Conference Connect

About the offering

Conference Connect is a multi-sided marketplace for discovering, booking, and reviewing conferences and speakers, bringing organizers, speakers, sponsors, and attendees into a single transparent ecosystem. Launched in February 2024, the platform has grown to 3,300+ registered users (2,900+ actively engaging), 190K+ site visitors, and 430+ event and speaker reviews. The company generates revenue from five streams including ticketing fees, ticket affiliate fees, product/service affiliate fees, premium matchmaking, and advertising/sponsorships. Early commercial traction includes 7 signed ticket affiliate contracts ($1K+ value each) and 5 vendor contracts ($10K value each on 5-year terms). The Wefunder campaign has raised $132,500 toward a $150,000 goal from an undisclosed number of investors, with a $55,000 featured investment from syndicate lead Ashley Maloy.The ProblemThe conference and events ecosystem is fragmented and inefficient across all participants. Organizers spend significant time chasing speakers and struggle to attract the right attendees. Attendees lack confidence in purchasing tickets, which translates to lost sales for organizers. Speakers miss opportunities because relevant events are hard to find or poorly matched to their expertise. Sponsors invest in events without consistent ways to measure ROI. The result is billions of dollars in wasted marketing spend and missed opportunities each year within a $1.5 trillion global events industry. Despite the scale of the market, there is no dominant digital marketplace for event discovery and speaker connections—the current landscape consists of fragmented directories with opaque quality signals and limited discovery tools.The SolutionConference Connect creates a centralized marketplace where all conference ecosystem participants interact transparently. Speakers create dynamic profiles with videos, credentials, and availability. Organizers post conferences with detailed agendas, ticketing, and sponsorship opportunities. Attendees browse and book events based on interests and authentic reviews. Sponsors target audiences with precision and measurable outcomes. A data engine captures engagement patterns across all interactions, creating insights that improve event ROI. The platform's review system is central to the value proposition—every interaction generates reviews and data, creating network effects where increased activity makes the platform more valuable and defensible. The long-term vision is to evolve into the data engine of the events industry, delivering predictive insights for planning, investment, and reach optimization.Business ModelConference Connect operates six revenue streams. Ticketing fees are a flat $5 per ticket order placed directly through the platform. Ticket affiliate fees take 10% from each ticket sale the platform generates. Product/service affiliate fees take 10% from each product or service sale generated. Premium matchmaking offers paid services connecting speakers and sponsors with high-value opportunities. Advertising and sponsorships provide organizers and sponsors access to targeted, verified audiences. Data and analytics monetize engagement insights on global speaker demand, attendee preferences, and sponsorship ROI through industry analytics products. No specific revenue figures were disclosed, though the signed contracts provide some indication of early commercial activity: 7 ticket affiliate contracts at $1K+ each (~$7K+) and 5 vendor contracts at $10K each on 5-year terms (~$50K total contract value).TractionSince launching in February 2024, the platform has achieved 158% average quarterly site visitor growth. The company reports 3,300+ registered users (with 2,900+ actively engaging), 190K+ site visitors, and 430+ event and speaker reviews submitted. Seven ticket affiliate contracts have been signed ($1K+ value each) and 5 vendor contracts signed ($10K value each on 5-year terms). Speakers have created rich profiles with bios and video content. Organizers are listing events and using platform tools to increase visibility. Attendees are engaging and leaving reviews. Growth has been described as largely organic, validating the need for a centralized solution. The Wefunder campaign has raised $132,500 toward a $150,000 goal (88% funded). No specific revenue run rate, GMV, or monthly active user metrics were disclosed.Market OpportunityThe global events and conference industry is valued at $1.5 trillion, with 1.9 million conferences taking place annually and $60 billion spent each year on speakers and sponsorships. The US corporate event market is projected to reach $510.9 billion by 2030, up from $95.3 billion in 2020, representing a 17.3% CAGR (2021-2030). The post-COVID rebound in conferences has created pent-up demand, professionals expect seamless digital experiences for conference participation, organizers face increasing pressure to prove sponsor ROI, and authenticity/reviews are now decisive purchasing factors. The company positions itself as the potential "LinkedIn of conferences" or "Airbnb of professional events" in a market with no current dominant digital marketplace.TeamCEO and Founder Ashley Wilson is an award-winning entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker with a Masters in Leadership Development from Penn State and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Colgate University. Co-Founder Kyle Wilson is an entrepreneur and former professional hockey player with an undergraduate degree in Physics from Colgate University. Co-Founder Jason Scott is an entrepreneur, advisor, and author of multiple best-selling books, with an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Maryland and a Masters in Business from San Jose State University. The team's background is described as blending expertise in real estate investing, marketplace building, event management, and technology entrepreneurship.

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