Vancouver, Canada, November 13, 2014 – Eventbase Technology Inc., the world’s most trusted mobile event technology platform, today announced that it has raised $2 million in Series A funding from the team at South By Southwest (SXSW®) conferences and festivals. This is the first round of funding for Eventbase and the first investment from the newly formed SXSW Tech LLC.
Eventbase’s award-winning mobile platform powers official apps for thousands of events worldwide, including SXSW, SAP Sapphire Now, Cannes Lions, Comic-Con, Lollapalooza, Sundance Film Festival, and the Vancouver, London and Sochi Olympic Games.
The branded, feature-rich, interactive mobile apps provide a complete event guide including customizable schedules, live audience engagement, social media integrations and networking tools. Eventbase is available as a native app for all platforms including iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry, and as a mobile-friendly web version.
“The event technology industry is rapidly transitioning to mobile, and Eventbase is perfectly positioned to capitalize on this trend,” says Roland Swenson, SXSW Co-Founder and Managing Director. “Eventbase has a proven track-record of successfully introducing new technologies to the event industry, like iBeacon at SXSW earlier this year.”
“Eventbase also has a compelling vision for how mobile will continue to enhance the event experience for many years to come,” adds Swenson.
“As a leading and internationally influential event, SXSW is the ideal partner for Eventbase,” says Jeff Sinclair, Eventbase co-founder. “Their financial backing and industry expertise will help us further accelerate the pace of our product development and global expansion. These funds will power our work in new technologies, including mobile transactions and advanced real-time analytics, to set a new standard for events.”
In addition to taking its first investment round, Eventbase also announced that it is strengthening its trade show technology offering through the acquisition of UK-based LetsLynk, a SaaS trade show technology company. LetsLynk’s mobile and web tools streamline visitor check-in, provide enhanced exhibitor services and empower event organizers to make meaningful decisions with real-time intelligence from the show floor.
SXSW Director of Technology, Scott Wilcox, will be joining the Eventbase board of directors to act as advisor. LetsLynk Founder and CEO Jamie Vaughan, who previously held executive board positions at event technology companies including N200 and SO Group UK (now owned by Freeman), will also join Eventbase as a Managing Director in its London office.
The Eventbase investment has been made through SXSW Tech LLC, a newly formed subsidiary of parent company SXSW LLC. The investment bank McCafferty & Company of Los Angeles advised on the transaction.
About Eventbase Technology Inc.
Gold Winner for “Best Event App” at the 2014 Event Technology Awards, Eventbase (formerly known as Xomo) is the world’s most trusted mobile event technology platform. Eventbase Premium powers official native apps that incorporate sophisticated design, industry-leading scalability, and ground-breaking innovations like Session Live audience engagement and iBeacon micro-location interactions. Clients include many of the largest conferences, trade shows, festivals, sport events and venues on earth, such as South By SouthWest (SXSW), SAP Sapphire Now, Cannes Lions, Comic-Con, Spring Fair, Disney, Sundance, Lollapalooza, ESPN and three Olympic Games (Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014). Eventbase also offers a self-service freemium app that's perfect for events of any size. For more information, visit www.eventbase.com and follow @EventbaseTech.
About SXSW
The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer a unique intersection of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW is a launching pad for new creative content. Year after year, the event is a launching pad for new creative content. New media presentations, music showcases and film screenings provide buzz-generating exposure for creators and compelling entertainment for audiences. Conference panel discussions present a forum for learning, business activity thrives at the Trade Shows and global networking opportunities abound. Austin serves as the perfect backdrop for SXSW®, where career development flourishes amid the relaxed atmosphere. Intellectual and creative intermingling among industry leaders continues to spark new ideas and carve the path for the future of each ever-evolving field, long after the events' conclusion.
About LetsLynk
An innovative new SaaS-based technology product for trade shows, LetsLynk speeds up the on-site entry process for attendees and simplifies contact sharing and information exchange on the exhibit floor. Combining an intuitive mobile app and a suite of web-based tools, LetsLynk provides exhibitors with superior lead collection and management capabilities and gives event organisers access to in-depth analysis of trade show activity in real time.
Contacts:
Cecillia Lescano, Eventbase
+1.604.779.4026
Elizabeth Derczo, SXSW
+1.512.467.7979
