The 2022 Event Tech Rising Star award will recognise the next generation's initiative and acumen. Individuals who have made a significant impact in the world of #eventtech are eligible for nomination.

The Event Technology Awards has always recognised the achievements of young businesses looking to make their mark. This category is open to all event technology start-ups who have been trading for less than 18 months.

This category recognises a new product or service that has made a significant impact within the last 12 months. It might have been launched by a new company, or it could be a brand-new product launched by a well-established name within the sector.

One of the critical components for trade shows, conferences and conventions, registration technology providers continue to explore ways to improve the user experience and add value to the organiser’s operations. 

Bringing all those components into one easy portal, event management platforms have become hugely sophisticated tools. Workflow, logistics, orders, contractors and staffing can all be controlled from the best event management platforms.

Many event organisers are tasked with booking & managing multiple events every year. Booking a venue can be an arduous task, which is why the technology helping to support this process is so highly regarded.

With connection quality on a continual up-curve, the desire to link events across vast oceans is more popular than ever. As suppliers and organisers look to push boundaries further, who will be the leading innovator in this sector?

Best Hybrid Event Platform or Production (over 1,000 attendees)

The very reason that attendees take the time to go to events is to meet, learn and engage. Through smart use of modern technology, organisers have been able to break from a one-size-fits-all approach, instead deploying innovative solutions to improve the way their customers make new connections and engage with the show content.

This category is for companies who get the consumers engaged in an event, whether that be brand activation, exhibition, convention or in the sporting arena.

It might be a voting system for a Q&A, an auction system conducted via iPad, or a way for delegates to share opinions on keynote sessions. Regardless of how it is deployed, there are some amazing platforms for bringing audiences into the heart of an event’s content.

This category is open to technology solutions that allow us to communicate without using cables or wires such as RFID, NFC, proximity marketing and footfall analytics. 

Organisers are bombarded with a wealth of data. Every platform they deploy allows them to capture user data but understanding it and making meaningful decisions can be extremely tricky. We want to find the best way to collect and analyse this all-important information.

As a general notion, this covers any technology that aids the sales for an event, for example, EPOS systems and payment solutions. Technology that improves how you sell tickets and take payments. This covers anything from planning the event, CRM systems to selling tickets.

This type of technology makes it easier for attendees of an event to meet based on mutual interests. This will boost interactions and also offer a more targeted approach.

 Efficient workforce management software matches the right employee to the right job and allows management to effectively oversee employee operations. An essential in an organiser’s toolkit, but which tech is the best out there?

Whether your technology was deployed at a product launch, brand activation or as part of an experiential marketing campaign, this category will allow your business to earn recognition for its use of technology.

We want to recognise any technology used to aid the planning and enhance the experience of a festival. This could include, production technology, cashless, hardware/software, AV and apps, marketing and mapping.

Event registration tools, apps, attendee engagement, audio visual technology and audience participation are all examples of technology that brings a conference to life. 2021 saw many conferences and meetings 'pivot', in this category we will recognise technology utilised at physical / hybrid and virtual conferences.

Best Conference Technology (over 10,000 attendees)

As technology is developing, event organisers are utilising it to enhance their event. It is expected for smart exhibitions (B2B and B2C) to be brimming with technologies such as lead capture, audience augmented reality and interactive panels.

Sporting events, with or without a ball, rely on technology to improve security and enhance attendee experience. From checking scores to watching replays, technology has revolutionised the sporting industry. Technology could include ticketing, social media, AI and VR.

We are looking for companies that instate temporary or permanent installations to enhance a venue’s tech offering. Venues have had to adapt to a new way of delivering events over the last 12 months, we want see examples of those that have installed tech to facilitate hybrid / virtual experiences.

Many venues have used the lockdown time to upgrade their in-house tech solutions we want to hear about those too! Examples include, LED screens, lighting, audio visual, EPOS systems, WiFi and broadband.

The way that businesses market themselves has changed beyond recognition from just 15 years ago, and that is no different for events. The tools and technology now available is vast, helping organisers to find the perfect way to promote their event.

Live Streaming has allowed events to be brought into our homes during lockdown. This award will recognise those companies that made it possible for us to attend via our screens a graduation, team-building session, AGM, Conference, Trade Show, Festival or Happy Hour! 

Whether big or small, hybrid or virtual, every digital event requires precise organisation. Highly interactive, often aiming to create as similar an experience as possible to their physical counterparts, Digital Event Production companies have had their work cut out. This award will recognise those companies that have created exceptional digital experiences.

Through all the lockdowns, Virtual Event Platforms have been essential for organisers who had to pivot their events. This award will recognise the solution that helped an event make the shift to online. Judges will be on the lookout for how your solution jumped to the rescue.

Success from virtual could mean there’s a hybrid incarnation to follow, be sure to include details of this.

Best Virtual Event Platform (1,000 - 5,000 attendees)

Best Virtual Event Platform (5,000 - 15,000 attendees)

Best Virtual Event Platform (over 15,000 attendees)

This category is open to creative agencies, brands and production companies that specialise in activations and immersive experiences.

The Metaverse is a hot topic in the events industry at the moment, especially when coupled with how we can best use it to enhance future events and encourage audience interaction within the virtual world. Judges want to hear from those who are already utilising the Metaverse and have held successful events whether that’s in a fully virtual or hybrid format. They also want to hear from platform creators who have designed their virtual platforms to enhance the overall event experience and have successfully worked with organisers to deliver an event fully or part within the Metaverse.

Artificial intelligence is the ability of a computer programme or a machine to think or learn. This technology is used to enhance speed, efficiency and security. In the event world, this technology may be robotics, speech recognition, match-making, chatbots and facial recognition.

The way consumers access tickets has shifted dramatically, each year we see new innovations relating to ease of use and security. With so much competition in the marketplace, who will be crowned this year’s winner?

It might seem like a simple element to most events, but with some creative thinking and deployment of the latest technology, the audio-visual aspect of any event can transform it into an immersive experience that enhances and complements the thematic content.

Sustainability is a subject that all event organisers need to take seriously, and most are constantly looking for new ways in which they are able to take the sustainability of their events to the next level. Many have realised over the years that tech can help them on this journey. For this category ETA organisers would like to hear from event tech suppliers who are able to provide a solution that will add to or enhance the sustainability of an event.

This category is perfect for event agencies that have taken event technology to the next level. 

Most event attendees expect an app these days and a lot of organisers want one too: is yours the best?

Judges will be looking for and marking entries on innovation, creativity, clear and concise results and evidence of results (figures, testimonials etc).

Gone are the days where a simple microphone and PA system were enough, event organisers seek venues with state-of-the-art technology. We are looking for the best high-tech event venues that offer the latest AV equipment, superfast broadband and lighting as well as new technologies that enhance audience engagement and interaction.

Are you the industry’s favourite event tech supplier? The companies that receive the most votes will be awarded bronze, silver and gold, voted for by the readers of Event Industry News.