In 2016, four Purdue University students started a quest to disrupt the events industry with a solution built for in-person event management. They founded Socio (now Webex Events) in Indianapolis and went on to double in size and revenue each of the next two years. 

A lot has changed since the founders embarked on this quest. A global pandemic led to a shift in our focus from in-person events to virtual events, and the emergence of the hybrid event format with the easing of pandemic restrictions. And along the way, the team launched countless product and feature innovations. 

In July 2021, Socio was acquired by Cisco to further our joint vision of transforming the event industry by creating the world’s first completely end-to-end hybrid event and meeting technology suite. And earlier this year we became Webex Events.  

Today, Elevate Ventures presented us with the Kinetic “Exit of the Year” award, which honors a company that achieved a liquidity event, providing outstanding return to its investors. 

Elevate Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on building sustainable entrepreneurship cultures in Indiana, and fostering and developing high-potential, high-growth businesses for investment and returns for our stakeholders. 

Original founder, CEO, Purdue University alum, and current General Manager of Webex Events, Yarkin Sakucoglu said, “Anyone who has built a company can tell you that this is an extremely difficult process and any help you can get from your community is a blessing. We are very thankful for the Indiana tech and business community for their continued support. Our team is proud and humbled to call Indy our home.”