The most promising event startups you should be following in 2016
EVENT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Events are one of the hot-button categories for new apps and startups this year, and some of the concepts in the earlier stages of development have us excited. We re taking a look at some businesses that are recently charging out of the gate and into the public sphere, so some of these apps aren t yet wearing their slickest outfits, but the concepts are solid and we think they ll get there.
Bizly
The Pitch Bizly is a mobile app for instantly booking meetings at leading hotels! In less than a minute, professionals can compare prices/options, pick a stunning meeting room, choose food, beverage and other amenities, and invite their guests. We feature meeting rooms at many of the world s leading hotels including Mandarin Oriental, Ace, Morgan s Hotel Group and Sixty Hotels. We believe that enterprises need more than tables and chairs when their teams are offsite. Our hallmark is delivering consistently quality experiences with the service, technology and accountability enterprises need, without the pain of RFP contracts and lengthy negotiations.
Why this is cool: We ve all been waiting for someone to finally do this right. It s not gonna eliminate a little footwork, cuz let s be real, if you re crossing all your t s, you re still gonna need to do some on-the-ground scouting to vet locations, but if you need a quick list of options, or you re already familiar-slash-comfortable with the venue, this will save you time, time and more time.
More: bizly.com
DoubleDutch
The Pitch: DoubleDutch creates a branded event app for attendees, exhibitors, and organizers to communicate, navigate, and engage at events like never before. By leveraging game mechanics and social functionality, DoubleDutch apps are designed for maximum engagement. By processing and analyzing every tap of the application, DoubleDutch is able to map users to content types or products. In this way, every event attendee can be scored and assigned to the appropriate lead or content category. The analysis of this data offers a precise, actionable guide that will help marketers better serve stakeholders, and optimize future events.
Why this is cool: The search continues for the perfect event app no one s really taken the crown there yet. This is one of the few new apps that pays strict attention to post-event engagement and follow up.
More: angel.co/doubledutch
FoxTales
The Pitch: FoxTales is an enterprise engagement platform that captures photo experiences (and user data) at events and then drives consumers to interact with their content online, creating organic social conversation. Marketing agencies, brands, event planers, and venues license our technology to entertain guests while capturing opt-ins and key consumer insights.
Why this is cool: There s a lot of photo kiosk-y nonsense floating around out there, but these guys have test-driven their concept at big-deal venues like Coachella and met with some success.
More: Vimeo
Turnstile
The Pitch: Turnstile is a mobile live events platform that connects artists and sports teams with their fans in real-time. Once installed, the Turnstile mobile app uses location-based technology to provide users with an exclusive live experience that changes from event to event. Open the Turnstile app at a Linkin Park concert, and it takes the form of a Linkin Park live app. At an LA Lakers game, Turnstile transforms into a hub of LA Lakers-related content, merchandise shopping, and venue information.
Why this is cool: This app s got an interesting pedigree: it s backed by Kendrick Lamar and Linkin Park, who both allowed Turnstile to push exclusive in-app-only content to fans and attendees. While those two endorsements alone probably aren t enough to keep the project rolling, it s a sweet start that might speak to some long-term viability.
More: angel.co/turnstile
EventSlice
The Pitch: We have built a complete event marketplace that helps people connect and solve problems when throwing an event.
Why it s cool: Geared more towards mid-sized events than large-scale to-dos, EventSlice shakes it up with some interesting search categories like karaoke bar and tech space . The database here isn t quite ready for public consumption, but we re excited to see this grow.
More: eventslice.com
EventSorbet
The Pitch: EventSorbet streamlines group reservation sales for over 500 restaurants, facilitating booking, lead qualification, event space inventory management across online channels, and marketing to interested local planners (event professionals, casual planners, large group reservations, private events).
Why it s cool: Moar marketplaces! EventSorbet covers similar ground to Eventslice, but we re all high on options over here, so the more the merrier.
More: angel.co/eventsorbet