Survey Confirms Technology Leads Development in Meetings & Events

Business and Technology Go Hand in Hand at IMEX America

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Research carried out for IMEX America by MPI (Meeting Professionals International), confirms the growing role technology plays in the meetings world, with more than 40 percent of respondents surveyed using laptops or mobile devices to capture content real time.

Of that group 10.5 percent of professionals always use them for note taking and 31.6 percent use them sometimes. According to the survey for IMEX America, which takes place from 18th to 20th October 2016 in Las Vegas, handwritten notes continue to be the choice of the majority (57.1 percent) while just 0.8 percent record their observations.

Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, observed: “In an era when capturing live content on laptops, tablets and smartphones is intrinsic to our working lives, it is interesting to quantify the extent to which they are being used in conferences and meetings at present. With millennials “keyboarding” virtually everything from an early age, usage is only likely to increase in the near future, particularly as technology evolves.”

Carina Bauer želi dobrodošlicu  svima na IMEX America i Smart Monday
Carina Bauer welcomes at IMEX America and Smart Monday

An additional IMEX Group survey of nearly 1,200 respondents also showed that the technology sector is predicted to deliver the next big innovation in meetings and events. The survey revealed that 40 per cent of hosted buyers, 34.5 per cent of visitors and 37.5 per cent of exhibitors thought technology would drive the next major development in the meetings industry. New apps, virtual meetings and meeting room technology were all cited as examples of how innovation in event technology is making waves across the industry.

Meeting professionals can preview some of the latest technology set to impact the way they do business at the #IMEXpitch taking place on 18th October at IMEX America. Event technology start-ups have the opportunity to showcase their products to an audience of event professionals at the show, culminating in five finalists competing in a live head-to-head pitch competition.

The independent expert judging panel all work with event technology on a daily basis and are always looking out for the latest developments as one of the judges, Tara Thomas, co-founder of The Meeting Pool, explains: “IMEX has a long history of being at the forefront of showcasing event tech. The competition is truly where the industry looks for the latest innovations changing the game for event professionals and is also an amazing opportunity for startups to attract significant attention and buzz around their products.  I’m excited to be involved this year, and to see what I know will be an incredible lineup of companies.”

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The Meeting Pool is also powering the TECHknowledge Area at IMEX America where experts will deliver targeted technology sessions, TECHbytes, answering questions on hot topics such as Snapchat, Slack, OneNote and wearable technology, and guiding visitors through the latest tech in the Gadget Lab.

The way technology impacts how meeting professionals do business is explored in the comprehensive education programme at the show where some of the 180+ sessions are dedicated to the topic. This includes Future event technology—how will it impact the attendee journey?, New, now and next apps to boost personal and professional productivity and a session by world-renowned hacker Pablos Holman. He is set to deliver one of the daily MPI keynotes, explaining his work exploring new technologies and their potential. Innovate or die trying—from the mind of a world-renown hacker, takes place Wednesday, October 19, 8:30-9:30a.m.

Carina Bauer sums up: “Technology has long led the way in innovation, particularly in the meetings sector. This innovation often comes from start-ups entering the industry and we see many interesting ideas from new businesses through our #IMEXpitch competition, our expert speakers and across the showfloor.”

Buyers at IMEX America can meet the experts behind the latest innovations in a series of TechTours running throughout the show. By meeting with selected exhibitors on the show floor, they can discover some of the companies who are leading the way in technology impacting the meetings and event sector.

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