Skift Take
As Covid shifted the world off its axis, the value of belonging to a group was magnified. Emerald has created a new division – Xcelerator – that keeps its focus on both community and a bold plan to launch 50 new brands.
If the last few years have taught us anything, it is the power of community. And trade show organizer, Emerald, was listening and in May introduced its new accelerator division, Emerald Xcelerator. Now, it’s looking to expand into three fast-growing industries.
“We believe in the value of events to connect new and emerging industries through authentic communities,” said Issa Jouaneh, executive vice president of Emerald Xcelerator.
The company’s immediate focus is on three industries: mental health as it applies in the corporate setting, decentralized finance (Web 3.0), and breakthrough medicine. Its goal is to curate year-round communities in these and other industries through face-to-face events and digital experiences.
There are three funded launches in an approved pipeline that consists of close to 50 opportunities, said Jouaneh, adding that Emerald plans to launch three to five new brands every year.
To help address mental health issues, Xcelerator has created Mentera, complete with an expert advisory board, and plans to launch webinars, seminars, and small workshops before kicking off a larger event early next year.
“We see ourselves as facilitators and enablers, helping to develop and advance these communities,” said Jouaneh. “We’ve brought in industry subject matter experts and leaders in the segments we are launching and are building a team with deep industry knowledge to focus on what their community specifically needs.”
Digital engagement will be the initial ignitors of the communities, Jouaneh said. “We have a digital-first mentality in terms of our launches because it allows us to engage with those communities immediately through content, before shifting from one or two touchpoints to more of a 365-degree engagement.”
Emerald is also launching D2: Decentralization Deciphered, an educational platform that bridges business and Web3 innovation through in-person events, digital content, and an engaged community. It will help C-Suite executives discover Web3 and learn among peers as a way to grow their organizations and careers by unlocking the potential of decentralized technologies. D2 is focused on connecting C-Suite executives with Web3 companies and visionaries who want to be a trusted resource for blue chip companies to safely explore decentralized solutions.
Emerald’s breakthrough medicine show has been named reMind. This space has become a focus of Emerald, especially since acquiring MJBiz, the leading event-producer and content platform serving the wide range of companies operating in the rapidly growing cannabis industry.
Creating these specific communities aligns with the trend of today’s events focused on quality and not quantity. “It is about prioritizing the quality of contacts and level of engagement at the event and after it is over,” said Jouaneh.
