Earlier this year, event tech platform Bizzabo acquired Whalebone and x.ai as it continued to expand its operations, and it has now announced the launch of its new Event Experience Operating System, which it’s calling “the first open platform of its kind,” along with a full rebrand and fresh website redesign.
In a statement announcing the release, Bizzabo argued that traditional event management software has “outlived its relevance,” and that its new product was designed with the digital event experience in mind to meet the needs of post-pandemic event programs.
Event experiences have become the focus of the industry throughout the pandemic, as planners now have a wider variety of formats available to them but are looking to provide their attendees — whether in-person or virtual — with memorable and valuable experiences.
In this sense, while the platform may or may not technically be an operating system, Bizzabo’s new branding is clearly in line with the changes taking place in the industry and responds to what both planners and attendees are looking for.
"Over the last year and a half, we've seen companies struggle to bring people together with existing event management software," said Eran Ben-Shushan, co-founder and CEO of Bizzabo, in a statement. "This is why we've built the Event Experience Operating System — to empower the world's Event Experience Leaders to close the Event Impact Gap™ while accelerating revenue, building their brands, and activating lasting communities."
Bizzabo also notes that with this release, it is leading the new category of Event Experience, indicating that the company expects other event tech player to follow suit with their own software offerings. Among other features, the Event Experience OS includes AI capabilities that help provide advanced content and networking recommendations to attendees. As an open platform, it also allows planners to bring their own tools of choice into the OS, which syncs data in real-time between platforms.
"Bizzabo invented modern event software and they're well-positioned to lead the new category of Event Experience," added event tech investor Marco Giberti. "For the last 10 years, Bizzabo has stayed close to the industry they serve. The Event Experience Operating System is a well-articulated solution that the market is clamoring for and it speaks directly to Bizzabo's vision of a flexible, hybrid-friendly future."
Ben-Shushan noted that the company would be sharing more details shortly on the vision for Event Experience and what planners can expect from the product.