It’s been a busy spring in the world of event technology:
• Sessionboard, a firm that offers a comprehensive speaker- and content-management platform, announced in March a strategic partnership with ConferenceDirect, a large third-party provider of planning services to conference organizers and event-marketing teams.
The partnership entails ConferenceDirect offering Sessionboard’s platform to its clientele. This integration could save event teams many hours per event by streamlining the call-for-papers process, abstract evaluation, agenda management, speaker and sponsor communications, asset collection, and content integration. ConferenceDirect clients will also have access to Sessionboard’s CRM system to help track their speaker network for year-round engagement.
• Live-video and streaming firm Brandlive has acquired the virtual events and webinar business of Notified. The deal will quadruple the size of Brandlive’s business, according to Brandlive CEO Sam Kolbert-Hyle. The deal adds a portfolio of high-end enterprise customers to the Brandlive platform, along with about 100 employees from Notified, for a total of 160 employees at Brandlive. The team that supports clients is not expected to change.
Notified is not completely out of the virtual-events business. It retained its IR Event Platform designed specifically for earnings calls and other investor-relations event needs. In fact, Notified purchased Hubb in August 2021, when the Covid pandemic had stopped in-person investor meetings. The Hubb platform was then integrated into Notified’s platform.
“After careful consideration, it’s clear Brandlive is the best-suited partner to continue servicing our virtual events and webinar clients,” said Nimesh Davé, president of Notified, in a press release. “Their commitment to creative, TV-style broadcasts mirrors our heritage of customizable streaming services for marketing-led events, webinars, and company town halls.”
• Virtual-event platform provider GlobalMeet announced in early April several new artificial-intelligence capabilities that enhance its webcasting platform. GlobalMeet’s Live Studio for presenters now uses A.I. to continuously adjust how presenters are shown to deliver more natural interactions with the audience. The capabilities are now available within both the GlobalMeet webcasting platform and Live Studio for presenters:
— Automated face framing, panning, and zooming to enhance the exchange of non-verbal cues, facilitate eye contact, and mimic the flow of in-person conversations.
— Presenter framing using algorithms that detect faces as they come into camera view and adjust their framing in real time. This feature automatically features active speakers and ensures all presenters stay in focus.
“Artificial intelligence is the future for virtual-event technology,” said Kim Niederman, CEO of GlobalMeet, in a press release.
“What makes a virtual event go from good to great is personalization, and artificial intelligence is a stellar tool for hosts to create events customized to their brand and audience preferences,” added Ken Roberts, CTO of GlobalMeet.
