Corona has radically changed our landscape today, particularly in the human networking and business initiation space. When DMEXCO, the yearly conference and trade fair in Cologne, did a survey in April, over half of the global community believed that event cancellations are having a negative impact on the digital industry. But in the long term, the coronavirus will accelerate the pace of digital transformation and with it, the mobile world.

Like many working communities, the organizers have taken the annual trade fair and conference virtual. And not only that – a whole new platform for DMEXCO @home, 23 & 24 September has been built. As we digitize at speed and enter a pandemic white space, this has generated a great deal of interest from the community on how it will work, particularly with all the unique networking and social interaction functions.

The developers of DMEXCO @home were aware that these two functions must be at the heart of a digital platform in times of a pandemic. As it is a completely new platform, the team has outlined the many possibilities for networking on the DMEXCO @home platform:

• In the ‘Lobby’, on a personalised dashboard, there will be dedicated recommendations in the contact column on the right of the webpage;
• Via a ‘Discovery Graph’, a visualization of the community with a filter function so that a visitor can search for contacts according to their business needs
• With a click on an interactive ‘Brandcard’ located in the ‘Show floor’, a visitor can enter a virtual exhibitor space, manned by a team of contact persons (green signals that a team member is online and available) and click on an interactive exhibitor profile.
• A visitor can make group calls with up to 10 people, communicate via a messenger function or via a schedule-a-meeting feature.
• Every visitor can create their own ‘avatar’ style profile by uploading their photo, entering their area of interest, company, position etc.

Though we, as humans, need physical social contact, an online networking event can create efficiencies in business networking. It’s much easier to search for contacts online with a filtered search function, than through a physical anonymous crowd. Europe is at the global forefront of GDPR regulation and DMEXCO @home will be pioneering online networking in September as each matchmaking possibility will be preempted by an ‘opt in’ function for personal consent to ensure privacy. The DMEXCO @home platform will work on desktop and mobile screens, it will include the exhibitor search, conference agenda and networking function. Users will be able to join the event and community whenever and wherever they are.

DMEXCO @home ticket holders can expect inspiration at the live conference, networking and business exchange in a decentralized and easy way. As the meeting place for business of the future, DMEXCO @home attendees can tune in to two channels with more than 100 hours of programming with global experts, later to be available as video on demand. With a new approach, international partners will expand the program with 40 hours of presentations and discussions on their very own channels as part of the DMEXCO @home Conference.

Within the platform, there will be two days of practice-oriented Master Classes and Deep Dive Sessions on the future of the mobile ecosystem. Such as MEF`s session entitled The Future of Mobile. How to leverage the digital channel with the largest global reach.