Convene Launches New Hybrid Meeting and Event Solution: Convene Studio

Full-scale, proprietary technology with human support expands and powers virtual and hybrid events within Convene spaces or outside of them for up to 10,000 attendees

Studio builds on success of the Virtual platform and introduces first-of-kind products that offers all components of hybrid meetings and events from a single provider

Convene, which launched Convene Virtual Meetings this past year, the only virtual meetings platform built by meeting and event professionals, today announced its commitment to leading with a digital-first approach. Debuting Convene Studio, a solution that pairs expert teams with full-scale technology to enable virtual and hybrid events held anywhere, this unique product introduces the next phase of their innovative programming and builds upon Convene’s proprietary virtual conferencing platform. Studio, renamed from Virtual, incorporates and expands Virtual with a host of new services and upgrades, delivering premium and customizable hybrid and virtual events seamlessly for up to 10,000 attendees, either at a Convene location or outside of them.

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Convene hybrid events, which are one of the event types that Studio can enable, are the first and only solution of their kind that offer all components of hybrid meetings and events from a single provider, including physical locations, a virtual platform, production services and event technology, with dedicated teams managing the on-site and remote experiences. Convene is also the only company with a network of U.S. locations that offers the option to hold a hybrid meeting or event at our venues, other venues, or a combination of both, to create multi-location hybrid events managed by a single company.

“The launch of Convene Studio is a pivotal moment for Convene. We’ve been building toward this milestone for the past 12 years,” said Ryan Simonetti, CEO and co-founder of Convene. “With the introduction of Virtual Meetings last summer, we now have a distinct opportunity to combine our services and provide even more flexibility with an all-new product offering that is unlike anything else available in the market. Hybrid events are the key to our industry’s return and with the introduction of Studio, we aim to simplify hybrid meetings and events to make planners’ lives easier, which is the same promise that Convene was founded on over a decade ago.”

Reaching more people through virtual, hybrid, or in-person events and connecting customers with their key audience, Studio allows you to host a large or small event from anywhere. Hybrid pairs Studio with the in-person experience at their locations across the country, and also connects remotely to hotels, venues or a company’s own space outside of Convene, providing maximum flexibility in any team’s planning. Studio enables an event no matter the place.

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Hybrid and virtual events are powered by Convene’s professional broadcast and production services teams and the virtual event technology, with services including: a professional broadcast of virtual and in-person presenters, a premium and engaging live video production, live event support, and a full range of pre- and post-event support, such as event planning, video content production, and event analytics. The virtual event technology includes event registration, mainstage presentation, tools such as live polling, Q&A sessions, interactive breakout rooms, sponsorship and attendee networking, and a comprehensive remote presenter experience, all delivered as a fully branded web and mobile experience.

Hybrid events by Convene
Hybrid events by Convene are backed by the human-powered technology of Convene Studio and combine a Convene meeting room or event space, hybrid event technology, Convene’s professional event-production services, and virtual technology. With best-in-class safety standards and protocols in place, reviewed and endorsed by President Biden’s Chief of Staff and former COVID-19 adviser, Ron Klain, Convene’s on-site locations are highly prepared and well maintained for any event.

Hybrid events by Convene include:

• A meeting or event space at one of Convene’s 24 premium locations in 5 U.S. cities
• Convene proprietary virtual technology including an event site, live or pre-recorded streams, and virtual production services
• Film-quality cameras, lighting, and streaming equipment to fulfill all hybrid event technology needs
• On-site AV and production teams to manage the on-site experience and capture the hybrid stream
• Dedicated Control Room to mix live video and audio, onboard virtual speakers and overlay live graphics with an expert Studio Team planning and coordinating your run of show
• Implementation teams to create a branded event site
• A selection of freshly-made, nutritious food and drink options prepared by Convene chefs and packaged safely according to stringent COVID-19 protocols

Hybrid events at hotels, meeting venues, or a company’s own space
Utilizing Convene Studio, the Convene team works with the remote teams from the venue, the planner team, and the on-site AV team to ensure a seamless hybrid event. With world-renown hospitality brands including Marriott International, whom Convene announced a collaboration with earlier this year for their Connect with Confidence program, and HelmsBriscoe, planning is easier than ever to bring groups together for engaging experiences.

Virtual Technology Updates
Convene’s virtual technology continues to evolve with today’s modern consumers in mind. The one-of-a-kind features enable organizations anywhere to create turnkey event experiences for any audience to capture their attention, keep them engaged and achieve their goals.

Virtual updates include:

• Easier and more seamless registration with a streamlined registration and login process, ensuring a quick, seamless, and secure experience for each attendee. Use of one-time codes or multi-use codes for greater optionality and more custom fields to capture attendee information for better tracking and reporting.
• Platform is a web-based solution and accessible to all using via desktop or mobile with no downloads required
• Can host up to 10,000 attendees, whereas the platform could host up to 1,000 when launched in April 2020.
• Operationalization of the virtual event process, including standardized set of staff and AV costing to deliver a better experience for end users and a more polished production experience for planners
• The breakout sessions are also now more robust with updates including:
  • Enhanced speaker capabilities: Grid view for up to 16-speakers.
  • Moderator controls: Moderators will be the only people to access control systems, leaving speakers the freedom to present without worry.
  • View-only participants: planners can designate participants to “view only” so they can’t access controls for webcam, mic, and screen sharing.

“It’s exciting to witness the evolution of our Virtual product and the changing needs of today’s consumers through hybrid. With Studio, we’re giving people options and the flexibility by offering them solutions to host their hybrid events at our location, their location, or in a third-party space, while still benefiting from our renowned team of experts who have built a powerful platform from the ground-up and with meetings and events planners in mind,” said Tom Zampini, chief product officer for Convene. “Our goal is to streamline these meetings and everything that goes into the planning process from end-to-end, ultimately enhancing the overall experience by making it easier to deliver high-quality, premium meetings in a hybrid setting while keeping attendees engaged.”

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