Our virtual trade fair with LASER.region.AACHEN

The Expo-IP case study described below was implemented by our certified partner EVE-CONNEX | engesser virtual event GmbH on the basis of the Expo-IP platform on behalf of the customer. What is particularly interesting here is that the customer was enabled to set up and run an online trade fair independently.

The WIR! alliance LASER.region.AACHEN is a funding project of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and stands for "change through innovation in the region". The aim of the project consortium is to drive the structural change of the region and to create sustainable jobs through the production and use of new laser-based production solutions. In addition, economic success factors for the LASER.region.AACHEN are being established.

The LIPA - virtual trade fair and specialist conference - of the LASER.region.AACHEN funding project aims to generate change through innovation in the Aachen region. The online trade fair aims to show how the production and also the use of various laser production solutions can sustainably expand the labour market. LASER.region.AACHEN wants to use the reach of an online trade fair to support structural change with innovative solutions. The focus of LIPA is on the joint elaboration of economic success factors of new laser-based production solutions for the Aachen region. This concept was supported by the synergy of a virtual trade fair and virtual expert lectures.

On the basis of several intensive training sessions by our project managers, the LASER.region.AACHEN project managers were able to implement the online trade fair in self-service. In these training sessions, the LASER.region.AACHEN managers learned all the necessary competences and skills required to independently create and operate the online trade fair in the backend. The training of all exhibitors at the virtual trade fair was carried out by the organisers themselves. The virtual trade fair was graphically implemented with the help of the templates provided. The image files required for this were supplied by EVE CONNEX or the operators of the EXPO-IP platform. In order to make the online fair as interactive as possible, several interaction tools were connected. For this purpose, chat tools such as Tawk.to as well as tools such as Wonder.me, which enable direct video exchange, were connected to the virtual event platform.

Of course, our project managers were available with our live event support throughout the entire duration of the online event.

The LIPA of LASER.region.AACHEN started on 11 June 2021. The complete online event took place between 9:00 in the morning and 16:15 in the afternoon. Participants of the online fair were able to obtain information on various innovation topics from around 20 exhibitors. At each stand of the virtual fair, participants had the opportunity to talk individually with the respective exhibitors. The virtual trade fair stands were manned for this purpose during the entire opening time. The focus of the online fair was on 16 different expert presentations. These were divided into three thematic areas. The virtual lectures covered topics such as applications, laser optics, electronics and laser-based automation.

The marketing team of the LASER.region.AACHEN funding project took on the marketing of the online trade fair independently. In order to attract as many participants as possible to the virtual trade fair and conference, a variety of communication channels were used. This increased the reach of the online trade fair.

The online trade fair of LASER.region.AACHEN was rated as good by the organisers. The overall impression of the online trade fair was given a grade of 2. In total, the online event was able to inspire around 400 participants at this first edition. This was a good starting signal for further events. The organisers of the online fair particularly liked the technical reliability of the virtual event platform. In the end, the organisers would recommend the services of EVE CONNEX and give it a grade of 1.

The feedback from LASER.region.AACHEN speaks for itself. The intensive support provided by the EVE CONNEX team during the conception and planning of the online event was perceived as particularly positive. In addition, the organisers were enthusiastic about the possibility of easily assigning several people to set up the online event. The organisers rated the establishment of contact via the virtual event platform as a challenge. On the other hand, they praised the technical reliability of the virtual event platform and the project team.

The EVE CONNEX team would like to thank LASER.region.AACHEN for the trust they have placed in us. And looks positively towards future joint projects.