Founders Forum hosts first live event of 2021

Founders Forum, the community for founders, CEOs and global leaders, has celebrated the successful conclusion of its first live event since before the pandemic, with help from award-winning event software provider, VenuIQ.

This year’s event represented Founders Forum’s 15th UK flagship forum, which included in-person and virtual appearances from a host of technology moguls across the world, who came together to engage in open debate, brainstorming, discussion and problem-solving. 

500 of the biggest names in European technology were in attendance, and for most, it was their first in-person event since before the pandemic. Attendees included Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden , ex-Finance Minister George Osborne, President of EMEA Business & Operations for Google Matt Brittin, and Europe General Manager for TikTok Rich Waterworth. 

Founders Forum speakers 2021

VenuIQ implemented its suite of hybrid event technology for the event, including a custom app that offered live streaming for when rooms were at full capacity to help attendees adhere to social distancing measures, and a web platform for those who were joining remotely. 

The platform also provided delegates with the ability to track and share their locations with other guests by utilising VenuIQ’s delegate tracking solutions to enable networking meetups and offer recommended connections through a bespoke matchmaking facility. The same functionality was also available to those on the web platform so they could still take part in the experience.

Jesse Peterkin, head of events at Founders Forum, said: “Our first in-person event for 2021 was welcomed by everyone involved. For many of our delegates, this was the first event they had physically attended since the pandemic, therefore it was crucial that we made them feel safe and secure.

“VenuIQ played a key role in allowing our event to go ahead, providing the technology to maximise engagement amongst delegates whilst keeping social distancing measures in place.  

“The VenuIQ platform allowed those who could not travel from overseas to take part in the event virtually, and where talks reached full capacity, delegates were able to watch via the app in other areas of the venue.

“We have worked with the VenuIQ team for four years now and they always go above and beyond to tailor the technology to our specific needs, whether the event is virtual, hybrid or in-person. We look forward to continuing our partnership with them over the coming years at a global scale.” 

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Oliver Rowe, co-founder of VenuIQ, said: “The return to live events has been highly anticipated by the industry, so we were delighted to be part of one of the first to take place. 

“When hosting events in-person once again, it is crucial that event organisers consider those who may prefer not to travel, due to the ongoing pandemic or other reasons, and that they look at ways to ensure those delegates can still get involved. 

“We predict the majority of events going forward will have a virtual element to cater for this audience. With this in mind, to provide a great experience for both in-person and virtual delegates, event organisers need to implement event technology that is fully optimised to support a hybrid activation.”

This is just one of many companies we have help pivot to a hybrid event since the outbreak of COVID-19. Get in touch with the team on +44 0121 796 5800 to find out how we can help your virtual, hybrid, or in-person event.