Tag: conference
Behind The Scenes: SGN at GDC16
On March 14-18, 2016, developers and gamers from across the country took the Bay area by storm for this year’s Game Developers Conference. Some of the most brilliant minds in the gaming industry took to the streets of downtown San Francisco for GDC16. While other shows are about the fans, GDC determines the future of this industry: it’s the world’s largest gaming conference attended by a record breaking 27K professionals in its 30th year. Nearly half of developers here are building mobile + tablet games!
ABCey Events paired with SGN to showcase their newest game Genies and Gems, and also had a great time bringing awareness to their biggest game Cookie Jam. Between the moments that brought laughs in between sessions and the surprising and exciting moments that changed an attendees day, a powerful question was also addressed to the gaming community, #WHYDOYOUPLAY?!
TOP 5 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EVENT
- THE GENIE OF SF
SGN, the fastest growing growing major mobile games studio in the U.S., has just released it’s newest match-3 puzzle game. Genies & Gems is a spellbinding adventure that takes its players on a magic ride. Famous Youtuber Jesse Wellens from Prank vs. Prank brought this game to life in downtown SF with his motorized magic carpet. For those that spotted our magic genie, they were in for a lucky surprise!
2. (REAL!) GEMS
If you’ve gotten the chance to play, then you already know Genies & Gems is a game that’s true to it’s name. As the players cross through the magical worlds they recover lost relics, collect gold bars, and are taken on a journey with their enchanted keys. To celebrate the game’s launch SGN brought the game’s realities to life! Lucky San Franciscan’s scored some major gems from our genie that included- $20/$50 bills, silver coins, silver cufflinks, and (real!) gemstone rings!
3. COOKIE JAMMERS
With more than 70 million downloads, SGN’s top grossing game Cookie Jam showed it’s followers some serious entertainment for GDC16. Rocking out in front of the Moscone Center were our very own Cookie Jammers. If the outfits didn’t scream cookies, their lyrics surely would. San Francisco’s favorite cover band Pop Rocks twisted some of your most favored songs into actual cookie-filled jams (Just Eat It, Eat It, Eat It)! These life-sized cookies fueled up GDC16 attendees as they were headed to their next session!
4. COOKIES
We couldn’t promote a cookie game without thousands of FREE cookies! SGN provided attendees with a yummy snack to keep them going throughout the day. Who doesn’t love free cookies?
5. WHY DO YOU PLAY?
GDC16 determines the future of this industry, and because of this they are capable of bringing together a global community to attend their annual conference. It was the people in attendance that play a significant role in the creation and lifespan of games, and SGN had a thought provoking question to ask attendees- Why Do You Play? We can get lost in a game, but we can forget what really motivates us to play. We interviewed hundreds of people and received a variety of answers ranging from fun, stress relief, escaping reality, and interacting with friends or family. Our favorite answer may have been to “Escape From Trump!”
So, the question we have for you today is- Why Do YOU Play? Let us know in the comments below or find us on Facebook and Twitter!
#TechTuesday: SummitSync
#TechTuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming technologies for their innovative ideas and impact on the event world!
Networking is an essential part of the business world. When it comes to events, meetings and conferences, networking helps to develop meaningful relationships and connections that can unlock future business opportunities. However, when at a conference with thousands of attendees, finding those connections can sometimes be nerve-racking and just flat-out awkward. SummitSync is the solution to that problem. Like Tinder for conference apps, it brings the fun and excitement back into networking, making it more efficient and easy.
How it works.
First you sign up with your LinkedIn account.
Then you can choose which conference you are attending and in which city.
Once you have your selected conference, you can scroll through profiles of event attendees.
Swipe right if interested or left (not interested).
And just so swipe lefts don’t get too awkward, the app only allows you to connect with attendees that reciprocate your interest.
Once a connection is made, you can then message through the app and plan a time to meet at the actual conference.
SummitSync is transforming the way conference attendees engage; making it easier to discover and develop valuable business relationships. Gone are the days of countless handshakes accompanied by awkward and forgettable conversations. Instead, build those relationships beforehand and spend less conference time worrying about making the right connections and more time engaging in the actual conference.
Planning on using SummitSync before you attend your next conference? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!
3 Event Networking Apps to Upgrade Your Experience
Over 40 million Americans attend a convention, trade show, or a conference each year. For the attendee, one of the greatest benefits of a business conference is the unlimited access to networking. This is an excellent way to create lasting business relationships, while maximizing on career opportunities and potential. However, in an ocean full of people, how are you supposed to network with the RIGHT ones and how do you sustain these relationships? In the year of tech, there is always a solution, and this solution can be found right at your fingerprints. These 3 networking apps are the greatest new addition to your cellular device and your networking career!
1. SUMMITSYNC
For all of our LinkedIn readers you will be very pleased, SummitSync utilizes your LinkedIn login as it’s backbone to connect you to your conference. Once you’re logged in, select your conference and merely swipe left or right across the attendee list to connect with fellow participants who you are interested in networking with. Once a mutual connection is made you are offered a platform of capabilities like in-house messaging, email accessibility, and calendaring tools! Enterprise customer relationship management (CRM) tools also become available and ensure company productivity by recording clientele data to optimize interactions. Oh, and once April hits Google maps and location services will be accessible with the app to cover all grounds!
2. CAMCARD
For all of our earth friendly readers, this is the app for you! There’s no longer a need to bring 20+ business cards to your next networking event when CamCard is just a click a way. Allow CamCard to store your business card so you can go paperless to events while you virtually exchange information at your next meeting, trade show, and/or seminar. Contact cards are quickly and easily stored into the database and provide management efficiency with features like notes, reminders, quick searches, tagging and sharing, and most importantly productivity. Enjoy the convenience of accessing this information anytime and anywhere with iCloud on all of your database platforms.
3. CHARLIE
While attempting to impress a prospective business relation or employer, you may have competition with the 3 other individuals who are just as prepared and just as interested. However, what your competitors may not have is Charlie, which literally will put you two steps ahead of the game. The Charlie app provides virtual insight prior to any interaction that will enable you to make a lasting impression. Forgot you scheduled a meeting in the midst of the weekend? No worries. This app understands the hectic agenda of a professional and will send you email reminders with pertinent research to ensure you’re fully prepared to present yourself to the best of your ability. Charlie ensures that you’re maximizing all possible opportunities, without you even having to ask!
Which one of these networking apps will you be using at your upcoming conference this year? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!
Startup Monday: Unwind Me, Massage Booking Made Simple
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey events!
Mondays don’t have to be so manic with this week’s startup – Unwind Me. Launched publicly last month at Y Combinator’s semi-annual Demo Day in Mountain View, Calif., Unwind Me is a web application massage booking service that lets you order a massage therapist straight to your home for a flat rate of $89.
How it Works: For customers, Unwind Me is simplifying the process of booking a massage and in true San Francisco startup fashion- allowing instant gratification to its many users through massages only hours after booking online; it’s massages made simple! For the massage therapists working with Unwind Me, the startup’s low overhead costs means they get to see a greater portion of the $89, all while enjoying an extremely flexible schedule.
Why We Love it: We’re so excited to watch this company grow. We’re thinking this will be incredibly useful for conferences. Imagine being able to offer massages at your conference booth or networking happy hour!
What type of events would you like to see Undwind Me at next? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
ABCey’s Weekend LineUp: 7.31.14- 8.03.14
We can’t believe it’s August already! The girls at ABCey want to share our top picks for this weekend to kick off the last summer month with a bang! From tech events to chocolate tours, we cover it all!
Featured Event: Eat Drink SF |Friday August 1st-Sunday August 3rd|Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason| We all know San Francisco has no shortage of amazing dining; from food trucks to high class gourmet dinners, this city has plenty to offer! So if you’re a food lover, Eat Drink SF is the event you have been waiting for! The Grand Tasting features over 200 of San Francisco’s finest restaurants, bars, distilleries, breweries and wineries. The weekend festivities also include classes, demonstrations, tastings, competitions and parties throughout the city. Taking place in Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason, bring along some friends and an empty stomach! Tickets are selling out quick so get them while you can! Prices start at $30+
1. Meet, Mingle and Mentor: Box Women in Tech Social| Thursday, July 31| 5:30-8:30 pm| Box HQ 4440 El Camino Real, Los Altos| This is a great opportunity for Bay Area tech women to meet other women in the industry, network with one another, learn more about Box’s Women in Tech group, and look for potential mentors and mentees. The event will include plenty of networking opportunities and delicious food and drinks. We love when women are highlighted and this looks a fantastic event to hear from some of the top women leaders in the tech industry.
2. Hustle Con | Friday, August 1st |Starting at 8:00am| The Brava Theater San Francisco |Hustle Con is a conference about learning the specific skills and tactics needed to start and grow your startup from successful founders. Learn from some of the founders of the hottest startups giving you specific advise to get it done yourself. If you want to learn real skills to grow your company and join a strong community of hustlers, then this event is for you. We love that this conference targets non-techies who think they need to know complicated coding in order to start a business! We agree with their motto, “You don’t have to know how to code to be an entrepreneur…you just have to know how to hustle.” Tickets range from $150-$350.
3. Urban Wine Xperience |Saturday, August 2nd|1:00 – 5:00 pm|Ferry Lawn at Jack London Square| Come over to the East Bay to experience over 20 urban wineries from the East Bay Vintner’s Alliance. There will be a wide array of white, rose, red and dessert wines for you to taste and enjoy. There will also be local eateries that will team up with the various wineries, creating yummy bites that pair beautifully with the EBVA’s wine portfolio. Tickets: $35 Wine Club Members , $45 Advance Tickets, $60 At the Door.
4. The Original San Francisco Gourmet Chocolate Tour|Saturday, August 2nd| 2:00 pm| Embarcadero Plaza, 1 Market St San Francisco| Who doesn’t love chocolate? On this tour you will learn about what makes fine chocolate and sample from a wide array of San Francisco gourmet chocolate boutiques. You will learn about the history of chocolate, its health benefits, and all the latest trends. Everyone on the tour will receive a Chocolate Lover Card entitling you to discounts and VIP treatment at 10 different San Francisco chocolate boutiques! How awesome is that!? Ticket price is $53 per person.
5. Art and Soul |Saturday August 2nd-Sunday August 3rd|Noon to 6 pm|Downtown Oakland|Thousands are expected for the popular two-day event, now in its 14th year, packed with music, food, fun, dance and art in beautiful downtown Oakland. Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk, Gospel, Rock, Latin, Turf and Urban/World Dance will take place on four stages. Prices at the gate are $15 adults, $8 seniors (65+) & youth (13-17), 12 & under free.
Will you be attending any of these awesome events?! Let us know if we missed any in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
StartUp Monday: Hyperfair
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey events!
Do you ever wish you could be in two places at once? We sure do! This week, ABCey would like to showcase San Francisco based Hyperfair, a startup with a platform for running online trade shows. This immersive 3D virtual expo & tradeshow experience dynamically revolutionizes the way we collaborate globally and allows everyone to attend or host an event from anywhere in the world!
How It Works: Select if your hosting or attending a virtual expo, trade show, conference, or a career fair. Once the event is set up, Hyperfair allows you to move your avatar around a three-dimensional space. There’s also features that include chatting with other attendees (either via text, Skype, or voice), browsing products, and exchanging business cards. What a unique and cool way to expand your networking skills!
Why We Love Hyperfair: This 3D experience recreates real world dynamics that would be found at a physical event by giving users fully customizable virtual avatars that facilitate lifelike interaction. Hyperfair also enables global audience participation with an event that anyone can attend just by logging into their computer! Imagine being able to attend an overseas trade show right at home on your couch! This is definitely a company we can’t wait to see grow and evolve!
Will you be checking out Hyperfair!? The idea of a virtual trade show isn’t new, but the practice hasn’t exactly taken off . Watch Hyperfair Video Here! Let us know what you think of Hyperfair via Twitter or Facebook, or leave us a comment below!
Tech Tuesday: Maptiv8
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming companies for their innovative ideas and ability to think outside the box!
In today’s events world, we are always looking for ways to engage event attendees. Maptiv8, founded by Seth Familian of Familian&1, is a new private directory visualization platform for students, alumni, event attendees, and supporters.
The Map Admin sets branding and adds the member list, which enables you to visualize the list in an appealing and simple way. Maptiv8 will then invite members via email, and reveal affinities within the community. Once members sign in with Facebook, LinkedIn, or email, the map will automatically take shape! This ignites connections and actions among the Map members.
Some of Maptiv8’s powerful features are an easy 30-second profile setup, activity feeds and profile notes, up to three custom affinity groups which can be based off of cities, industries, or companies, campaigns and events, and volunteer tools to drive engagement.
What’s great about this platform is there are three different options that can be used based on the type of groups you are involved with. GradMap is designed for students, alumni, faculty and staff. OrgMap is for members and supporters of both non-profits and for-profits. RSVPeeps is for attendees of events and conferences to utilize, which will enable event networking!
The pricing is straightforward and aligned with the number of Map members. Mini is used for up to 100 members, Midsize is up to 500 members, and Mega is up to 5,000 members. We love Maptiv8 because it has so much versatility and adheres to audiences made up of different groups and sizes!
Would you use Maptiv8 to engage your attendees?! Which features do you like best? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Announcing: Brit.co RE:MAKE Event!
We are SO excited to finally announce our collaboration with Brit.co to produce the RE:MAKE Event! Put this on your calendars now because you will not want to miss this!!
This two-day event will be held at the fabulous and iconic Fort Mason Festival Pavilion. Day 1 is set up as a conference with tons of innovative speakers, like Randi Zuckerberg and 3D printing master Christ Anderson, to spark a discussion about technology’s effect on the creative world. Day 1 will cover many of the themes Brit.co’s website explores, such as DIY, fashion, tech, and lifestyle. The first day is invitation-only; to request your invite, click here.
You’ll definitely want to snag a pass for Day 2 if you’re a lover of all things creative and fun! RE:MAKE opens up for a public, free convention with over 100 artisans and makers stations ranging from jewelry design to 3D printers. You can easily spend the entire weekend feeding your creative side surrounded by one-of-a-kind crafters and industry leaders!
Are you as excited for this event as we are?? Share your good vibes with us in a comment and on Facebook & Twitter!
ABCey’s Weekend Line-Up: 6.20.13-6.23.13
This weekend marks the official start of summer! Across the bay area, there are nighttime yacht cruises, a free BBQ, and hackathons galore. Celebrate everyone’s favorite season with ABCey!
1. API Hackday 2013 | Sunday, June 23rd | 8:00 a.m.-5 p.m. | 169 11th St. San Francisco | This all-day coding fest is where to be if you’re a developer who really wants to design apps and mashups with APIs. Admission and all the meals you could want are free so you can focus on creating the next best app! At the end, hackers will present their ideas and creations to the judge panel and have a chance to win some pretty cool prizes.
2. “Grilling in the Mo” Annual Fillmore Summer Fest Kick-Off | Saturday, June 22nd | 1:00 p.m.-5 p.m. | 1900 Geary St. San Francisco | Celebrate the official start of summer with some free BBQ! Bring the kiddos along for face-painting, line dancing, and fun for all.
3. Mobile Commerce World 2013 | Monday, June 24th | 8:00 a.m.-7:30 p.m. | Palace Hotel, San Francisco | Businesspeople in all fields will benefit from learning how to grow and expand their mobile commerce and marketing strategies at Mobile Commerce World. This three-day event will teach you everything to know about developing efficient mobile products and strategies and how to create the “next big thing.”
4. Hack//Meat: Re-imagine the Future of Meat | Friday, June 21st- Sunday, June 23rd | 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. | Institute of Design at Stanford | Food and tech come together in a giant hackathon to decide the future of the meat industry. Everyone from policy experts to technologists and other “steakholders” will be ready to discuss and develop new technologies and tools to progress the meat industry in America.
5. SPLASH! | Friday, June 21st | 7:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. | 10 Marina Blvd, San Francisco | End your week in a big SPLASH! presented by UCSF’s Partners in Care. Sip champagne while a luxury yacht takes you around the bay to see the Giants game and the beautiful Bay Bridge lights. Proceeds go towards helping families and patient care at UCSF hospitals!
Which event are you most excited for? Tell us in a comment or on Facebook and Twitter!
ABCey’s Weekend Line-Up 6.13.13-6.16.13
If you and dad need some time away from the Father’s Day BBQs, take him to one of the events on ABCey’s Weekend Line-Up! From liquor-themed carnivals to street festivals and every tech event in between, ABCey’s here to amp up your family time this weekend!
1. San Francisco Craft Spirits Carnival | Saturday, June 15th | 1 p.m.-5 p.m. | Fort Mason Festival Pavilion | This is one carnival you definitely don’t want to miss! Try some of the local Bourbon, Whiskey, Tequila and other spirits available for unlimited sample along with your admission. And yes, those are technicolor trapeze artists, that’s not the absinthe talking!
2. GigaOM Structure 2013 | Wednesday, June 19th-Thursday, June 20th | 7 a.m.-6 p.m. | Mission Bay Conference Center at UCSF | From cloud to concept, this year’s theme will track how the real needs of businesses are driving IT construction and development. Speakers include representatives from Google, Amazon.com, and Revlon and startups and tech trailblazers will be recognized during presentations.
3. California Music Industry Summit | Friday, June 14th- Saturday, June 15th | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Laney College Theater, Oakland | Attention all music lovers and aspiring rock stars! This Friday, you’ll finally get your shot at stardom when hundreds of people from the music industry come out for a day of workshops, exhibits, and networking. Independent artists from all across America come to sing their hearts out and build relationships with others in the industry. Think of this as American Idol without the catfights.
4. North Beach Festival | Saturday, June 15th- Sunday, June 16th | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | North Beach District, San Francisco | Take dad to San Francisco’s Little Italy this weekend for Tony’s Pizza and the North Beach Festival. Enjoy the summer sun and bay breeze as you wander through the craft stands and chalk art adorning this charming area of the city.
5. Bloomberg Next Big Thing Summit | Monday, June 17th- Tuesday, June 18th | 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. | Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay | This hunt for the “next big thing” brings together entrepreneurs and investors to examine the impact of technology and business on innovation and the human experience. Talented journalists, businessmen, and analysts are sure to give conference-goers great insight into forward-thinking strategies for the tech industry’s future.
Would your dad like to go to one of these events? Let us know in a comment or on Facebook and Twitter!