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The Future of Events and Event Technology | EventCombo, New York | Matthew Griffin | Futurist Keynote Speaker
The global pandemic crushed the global events industry in record time, but a new phoenix is rising from the ashes ...
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2021) 'The Future of Events and Event Technology | EventCombo, New York | Matthew Griffin | Futurist Keynote Speaker', 311 Institute, 30 June. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/futurist-virtual-keynote-the-future-of-events-and-event-tech-eventcombo/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Firstly, thanks to Manish at Eventcombo, a New York based events platform specialising in hybrid and virtual events, for asking me to be the keynote at their annual summit where we discussed what else but the Future of Events and Event Tech – something that’s been top of mind as I work with event organisers and organisations around the world who are all still reeling from the disruption caused by the pandemic.
During the keynote I shone a light on the impact that the global pandemic has had on the industry which included wiping out over $30 Billion in revenues in the US alone and putting a $1.5 Trillion industry on its knees as many of the players in the market tried to pivot their businesses and business models just to make it through to the other side.
Watch the keynote in full
Fuelled by the pandemic we’ve also recently seen some of the biggest venture capital investments the industry has ever seen, including the $250 Million investment in Hopin, another popular events platform, as people everywhere hastily switched their events from in person to virtual and looked for simpler ways to make everything “work,” and, needless to say this shift combined with fresh investment accelerated the development of many similar multi-sided events platforms that, once the pandemic fades into the background, will likely be the industry incumbents for years to come – if not longer.
I then fast forwarded to have a look at what future events themselves will look like – from the standard in person, hybrid, and virtual events we’re all accustomed to today, to highly complex mixed reality and fully immersive events that are attracting not hundreds of thousands of attendees by tens of millions.
And if you thought the events of the future will look like the events you experience today then you need to watch the keynote and think again …
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Why does this matter?
The global pandemic crushed the global events industry in record time, but a new phoenix is rising from the ashes ...
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Eventcombo eventcombo.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 30 June 2021. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2021). The Future of Events and Event Technology | EventCombo, New York | Matthew Griffin | Futurist Keynote Speaker. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/futurist-virtual-keynote-the-future-of-events-and-event-tech-eventcombo/
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