The Forrester Wave™: B2B Event Management Technology, Q1 2023

B2B Event Management Technology Vendor Product Comparisons 2023

Key features and pros and cons of top B2B Event Management Technology products:

Bizzabo - Leaders

Pros:

Made four acquisitions in second half of 2021 adding differentiated capabilities including wearable tech for in-person attendees and visualization technology for virtual attendees
One of the most complete offerings in the market
Wearable tech, event engagement capabilities, mobile app, and day-of-show support are among the best
Proven reputation and ability to scale between very large and small events
Breadth of capabilities with unique wearable tech and in-person networking

Cons:

Revenue flattened in 2022 after four years of strong growth
Reliant on partner integrations in areas such as hotel and venue sourcing
Currently lacks any kind of environmental sustainability reporting
Event marketing needs minor improvements
Stronger reporting on revenue would be valued by customers

Cvent - Leaders

Pros:

Over five million events managed since founded in 1999
Unimitable breadth of capability through Total Event Program
Thousands of customers use Cvent for all three event types (in-person, virtual, and hybrid)
Superior vision and roadmap informed by deep understanding of market trends and customer needs
Over 290,000 hotels and venues available via platform
Full-service onsite support capability
New innovations including 3D venue diagramming tools and app and vendor marketplace with 900 vendors
Customers appreciated support and services received to ensure technology was properly implemented

Cons:

Platform lacks simplicity and cohesion of newer vendors due to capabilities coming through acquisition
Lags behind others in areas such as streaming and native content editing for virtual events

RainFocus - Leaders

Pros:

Grown impressively over past two years with recent Series C funding
Delivers personalized experiences at scale across range of event types
Single global attendee profile enables uniquely personalized attendee experiences
Capabilities for event data capture, deep CRM/MAP integrations, and event environmental impact tracking stand out
Reference customers praise integrated nature of solution and ability to listen and adapt
Strong vision backed by commitment to R&D rather than M&A

Cons:

Late to develop streaming and mobile capabilities
Needs to move faster with product development to keep up with competitors
Still using partners for capabilities such as video editing
Reference customers point to minor improvements needed in multiple areas including support for smaller events

SpotMe - Leaders

Pros:

Unique approach giving client CRM systems primacy over event technology for event management, data collection, and analysis
Strong financial performance, outperforming peers during market turbulence
Deep native integrations with CRM systems/MAPs including vertical-specific ones such as Veeva and IQVIA
New on-demand hub and new mobile app
Comprehensive capabilities built for variety of target use cases
Reference customers value ease of customization and deep CRM system integrations

Cons:

Clear focus on specific client base (high-touch industries) limits appeal to other sectors
Functionality not prioritized by target audience (payment processing, venue/hotel sourcing, content editing) is missing
Reference customers identified minor improvements needed in data capture and analytics
Better platform training and support would be valued

Cisco Systems - Strong Performers

Pros:

Acquired Socio Labs (rebranded as Webex Events) in July 2021 to expand Webex suite
Comprehensive, feature-rich event management capabilities
Mobile app stands out as among best-in-class
Slido polling, gamification options, in-person 'live display', and deep localization and accessibility capabilities
Reference customers value gamification capabilities and customizable nature of interface
Added security, stability, and resources from being part of Cisco

Cons:

Missing basic native integrations
Lacks venue and hotel sourcing functionality
Bundling options should be explored for larger enterprises already using other Webex suite areas

Notified - Strong Performers

Pros:

Standout webcasting technology
Onsite production capabilities with 700-strong services team
One of few providers to offer event environmental impact calculator
Platform is robust, secure, and customizable
Reference customers execute large numbers of events and value ability to securely and reliably scale
Strong support and customer service

Cons:

Platform lacks more modern consumer look and feel of competitors
Relies on partners to deliver aspects of in-person event support
Should prioritize improved mobile accessibility and consider adding on-demand content hub to portfolio
Reference customers call out areas for improvement such as mobile accessibility

ON24 - Strong Performers

Pros:

Launched IPO in 2021 with continued product launches and VIBBIO acquisition
Ability to personalize attendee engagement both at events and via engagement hub
Rich array of audience engagement options
Native content capture and deep CRM system/MAP integrations
Reference customers praise speed to deploy, ease of use, and on-demand capabilities

Cons:

Lacks capabilities for in-person and hybrid events
Reliant on third parties for onsite logistics support and equipment rentals
One of few vendors limited to browser-based (rather than app-based) mobile capability
Reference customers note minor improvements needed in event registration and data capture

Stova - Strong Performers

Pros:

Formed from merger of Aventri and MeetingPlay in January 2022, plus Eventcore acquisition
True end-to-end event management technology solution able to execute any size or type of event globally
Strengths across both in-person and virtual event execution
One of few vendors able to support native hotel/venue booking and venue layout planning functionality
Compliant with WCAG AAA guidelines with differentiated localization and accessibility capabilities
Native AI/ML capabilities help personalize attendee experiences
Reference customers highlighted real-time reporting and support

Cons:

Future success depends on how quickly Stova can fully integrate three separate organizations
Lacks on-demand hub
Needs to improve video editing capabilities
Event data currently resides in different platforms
Support for event environmental sustainability impact measurement is missing
Reference customers point to ease-of-use challenges due to complex UI and lack of integration

6Connex - Contenders

Pros:

Platform is highly customizable and offers ability to develop visually stimulating 3D environments
One of few vendors able to help clients understand environmental impact of events
Ability to deliver attendee matchmaking and make content recommendations through AI engine
24/7 support available through in-region teams
Reference customers select for virtual event capabilities and suitable pricing/licensing options
Customers call out customer support and customizable nature of event environment

Cons:

Acquired Eventory platform in November 2021 but hasn't fully integrated it
Vision lacks detail regarding future with immersive environments and AR/VR
Relies on partners to fill capability gaps
Lacks in-person capabilities such as venue and hotel sourcing and equipment rental

Engagez - Contenders

Pros:

Highly customizable and immersive event environment
Persistent campus experience for ongoing community building
Ease of event setup and replication
Native streaming solution and strong event analytics
Innovative use of access groups for audience segmentation permits experience personalization
Reference customers highlight customization capabilities as key differentiator

Cons:

Product roadmap focused on hybrid future means it falls short in supporting in-person event management needs
Limited in-person support (only areas such as badge design)
Must consider adding additional capabilities such as native mobile app
Reference customers point to some immaturity in terms of process and documentation

Hubilo - Contenders

Pros:

Virtual event platform branding looks clean and modern
Differentiated engagement features including 'tables' for breakouts and networking and ability for speaker to take group portrait
Use of attendee/content tagging to drive attendance
Reference customers talk positively of experience
Quick time to implement
Quality of support and training highly valued
Broadcast Studio streaming capability

Cons:

Growth has stalled recently
Acquired Fielddrive in November 2022 but must quickly integrate capabilities
Needs to sharpen go-to-market strategy
Vision lacks differentiation
Supports native video streaming but lacks ability to edit content post-recording
Lacks on-demand hub
Clients would appreciate venue and hotel-sourcing capabilities for in-person/hybrid events

Kaltura - Contenders

Pros:

Went public in July 2021
Known for quality of video and media services
Consumer-style platform aesthetic and experience
Comprehensive event content production and on-demand capabilities
Data capture and analytics strength including attention score measurement and integrated BI tool
Reference customers prize virtual event capabilities, scalability, and flexibility
Offers industry-specific solutions for education, media, and telecommunications sectors

Cons:

Focus on virtual experiences means it lags behind competitors for in-person event support
Relies heavily on partners to deliver in-person event support
Must improve mobile event app which lags behind others

Splash - Contenders

Pros:

Ease of use (five clicks to launch an event)
Event marketing capabilities
Appeals to tech-savvy marketers who can exploit robust set of native integrations
Reference customers emphasized ease of use and quality of event landing pages

Cons:

Single-minded focus on delivering smaller events at scale means gaps when executing tier-one events
Roadmap lacks detail and differentiation
Missing capabilities such as native video editing and standalone on-demand hub
Reference customers would like greater attendee personalization and improved event networking and breakouts

Zoom - Contenders

Pros:

Launched July 2021 as relatively new arrival but immediately familiar to Zoom users
Successfully delivered Zoomtopia (30,000-attendee virtual event) less than two months after launching
Quality, security, and familiarity of technology
Zoom Meetings technology underpins key features
Platform is intuitive to use
Interesting engagement features including attendee matchmaking and 'near me' function
Reference customers value Zoom's reputation, virtual event capabilities, and pricing options
Live event support and ease of integrating with IT infrastructure

Cons:

Late entrant to event management space so lags behind other vendors in key areas
Makes use of partners for in-person event support
Currently falls behind competitors in areas such as mobile accessibility and onsite support for hybrid events

FAQs

Q: Which vendors are Leaders in 2023?

A: Bizzabo, Cvent, RainFocus, SpotMe

Q: What does "Leader" mean in Forrester Wave terms?

A: Leaders in the Forrester Wave offer the strongest current product offerings and have the most robust strategies for evolving their solutions. They demonstrate market-leading vision, strong execution capabilities, and proven ability to meet customer needs across in-person, virtual, and hybrid event types. Leaders typically offer comprehensive event management capabilities including superior event data capture, deep integrations with sales and marketing ecosystems, and the ability to drive digital engagement across all event formats.

Q: How do I interpret a Forrester Wave?

A: https://www.forrester.com/policies/forrester-wave-methodology/

Report:

Top Vendor Products for B2B Event Management Technology in 2023

B2B Event Management Technology Vendor Product Comparisons 2023

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FAQs

Q: Which vendors are Leaders in 2023?

Q: What does "Leader" mean in Forrester Wave terms?

Q: How do I interpret a Forrester Wave?

Reference