology exhibitors will be located on a new Technology Pavilion; a new Meeting Design Hub will house specialised exhibitors and deliver education on all aspects of meeting design and a new Tech Hub will be introduced, following a successful trial at IMEX America in October. The Tech Hub will provide a quick and easy update on new technologies plus hands-on education sessions for a maximum of 30 people. The Sustainability Hub is modelled the same way for maximum convenience and ease of location, mixing ‘meet the expert’ opportunities with information and education sessions on one purpose-built stand.

New themed tours
Having trialled show tours in 2013, IMEX will now be offering German visitors a range of guided tours for 2014. The new IMEX tours allow German visitors to take part in an education session on a theme inspired by GCB Megatrends research. Following the session participants will be led on a guided tour of various stands on the same theme. The tours are designed to increase visitor knowledge and expand potential new business contacts.

Education remains strong pull
This year the IMEX-CIC Inspiration Centre – the main education theatre on the show floor – will provide a single site for all English and German language education, with the exception of daily GCB German keynotes which will take place each morning in Hall 9. The Inspiration Centre will also house a new Creativity Zone, Hot Topic Tables with moderated peer-to-peer conversations, plus a new Meet the Expert Clinic. As in previous years, the Centre will also be home to all IMEX 30-minute campfires, 45-minute seminars and the Research Pod.

All German language education, including the primary GCB-Seminartage programme, plus all English language sessions will be organised into six tracks for 2014: Trends and Research; Sustainability; Technology and Social Media; Risk Management and Compliance; Marketing and Communication and General Education. A new track – Business Skills – has been introduced to meet demand for education about the fundamentals of good business practice regardless of industry type.

As last year, Veranstaltungsplaner – the largest national association of corporate meeting planners in Germany – will also have a dedicated education and research clinic on the show floor.

New vision growth
IMEX’s hallmark Vision Initiatives continue to grow and add further value for all audiences attending. The programme for the preshow Association Day – with education designed to address association management challenges – is now live online. The event continues to provide professional education along three dedicated tracks, with an afternoon of concurrent sessions followed by new hot topic, facilitated group discussions and rounding off with an evening networking reception.

Final details for Exclusively Corporate @IMEX (also on Monday May 19), which provides an afternoon of private education and networking for corporate meeting planners and senior executives, are also being put into place. IMEX will announce full programme details, together with a well-known UK business entrepreneur as keynote, shortly. The event’s theme will be “Innovation and Creativity in an Era of Regulation and Compliance – the Challenge for Corporate Meeting Planners.”

IMEX recently announced two influential speakers for another of its Vision Initiatives – the 2014 Politicians Forum. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and David Scowsill, President & Chief Executive Officer of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) are both confirmed speakers for this important annual advocacy event.