Event management company Groupize is adding two new services to its offerings: a web-based app and spatial recognition networking capabilities, Groupize chief customer officer Charles de Gaspe Beaubien told BTN. The latter is currently live; the app will be available April 28.
Each can be used in conjunction with the company's platform, with each other, or as standalone products. The tiered pricing for the app starts at $500 per event for up to 100 attendees for existing customers and $750 for new customers. The spatial recognition networking service will be priced with day passes or based on the number of minutes used, de Gaspe Beaubien said.
The app was the "missing module in our end-to-end platform," de Gaspe Beaubien said, adding that the company opted for a web-based option as opposed a native mobile app because it was more cost-efficient and easier to modify without needing a designer or coder.
The app was built to work with videoconferencing services, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting, Google Hangouts, Amazon Chime, Ring Central and WebEx, and was designed for events of any size, he said. It allows for branding and customization, speaker profiles, virtual or contactless check-in via QR code, sponsor and exhibitor management, documents and videos, location and maps, on-demand resources and attendee analytics, according to the company.
The app only activates buttons to join sessions 15 minutes before their start times, a feature de Gaspe Beaubien said offers attendees a more streamlined experience, and users also can integrate personal calendars with event schedules within the app. Event planners can configure the app with company-approved templates, he said.
The networking functionality allows planners to create spaces with virtual backgrounds—such as lobbies, conference rooms or bars—and attendees can move through rooms. A demo of the product showed a live image of each attendee, and the ability to hear a particular attendee increased or diminished based on proximity.
Each room is currently limited to 50 attendees, except for the main stage, to ensure issue-free bandwidth and broadcasting, de Gaspe Beaubien said. "It's really good for breakouts, networking and exhibitor booths," he added.