On February 10th, Kakao Mobility ran their first ever tech conference ‘NEXT MOBILITY: NEMO 2022’ (NEMO 2022) in a hybrid format at Coex. The one-day event mainly took place in the Grand Ballroom, but also commanded creative use of Coex’s other spaces and hallways. In order to adhere to strict social distancing guidelines set by Korea, NEMO 2022 was held in a professional hybrid format that both boosted the overall participation and kept event satisfaction rates high - an outstanding outcome for the inaugural event.

Hybrid Setups for High Participation

A full afternoon of keynotes and presentations were held in Coex’s Grand Ballroom. Though the venue is normally able to support a maximum capacity of up to 1,800 persons, the event limited participation to a live audience of 300. The number of attendees at the conference was controlled to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This was done by using Korea’s vaccine passport and a bar code system. Attendees were required to present their vaccination certificates and scan their own bar code whenever they entered or left the conference hall. Therefore, organizers were able to track the number of people in the conference hall in real time, and they displayed it on the screen placed at the entrance of the hall.

Overall, however, the event was able to garner 6,000 registrations in an online and offline hybrid format. Also, the event videos that were streamed hit over 25,000 views, and the main website for NEMO 2022 recorded over 230,000 visitors within just a week of the event’s conclusion.

Smart Use of Space

Outside the Grand Ballroom, Kakao Mobility creatively used the lobby and reception area. The whole space was thoroughly covered with brand promotions - from the floor space to even the columns connecting to the ceiling. Those entering the space from the south or Samseong Station area were greeted by a huge arched display bearing the name of the event: Next Mobility. Also along the walkway to the Grand Ballroom were three thrilling concept cars on display for visitors to observe.

Positive Reception Leading to Future Attendance

According to a statement released by Kakao Mobility, even though the event was held in a hybrid format, 90% of respondents in a survey of 1,000 participants rated the event as a positive experience. The survey also revealed that 97% of respondents expressed interest in returning to the event again next year - which highlighted the success of Kakao Mobility’s inaugural tech conference and was also an encouraging sign for those questioning the impact of hybrid events on the future of the meetings industry.

As always, event programming and content can also be seen as a key driver in the success of the event, as many respondents referred to the quality of the keynote and technical presentations as highlights of their event experience. The conference featured 21 speakers covering a range of topics related to mobilitiy technologies, including autonomous driving, Urban Air Mobility (UAM), and the use of navigational app data for real-time food delivery. About two-thirds of survey respondents stated that the event gave them the impression that Kakao Mobility was a technical innovator in the industry.