Reflection, change and where our industry goes next by Jacqui Kavanagh

The events industry isn’t broken, but it IS being quietly reshaped in ways many aren’t fully prepared for.

Two years ago, after 18 years, I sold my agency, Trinity, to Strata Create. It was a defining moment, and the beginning of a new journey to build something I truly believe our industry needs.

It also forced me to confront a difficult question: are we evolving fast enough for the world we now operate in?

Over that time, EDGE Venues has come to life. We’ve been building a platform designed to bring our industry closer together – connecting the right people through technology, agile operating systems, and, crucially, verified data. And right now, that matters more than ever.

For Venues, it’s about being able to market themselves and tell their story in their own way. Not just listing their space, but sharing their personality, their people, and most importantly, their “why” – why someone should choose them over others.

For Groups, it’s about access. Access to data that has often been the privilege of expensive programs and bringing clarity to what their brands really deliver to the event planner. Because let’s face it, it can feel like a minefield out there.

For Buyers, whether you are a professional venue specialist or a corporate event planner, it’s about being able to procure venues, wherever they are in the world, in a way that works for you.

Destinations are also firmly on our radar, as we continue to grow. There is a real opportunity to help them better showcase what they offer at the point when planners are exploring where to take their events – comparing options, understanding value, and making informed decisions.

But alongside all of this, the pressure points across our industry are clear.

Agencies are being challenged to deliver levels of data and ways of buying that are expected in other industries. Yet, due to a fragmented approach to technology infrastructure, this isn’t always easily accessible or affordable. At the same time, agencies are working hard to continue adding real value and expertise to corporate event planners, often with stretched and reducing margins. The result is that some brilliant smaller agencies are struggling to keep up with these commercial demands.

Corporate planners are also being asked to do more with less resource, while navigating a rapidly changing landscape where expectations continue to rise.

All of this sits alongside a growing perception that AI can do everything we do, but of course our industry has never been that simple.

Technology should enable us, not replace us. Operating systems need to be fit for purpose and agile, supporting the way people actually work, rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all approach.

That’s what EDGE has set out to deliver.

A solution that allows every stakeholder to work in a way that suits them, supporting control over cost of sale, increasing visibility and choice, and providing access to customisable tools that help businesses retain their individuality while continuing to grow.

Because our industry has always been about more than just process.

• It’s about people.
• Relationships
• Experience.
• Professionalism

On 9^th and 10^th of July we host our Agency Tech Summit and our Summer Conference and Party where we have the most amazing buyers and industry panels, a future perspective from a global industry expert and insights and toolkit from an AI specialist.

EDGE will continue to grow and invest in technology, but we can’t do this alone. We need the support and collaboration of the industry around us.

If this resonates with you, whether you’re a venue, group, agency, planner, or destination, I’d love for you to come on this exciting journey with us, because building the future of our industry is something we’re far better doing together.

If you’d like to discuss possible strategic partnerships or investment opportunities, please contact me directly: [email protected].