Technology

Trends 2024
Shaping the Future of Events
Tech trends 01 2024

Contents
TREND

1 AI will transform events

Page 02

2 Data will lead the way

Page 02

3 Extended reality will revolutionize experiences

Page 02

4 Solution-driven tech will overcome hurdles

Page 02

5 5G will power the next leap forward

Page 02

6 Focus on sustainable events will grow

Page 02
Tech trends 02 2024

Shaping the Future

of Events

Digital transformation in events is a constant. Advancements that made 2023

a standout year for innovation will keep reinventing our industry in

astonishing ways.

Artificial intelligence, the convergence of our physical and virtual worlds,

hyper-personalization, solution-driven technologies, and the evolution of the

Internet will revolutionize events and our lives.

To help you stay ahead of the curve, Stova and Bizbash teamed up on a

virtual event, Tech Trends 2024: Shaping the Future of Events. Attendees

learned about solutions pushing the boundaries of events as we know them.

David Adler, Founder and Chairman of Bizbash, moderated the panel.

Joining him were four trailblazers in event technology and experiential

marketing:

KC Bolcome Scott Cullather

Vice President of Customer president and CEO,

Experience, Stova INVNT Group

Jeff Benish Stephanie Pearce

Vice President of Event Director, Experiential M arketing,

Production, Blackrock Q ualcomm

Our team of experts shared insights on six game-changing event tech trends

along with strategies and tips to help you

Navigate the fast-changing event tech landscap

Create immersive, on-brand event experience

Make the most of artificial intelligence and data analytic

Deliver 1:1 experiences to a massive audienc

And more

Let’s look at these trends and how you can use them for epic events in the

year ahead.
Tech trends 03 2024

TREND

AI will transform events

Artificial intelligence has become a powerful force enhancing lives and reshaping
industries. In events, AI offers significant advantages in personalization, productivity,
and planning.

The good news is that AI is changing the

Personalizing Events
game for the better.

One of the biggest advances in events today

“This technology will profoundly impact
is the ability to deliver hyper-personalized
experiential marketing,” Cullather predicts. “In
experiences.

the not-too-distant future, we’ll be able to use

it to predict with greater certainty than ever
For instance, tech providers like Stova leverage
which ideas will deliver the best outcomes.
AI in mobile apps to connect buyers and
And that, to me, is super exciting.”
sellers who share interests.

AI also plays a role in tailoring event

communications, recommending sessions, Personalizing Events
and providing customized post-event content.
The technology improves the attendee Adler uses AI as a tool for budget analysis. For
experience and strengthens the bond example, ask ChatGPT how adding four liquor
between your audience and brand. stations will affect your budget. Or how much
you’ll reduce food and beverage costs by
hosting 400 attendees instead of 500.

In 2024 and beyond “AI-driven “It’s amazing how you can change things on
recommendation engines will become the fly and get answers in seconds, Adler
mainstream to simplify events and notes.”

deliver the experiences sponsors and

AI is also helpful on the creative side for
attendees want,” Bolcome says. generating ideas.

“Use ChatGPT in a one-person brainstorming

session,” Adler recommends. “You may not
Predicting Outcomes use the ideas, but they provide a good
starting point. AI uncovers approaches you
Predictive analytics is another area where AI may not have otherwise thought of.”

shines.

Adler encourages event professionals to

Companies spend millions each year to create experiment with AI. “You need to know how to
an experience they hope will drive deeper use these tools to critique them and decide
connections between customers and brands. what works and what doesn’t,” he advises.
But anticipating consumer tastes is tricky.
Tech trends 04 2024

TREND AI will transform events

AI Challenges Authenticity
Event professionals should strike a balance in Should you rely on AI to generate event
how and when to use AI. These solutions offer content?

considerable advantages as well as

challenges. The answer is no!

AI presents a compilation of information that’s

Data privacy and security already on the Internet. By contrast, people
attend events to hear new and exciting ideas
that add to the existing body of knowledge. If
With tools like ChatGPT, Siri, and Alexa you want to succeed in today’s competitive
integrated in our lives, many people worry market, your events must stand out from
about data privacy and security.

everyone else’s.

“Data is safer stored on your device than in In addition, prospective attendees expect
the cloud,” Pearce points out.

information from event professionals who

deeply understand their audience and brand.
She recommends on-device AI. These They don’t want generic content produced by
solutions put AI at the center of new a bot.
smartphones, personal computers, extended
reality devices, and wearable tech.

On-device AI offers advantages not only in “The beauty of events is that they
data privacy and security. It also can improve bring people together for human
performance and reduce costs and energy connections,” notes Bolcome.
consumption. “Messaging must be authentic from
start to finish, or people don’t engage.”
T ec h t r e n d s 05 2 0 24

TREND

Data will lead the way

Many marketers today must defend their 1:1 Experiences for a
event budgets because they have difficulty
Massive Audience
showing the return on investment (ROI).

Fortunately, the landscape is changing fast. Events today are managed increasingly by
Robust analytics and reporting solutions put the marketing departments and are
data at your fingertips, ready to pull up at a becoming more data-driven.

moment’s notice.

“This presents a huge opportunity for

You can now demonstrate event value with organizers to move from planning a single
ease by tracking ROI metrics like these below: event to creating global event strategies,”
explains Bolcome. “An event isn’t just one
Ticket sale isolated occurrence. It’s how you represent
Registration growth rat your brand, and it’s critically important.”

Sponsor/exhibitor growth and renewal rate

Session attendance and dwell tim According to Bolcome, this means leveraging
data analytics to understand your events on a
Attendee engagemen
deeper level from start to finish. What are the
Meeting request acceptance rat motions leading up to the event? How does
Leads generated per sponsor and exhibito the organization engage with potential
Leads qualifie attendees?

Pipeline velocity
She advises event professionals to dive into
“We have the best ability ever to gather and the data and understand the different
evaluate data,” Cullather points out. “Savvy attendee personas. Then, shift the dialogue to
companies now demonstrate event ROI with tell prospects exactly how your event meets
hard data. In the not-too-distant future, this their needs.
practice will be the norm, making events more
valuable than ever.”

With data-driven insights, you can

automate outreach in an authentic

way to create 1:1 experiences for a

massive audience.
Tech trends 06 2024

TREND

Extended reality will

revolutionize experiences
What exactly is extended reality (XR)?

XR Experiences
XR is an umbrella term for immersive The global XR market is growing fast. By 2030,
technologies. It includes augmented reality it is expected to surpass $1,134.79 billion,
(AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and exhibiting a compound annual growth rate of
others still to be created. XR blends the 36%.

physical and digital worlds and creates

immersive experiences.

XR events will be the entry point to imaginative

worlds, with applications like these below.
For example, sponsors can take fans on new
adventures at live sporting events via VR
headsets. Trade shows: “Exhibit booths will be
extraordinary,” Adler predicts. “Within the
next few years, you’ll walk into a booth and
Imagine attending a National Football enter a new world for a guided, curated
League game and getting the perfect view experience.”

from behind the goal or right on the field

with players.

Shopping: XR powers next-level e-

commerce platforms that give consumers a
Or picture yourself in a thrilling, behind-the- chance to try before buying. Depending on
scenes adventure at a Formula1 Grand Prix the platform, visitors can enter as avatars,
car race. shop, socialize, and immerse themselves in
personalized brand experiences.

“Onsite with exciting digital components LED video walls: Want to treat attendees to
pushes the boundaries of event engagement out-of-this-world experiences? Innovative
and sponsorships,” explains Bolcome. “It brands use giant LED video walls and floors
speaks to that immersive experience to create exciting virtual universes. Video
attendees want.”

walls are inspired by technology used in

The Mandalorean, the space Western
And the best part? “You can provide these television series on Disney+.

experiences to as many attendees as you

like,” she adds. “You’ll give everyone a Training: XR also reinvents training. It offers
personalized, first-hand touch.” ultra-realistic learning tools vital for health,
medical, transportation, and other
industries. Professionals can better hone
their skills in a virtual environment before
using them in the real world.
T ec h t r e n d s 07 2 0 24

TREND Extended reality will revolutionize experiences

Pro Tips:

While XR is incredible for storytelling, experts advise the technology

must fit your event.

1. The No. 1 priority is to be true to your brand. From there, decide

what tools can tell the brand story best.

2. Content is still king. It must be sensitively designed and executed

to marry live events successfully with XR technologies.

3. Know your audience. One challenge today is that organizers often

must engage four generations of attendees at the same event:
Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. In
general, tech usage varies across generations. Choose
technology that fits your audience.

4. Having the right infrastructure is crucial. Know how much capacity

you’ll need to bring an XR experience to life.
Tech trends 08 2024

TREND

Solution-driven tech

will overcome hurdles

“For us, innovation is about creating tech solutions to event profs’ biggest challenges, ”
B olcome explains. S he says two of the top planner pain points today are shorter

attention spans and delayed registration.

Capture and Keep Attention

6 Tips to Keep Audiences Riveted

Attendees today want sessions that are

quicker, sharper, and more interactive. The following tips will help you grab

attention and keep eyes glued to the

stage and screen.

Keep attendees tuned in 1. Treat attendees to dazzling videos

and live performances between

with content that helps
presentations. Draw on local talent,
them solve pressing
including popular bands, DJs,

problems and achieve standup comics, and magicians.

their goals.
2. Avoid top-down, one-way

presentations. Make sessions short

and snappy with plenty of time for

As mentioned, data analytics is the key to comments, polls, and Q&A’s.

deeper understanding. It provides a

comprehensive view of attendees’ 3. To foster interactions, mix education

preferences, pain points, and place in the sessions with small workshops and

buyer’s journey.

roundtable discussions.

Analytics also help you identify patterns in 4. Combine content with networking via

attendee behavior in real-time. For instance, fun activations. Hands-on cooking

what sessions, topics, speakers, activations, demos, mixology, and wine-tasting

and formats are getting the most traction? Do sessions make great icebreakers.

attendees tend to drop off at a particular point

in a virtual event?

5. Pump up energy levels by varying

your agenda with wellness activities

Use these insights to finetune your agenda to like Zumba, tai chi, and walking

fit attendees’ evolving needs sessions.

6. Offer quiet places, too, with comfy

couches and soothing music.

Attendees can relax, recharge, and

re-engage.
T ec h t r e n d s 09 2 0 24

TREND Solution-driven tech will overcome hurdles

Drive Earlier Registration

In today’s uncertain economy, companies are cautious about their spend. As

a result, attendees who once registered three to four months out now sign up
a mere three to four weeks in advance.

Integrated Registration Platform

For smoother planning, use a state-of-the-art event registration platform.

Then, leverage these tips and tools below to capture early commitments.

Keep registration simple

PC or mobile?

Customize forms with all the Analyze how visitors access

fields you need to measure your event website. Run
event success. At the same digital ads and promotions
time, make forms easy to on their preferred device.

complete in a few minutes. The

more complicated the process, Personalize follow-ups

the greater the risk people will

put off the task.

All-in-one event
management software (EMS)
platforms like Stova combine
Make it mobile-friendly
registration with email
With 6.9 billion smartphone marketing. Identify potential
users worldwide, mobile event attendees who abandon the
apps are a convenient way to process. Follow up fast with
drive registration. Plus, you can customized content to
integrate a chatbot into your encourage sign-ups.
event app so attendees can
get quick answers with the
ease of mobile.

Leverage real-time analytics

How do ticket sales compare

against benchmarks? Consider
what qualities early registrants
share. Then, adjust marketing
tactics to achieve event goals.
T ec h t r e n d s 10 2 0 24

TREND

5G will power the next

leap forward
Investment in infrastructure like 5G networks will drive imaginative event experiences
marketers could once only dreamed of.

Many emerging technologies come from solutions we’ve had for years but haven’t
been able to execute effectively. Thanks to companies like Qualcomm adding to the
infrastructure, new technologies bolster older ones for game-changing experiences.

Hologram Concerts
“The investment in infrastructure will
Take holograms, for example. They arrived on
show us how far these

the event scene more than a decade ago.

“Now, ABBA has come up with an amazing innovative technologies will go,”
way to make this technology exciting again,” Benish says.
explains Benish.

The Swedish pop band’s ABBA Voyage

concerts in London star digital avatars, Connectivity and Inclusivity
dubbed “ABBAtars,” for groundbreaking
hologram concerts.

In general, broad adoption of 5G moves the

industry forward with ultra-fast, reliable
ABBAtars blur the lines between physical and connectivity.

digital. They bring the pop legends to life via

live music, spectacular lighting, and cutting- 5G empowers organizers to streamline
edge motion capture technology.
operations. Attendees enjoy smooth virtual
Concertgoers delight in a trip back in time to experiences, enhanced engagement, and
see ABBA as they appeared in 1979.

fast content delivery. Plus, 5G supports real-

time language translations to enhance
Will ABBA Voyage-inspired experiences cultural inclusivity.
become mainstays in event marketing? It’s too
soon to tell.
T ec h t r e n d s 11 2 0 24

TREND

Focus on sustainable
events will grow
Investment in infrastructure like 5G networks will drive imaginative event
experiences marketers could once only dreamed of.

Many emerging technologies come from solutions we’ve had for years but
haven’t been able to execute effectively. Thanks to companies like
Qualcomm adding to the infrastructure, new technologies bolster older ones
for game-changing experiences.

Sustainability Technology

Here are some ways you can leverage technology to reduce the
environmental impact of your events.

Paperless solutions
Virtual and hybrid events

QR codes, NFC solutions, and Online gatherings cut travel

event apps eliminate the need and associated carbon
for printed tickets, badges, emissions. Offering the
maps, and agendas. These choice to attend online also
tools reduce paper waste and lowers costs and gives
energy required for printing participants flexibility.

and shipping. What’s more,

wearable tech enables Data analytics

attendee tracking for smart

lighting and climate control. Organizers leverage historical
And so, they improve energy and attendee behavioral
efficiency and attendee data to make informed
comfort.

decisions about venue size,

meeting room requirements,
food quantities, and resource
Digital signage
allocation to lessen waste.

This technology further

minimizes paper waste. It Event management software

provides marketing
advantages, too. Videos, Finally, all-in-one EMS
animations, and interactive platforms digitize many
displays can grab attention aspects of events, from
more effectively than static registration to marketing,
signage. Plus, dynamic digital mobile app, engagement,
signs display targeted analytics, and reporting. You
messages to groups of deliver more streamlined,
attendees in specific areas of personalized events while
the venue for more supporting environmental
personalized communication. conservation.
T ec h t r e n d s 12 2 0 24

Wrapping up
So now you have six event tech trends for 2024 and beyond that will
revolutionize our industry as we know it. Along with these trends, you
have valuable tips and tools to help you stay ahead of the curve.

Although event technology charges ahead at lightning speed, the

goals it supports are a constant.

Keep an eye on emerging trends and follow these best practices.

You’ll delight attendees with hyper-personalized, immersive event

experiences that keep audiences riveted… simplify planning… lighten
your event’s environmental footprint… expand the possibilities of
experiential marketing… and deliver a healthy ROI.

Catch a replay of Tech Trends 2024: Shaping the Future of Events here.

STOVA provides breakthrough solutions for the entire event

lifecycle, including registration, virtual/hybrid platforms, marketing,
content management, networking and engagement, mobile app,
onsite services, and analytics and reporting.

Whatever events you’re planning for 2024, Stova's team of specialists

can help bring your vision to life. You’ll get innovative technology and
exceptional client support.

To learn more about Stova and game-changing event tech trends,

visit stova.io.