This year’s SISO Event Innovation Battlefield, featuring five event tech companies, was a fierce competition, but the audience of more than 200 trade show executives ultimately handed the grand prize to Resiada and its room block management software.

Best described as a cross between “American Idol” and “Shark Tank,” the seventh annual presentation and competition took place on the last day of the annual SISO Leadership Conference, held Aug. 13-15 at Detroit’s Cobo Center.  

Designed to redefine the meeting and event housing management experience, Resiada’s integrated software streamlines the event creation process, provides useful and actionable data to help event planners make informed decisions, and helps events generate additional revenue. 

“We are so pleased to have Resiada recognized as the most innovative technology of the year at SISO 2019,” said Dharmesh Dayabhai, co-founder of Resiada. “This is a testament that we are helping solve current issues related to room block management.”

He continued, “Thank you to SISO and the events community for making Resiada what it is today and what it is to become in the future.”

In the search for breakthrough event technology or amazing new business models, the competition’s nominating committee chose five finalists out of 50 considered tech companies vying to participate in the contest.

Rachel Wimberly, executive vice president of business development for Tarsus US, moderated the lively competition, during which attendees voted for what they believed to be the most innovative platform among the nominees. Besides Resiada, the event featured four other companies pitching their event software, including: 

Goodshuffle, an all-in-one software that helps modernize the event rental, production and design industries for event companies of all types and sizes by streamlining sales, tracking inventory and managing event teams from any device 

PLNIFY, a fully integrated event team management software and mobile application that allows event managers to organize and mobilize their teams by streamlining the communication process through a collaborative platform

Rebus, an AI suggestion engine and payment technology that allows venues to create and monetize ancillary revenue opportunities based on behavioral data

Smartxpo, which provides predictive analytics to boost the performance and profitability of trade shows, conferences and events via technology for portfolio management, automated price optimization, budgeting, forecasting and margin improvement

“The Event Innovation Battlefield is a great opportunity to see innovation, ideas, talent and products that are leading-edge,” said David Audrain, executive director of SISO.  

He continued, “It gives our members the ability to see what’s on the drawing boards now that will drive our industry in the future. We can also help incubate, develop and assist in the delivery of products and services to the market.” 

The SISO Leadership Conference attracts large and small trade and consumer show organizers interested in the latest innovations and best practices to manage the thousands of trade and consumer shows represented by its members. SISO members include companies, corporations and other for-profit entities that own, produce or provide full-service management of face-to-face trade shows, consumer shows, expositions, conferences and events. 

Learn more about SISO here.

Photo credit: Steven Hacker

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