Alan Tisch, a programme maker formerly of BBC, Sky, and ITV, has released a new virtual platform – EXPO360.
Alan Tisch (pictured left), an experienced TV programme-maker, is behind the launch of a product aiming to extend the legacy and revenue of events and exhibitions through virtual tours. The platform officially went live on 12 September.
EXPO360 offers a digital twin of live events. It has been launched following a successful pilot with Montgomery Group’s 2023 FIT Show at Birmingham’s NEC, a UK-based trade show for the window, door, roofing, flat glass, and hardware industry.
The platform provides a full 360-degree capture of an exhibition, with exhibitors able to promote their stands by adding rich media and interactive ‘hotspots’ for their products and services.
Digital twin
On the launch, Tisch commented: “With many clients in the fenestration industry, my first experience of large-scale exhibitions came when I attended FIT Show in 2018. I was blown away by the huge scale of the event and size of the stands, but also realised what huge investment exhibitions are in both time and money.
“I saw an opportunity for a real-world digital twin of the event to allow people to freely walk around from any device anywhere in the world.
“EXPO360 has been designed to increase the shelf life of exhibitions, as well as creating an opportunity for those who missed an event to go back and explore it in the virtual world.”
FIT Show event director, Nickie West said: “Nothing beats the power of live events and being able to see and touch the latest products and interact with people face-to-face. As an event organiser, we are constantly looking at ways to enhance the live experience for exhibitors and visitors, EXPO360 has allowed us to do just that. Our exhibitors can now increase the shelf life of the show with their detailed digital recording and hot spots, whilst visitors can go back and re- immerse themselves in the event.
“A bonus has been being able to launch a digital twin of the show for people who couldn’t make it to the venue in person, but wanted to learn more about the show and products. That is something they can now do from anywhere in the world.”
A virtual impact
Tisch added: “With our first large scale event in the bag and a fantastic team in place, we are now looking to onboard new customers that host exhibitions at NEC, ExCeL London and Olympia.
“We have developed a detailed feature roadmap which includes adding features such as AI to provide a truly unique experience for the exhibition owners, exhibitors, and online visitors. We already have interest from overseas, so we have very exciting plans for collaboration and expansion.”
