QODE, a tech conference based in Brisbane, has partnered with YouTube to stream the conference live, free of charge.
The event was expected to welcome more than 4,000 delegates from 24-25 March. It will now be moved online, and will also feature virtual exhibition booths for delegates to visit - which organisers say is the first time this has been done in Australia.
QODE’s focus is the future of technology, and the event has partnered with Brisbane-based virtual reality company, Visitor Vision, to offer the virtual stands.
Chief QODE Officer Jackie Taranto commented: “One of the key reasons people attend conferences is to visit the exhibitor booths to gain further insight into the products and information available, and for those exhibiting, it’s a really important way to access that market.
“The show must go on. Or in this case, go online.”
“We wanted to ensure attendees could still have that experience, and now they can. Using virtual reality, they can walk through the exhibitor booths as though they’re at the convention centre and can even jump on a call to chat with the exhibitor as they would face-to-face.”
Exhibitors can also access information about who has visited the booth, the company they’re from and if they’re interested in chatting further.
Queensland Innovation Minister Kate Jones said: “No one can think outside the box quite like an entrepreneur or a small business person. The organisers of QODE have been clear – the show must go on. Or in this case, go online. In the true spirit of this event, rather than cancelling the festival, they’re taking the entire program online.
“This festival is about showcasing our best and brightest to the world. What better way to achieve that, than by sending the world a message – we have the resilience and the brains to keep this show on the road.”
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