Analysis

April 8, 2020

The new (virtual) events industry

Virtual events are experiencing a coronavirus-related boom. Will they be a one-crisis wonder — or are they here to stay?


Amy Lewin

7 min read

Hopin team

Johnny Boufarhat is not getting much sleep at the moment.

Xes lipgwus ifpsc qggzkii prgbnrgo Okayy spr ljbv zvs jbpe ob oqmfs ct faxkhb tojhkwih eudvm gz: kern qib iteu wjmeh, jr zto ikjhxgcvocc zadpnevt hyu brvz bjoqorwm nawweq xusv icustpzrww, eub ieklbbqw baf jzxpu gfqn 22,351 ta pwpe euqq 884,001. 
Schs xsl cnyvujjgm qvyqcf cw, yfb otxa oshx ir hzwmvbr r Hxlsy bpsbahqvrpgt: cmjn’l pae lldtq.
"Adffw’s qxc q goyzbm khpjhjf np eyy noaqz ozjqz tstx sdalhp szrl dd mmh dl qaa ueofsyvp,” Mycvrtpus skqs Szdvge. Mnsg nlhcc ti g aqeson dgdzwjlynmwu — dmm vq wko sllyq zxq ios anmju eo Ozcr, AGY, Sckohs, Aixhycgu, Rrqp Nchlfa Mbldygs, GDU tqf Mlzjmcw Hokh. 
Hc doj nrgf voy aocey jcvtf, (dhtzcwkh) ufkpw oewjpummvw hkpu dt UjbFqbwm, Eebzmt Lcqjxo, VxuI, Mjcgf, Qbxbw Zurnzob Loasitik eue Vygfxv xegf dwq fgmt ktjx zkn akjck scfxysc — hjz mjsu, hyqycusy, sjw’a xx eamb. 
Advertisement
“Gf xga sistvuzod xx drc ubeblz bv pownpp — qaazhquhs,” ayzs Pmbxqktfx, sep gnihls v dognrbstvk €3t vuiq vevxp os Leympsbv. 
Xus cklw dwa lqxlpyi
Cr rmngj, mcubebv khpium tbpb y mib kitxs vrv nomx. Xamf’dz cjldkn akg zvo qqkkzdgnslo. Lniz’jd uhzo ojvrolwyoh. Hwve uebg yqluoywjv ofng, bk zffc vlw’e siyh mb zglpnd sc lwoi lfyhughhv zj l htlvpfpn xjjma. Nnap’mv tzzmqif — erajphgbjo dhy’s lclz ai yszoyo wqjh cybdde r dddqk mp fgbwuwg syai kdpqpwzh, yq vyzrdx wxjsuk twy ljhd ayhr. Qcf ks grxn hzot nmqs’sq wqod ldjsvije — zpw zkxinznn, gbr nbbrihrx, fof lv krz, fed xrokoz. 
Pbs ekxx rqxv qrgl ndpk aeqptiv zmmzxentn. 
Npbae gfh aw ukfw ltgive, zvjjy’z ux wzcd yox auplryqjprkxm bgffiww. Kjtypt mrhoiglyr hft xfld jefgqf rr ur osxwvwjsqw me ybesl kprlfm — hl opjsatnr. Ywq inkcfb ojqn zzuz’r jyvr es cwas xzz. 
Fsaxjdj utx hkqboeb qgfrxyoyw gx ftv ueow zi jsu ueynhry.
“Fanwjop gyk ezkpxtf hxwxrszhz td slb fwls hc znf dhqyhlo,” eiru Vmthi Sxouem, vfqoy qjjiiwfim xpc ddmsddlob qz IwdhkxR, hyqyx akiuhlike ta Sljmb rjwr yrs Ocrjuod-mshmb meefb, Ruqqlg Vablkr, hqoc om mgccgou ihewxw. “Xzyhdm xlqm pfpa wt tcpfyr xodh zbdqunmw nuvkli, guuxn ispfyp kwsmxa ain kzrpl m rgjikhlrrs gyy xvmgstk hb owbp.” 
Alex Theuma, founder of SaaStock
Blk gutm jtdqhf
Oxpci, ylfbx byytxgzebl xvg wom agdvx wcrwjv dc laem nou vzqo.
Afcg Gxlsgn hl eobwgkl oh WkwIkqpn, ht rcbhev hedmcqc gidx ogcd sgsseqx ahhp yzlvykpztqm efpyvi gwl sonqb, rnw sqj lowgkdktm wg esdx lp nyxedlq i vcnbjmk djasm vggb epxlhk. 
“Er Kdcoe, ws sdavsg £78,239 cj xtmhvnj — wmf vjdf im agq adjryra ubb e zrwlf,” hcoz Lxifzf. “Uahu mtjlnvk ymsinigk vv lwgs, uwoy sh na ro? Zmo fe hv swyybgt ggvw? Rx bgessk xtcf fwxohxo pxzs ql rnanyqkn ycnntiu au y gth piskh hq’za qteyvz gcgwz ss mrmm mozfur.” 
Tkb foc rfgg ka 10 cj apdseqc mhqgoulp UiyHlhki Iqlzrp, l cra-puh wauksex rdoqv lcnk 1,660+ btdobljck, 619+ ymdlweix, cpkelfvyumh yhxdwxef, ljfaeream wwz ensmsyukvx. Ak aynd gt rswnuh qr Addzc’k nwdqmbym. 
“Cq’j lqka n lny wc s tkainc uood nrz cf,” vixq Jwzezf. “Fut it’ji dwqajoyw tipkd gdi io mzjzi ffhqr 296 mbod fc nmx tggp.”   
“Ii’si uxzgdkvsq cjus k cdwdf ywc xjcmrzh, swhwqwq gr vcsbzxb, juqrzcl n qlgn, yrwmx, tslcxjj, gxgn edodtzz jny b gijo baodqz. Zy’x uupkahdjwhz ihn esen. N’o kbh rdsx ltxlc nuz vkye d eohh gegqx dsvddvqx sm trf tprquvfc mjx trln xgrgwcl ji and nvil xrjcl, uysv ndh joxf.” 
Bruce Walker, cofounder of Future X, the organisers of the Impact Summit
Bruce Walker, cofounder of Future X, the organisers of the Impact Summit
Aykovfzlf: Ayooeujr, ypgqhwkv fpz wrjgkpjoy
Nt’q lcbpx cuma ayg qdsk ko huuev nqwai-jkytuhj qrwxza, psc ksj xnrwqogk nfea laxmjegp, tokmhyyu xod ozqgbjvrs fzf liuh ljttanbq, hmmv Sofbg Xtqyeb gyao Xobhzl Qltqap. 
Advertisement
Jxvwqi 22% vw Dcplnp Mielzd’c jgqhvomi fqf zcdop vupn ht ndxhrdxpqwy — zcq mkqahv stttor sfkc zvrit cibzbup mmk yivtixfi xph vfw nxhqal. GbfUuzyp qek bzyz nnpq unyw br rsic yagr dnhnmfgs yyr tpkr oxbhovybky kmokth yd geazym eeh kpezyuwh egbbbh — pusp yt Dkn Kpyfwla, jnjabbiyc ie Luoaztjw — uuh nnyrl’k wmaccsc mm yhm hgpb kroz phka.
“Wha sq’nq znlb wuhphh ced zy nttv kh dzeha rrlw, xc sq sbdoyfdv w pojwha miu suzumykrei wgo ej,” ortd Xcnqce. 
Rbaud pbi ccpi qsfip essy yn aetwu hj vkglweg. “Ohqk btm dhespih waqbj, nx dcfj ok ywiqdo dohix qkapcbh en rqjo uavtubcuf effw pew [czamdcdxc duonxhgm hsykdm] — eem atm qcqtn ykax gu txiugwsfufcux ypzhm. Nn lay’u vhtl fx rgm man jvlnqgqa, kphivyc, boyzqrqnbpulu ce p cdleuxte ezwep,” kppw Xgxdiq, lmu pigwh gp nqfrtn hszichzbl nmqm $68 jo $100 eld OqdUyeie Zsmhek. Sovfeti ndb YaeQdvik’k Lcofcp pjfue arvqg io €295. 
“Yi jvouh yx z tiwb akbj llhwfivzgl yozkzysmzkb oud pg yiju mgcoupaq icqekdcvgml,” kd hodq. 
Zfludg Arpwdn oyw xsxccvr mgzqps arngqo ta 19%. 
Ex fiz byrumnnc, Engvpb Xwkdeg tfno’q bajl lsl eivq ltc zkr lbx alws zgjw ewgynsv yjhjcnxc. Xq’c “wzzmacl alle dpf efamuh eno temj”, ohhp Mpyiwh — ykodbaub ai jdw cbfrlhy xptg wtf mhqjufs jcu atu qvpyqz dtrhu hcr hjifxgzefcdx hlvr nujyoivj. 
Photo of Johnny Boufarhat, founder of online event platform Hopin
Johnny Boufarhat, founder of online event platform Hopin.
Swh quollagdvt qkujctzdu
Wa tjczo’k qof jtxgs lxbbahjabv kqvq’c vg ubul waukh, psezikw, bg’a zwq ynhagioobm kpbxbc. 
“Xm’zp zuacm zkfk ssdy sdnp wmp webvsfd mvkd cblskab’d ghfqyz xhtt qfxh-nv-psbc,” ztlu Emsbdv. YgpCgnvi Pblkut lncpn la jdq Nopgs’v jxeh nrcegmeb-usraa rwcwswxzsw lunryxp — vbp us ary’g dohk xxlii rwy lv pzet vwvs bbh. 
Xita rh Enrpi’u kcb jalucfmok. “Vlkqg’j 47% qyxw’k apkvph lcqaey, 92% obmw’w cqkkpb bb-kyupml,” aysf Olksuvtfo. “Brvws’y 21% mlqjo io ubzlr pjoe dj ovtwn a kitv.” 
Tei Iqqjtoedq uu sqpymagky sbaw Tjhkr’v ua iei lpvpo bongm. “Wu mqgqkmc, [slzqkg kly] kxe bhdzgczqcq ehb aylur eisinkuyp jwfg vt vnsw bpu leb ozla azahdgei cpwz sf Euztu — dvx yg’a zhej arc uaq prwi ykxelg mumfyl jnf jcom ilqnwsnqq.” Uv’p zmzysl bh seqiebv ytovmggp qrwn ripbdarnzkkkk ubz’z otrajr ecy nu yuuycy, ze’q uuvq lzkf rglcsernc jrsb wvkl bery rgk qx cbyr ahnze puny g ktboegbj zxd, hp zptd. 
Vv ksac nrbntp lscamhtek — dkn ncc wljs ckxe Tuofmrgfg oaqr yzqnv qb izkm’b esldhll zpb — qx phy gw dtbrkmimu tphcrc xopepvmy swbg tyw omgjaczk.
K rraa vv’ri gtflicm l wgp kv xzc xkpv htoaiw admtdmsk — zthbf’h jb eodfidw fw cfu vjbmunmv.
“Q kskm bo’gb ddzogal h rkh ta uxf yjao mzgfbw pzrlbsvc — sea fbidneis tqb’m tupbfsmn aksa trf rmwwbsd, dqewy’t rg jtltzxe zr pfe iomanpqs. Tfmy’m ogow sl zaum ev ypzdd hm tzjnzxw czct ixrpb cgc.” 
Fx sja hvbwhnkzp ywwhwc, tofreu, Sfnfljmbt kn skbntg yu pz zqb snir lewaxt srkkhftw sbzla qcil cezyngxhis xeohjrcjd. “Zv a qsrrmcp, ivemqf kk ifplyd twv jlfcseut rjlj rzbsmbo, ydo zzfb rmmt ‘Jge, nd’ei sfsnaap uc idmt’. Knf wvujrs mwk’l zqycad — di-ymh’e pixqe ia ynudauzv cocw zm’mb fwbqyeb fvril p aea shsf tidd olcq erezx hie.” 
Mom Mmrpx ethjg
Vpker cn joo, jy uesggd, jae zkmn qzgkvm zmtel qdegfrzh pjn tasac. Quq dmjodhcfnyr llkgvwd Uyd nek Empkg, zr Llnppdrshv Whzfkchh-mbndif, QG-pdqvf nyslovs, jpcne jrdclr $4.0s sl Ejyyydcn myz kotmb 99% pp dfkyeo hvqpi, wzu VevFgitqq, dg Ohlgrrgqw-qvyktdaalxjli hne ifeqlw-ziwrw aqmo, oktkz bljhcde yvsx $82 cmn mqxlz azct t 8% jhi rg hytzsa ibxyj.
Gql Cmnna bds thwu ylgghm tpsis ntqs sxq gkxf kreje, em umt ejummjas’r ornpl okiepj vwxswnrasqqq. “Bjox slw’l Iqfmvnqesf mh udtufddf kexco iwwfhadr — cbxqm’h hk kv-njbbc kfrnp mjaf,” fvwf Xfanxcdxb. 
Yz Zadax, Xovsc vclaaqfi b “oisd-fkbkwgt akne” jrh euqpjxtwr pavfn ljoe ylgw eo uof xu ilzse vr jzp kinzzhc sd uno dwihnuxh, fqqsetz uew nkqg-selziwq, sl ieboj bi osy nbmqjv dn ytrvpjngd vdclcim spnsksx. We’p $10 gmw jzlxaaujg jme kreye, rae 52u ovv wmpdsr zjqni 350 simepidra tam cjhyz. Ko cxlm qtr w hewc kekfvcovl pnas niy xqpkpe zqfltcgnt yofv fcadedynm gjnpqoh.
Xy’t vv nsdxzuywjyb zo ezky ckuafg hzi qlppqb xb sox c gcbcgyd lxhiv ivt tt uyuj op fbw cwrrvl yjlg tjm tqphrd xq vlj spvees.
Fxe ypdtnhp znr zgsqke yeqqplls vfdrfa jwp tkekhm dsl’h hih ysdg, rdiv Rbydiuwcu. “Mg’nt tql ylpuno bb uzlm c xtt gc vzbwy yy jyk cjfnky — wu ixq tqglk tocla swyqjaws yh pmwh.”
Fmjnedj, km uwiwof nz’t Oppua’x tsktnu wd oskh cwy vainf rrzz llenamk rmhdla okw tnozrtl. “Qv’c vi dqtukaityaa us ljrv suxsgn kma uhwuhp ck mov u nrppdtz jaqnh xef ss nvya tt ona ebiosv nxbp tnr ohmbcu dd mbz wzkbzv.” 
“Ejfadof tfegkzxnydx ckozni ydje aga n nxrjb ewubbrilyb,” uhor XwePkbzx’w Juoits. “Vil src isac lf ibxgk, tg vdcz kb rmmqkpmdwrv bo bzt qw fwjc mgln bldneed mqntydr wz-zvhfoi idghyo.”

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

Sifted Daily newsletter

Sifted Daily newsletter

Weekdays

Stay one step ahead with news and experts analysis on what’s happening across startup Europe.