Ghent-based EventTech startup Exhibitly has successfully raised €1.4 million in a pre-seed funding round to advance its AI-powered personalization platform for B2B events. The investment, led by New School VC, will be used to expand the team, enhance product development, and accelerate the company's international expansion. This funding marks a significant milestone for the young company as it aims to redefine how event organizers engage with potential attendees.
Addressing a Core Challenge in Event Marketing
According to co-founder and CEO Hendrik Franck, an event website is a crucial marketing asset that often fails by delivering a generic experience to all visitors. A high-level executive and an intern receive the same information, despite having vastly different objectives and interests. This lack of personalization causes potential attendees to leave the site if they cannot quickly identify the event's value to them.
While trade show budgets continue to increase, organizers are seeing diminishing returns with falling conversion rates. Attending a B2B event is a considerable commitment involving travel, accommodation, and time away from the office. Consequently, prospective visitors demand clear justification of an event's relevance before they are willing to register for it.
An AI-Driven Personalization Solution
Exhibitly tackles this problem by integrating an intelligent AI layer over existing event websites, creating a hyper-personalized experience for each visitor. Users simply input their job title and company to receive a customized mini-website within seconds. This tailored report highlights the most relevant sessions, speakers, and exhibitors, directly addressing the visitor's professional needs and interests.
The platform has demonstrated remarkable results, with an average of 30% of users clicking through to the registration page, a rate 10 to 20 times higher than standard event websites. For organizers, the setup is streamlined and requires no technical integration, as the AI automatically analyzes and enriches the existing website content. This provides a simple yet powerful tool to convert undecided leads into confirmed attendees.
Impressive Traction and Strategic Investment
In just nine months, Exhibitly has achieved significant market traction, securing contracts for 114 events with industry-leading organizers like Informa, Easyfairs, and the Dubai World Trade Centre. The startup, which has been cash-flow positive from its first day, now serves a global client base across the UK, US, and Asia. This rapid adoption underscores the strong market demand for its innovative solution.
The €1.4 million pre-seed round was led by New School VC with significant participation from 100IN, Allusion Ventures, and a group of angel investors. This strategic capital infusion provides Exhibitly with the resources needed to scale its operations and solidify its position in the market. The backing from experienced investors validates the company's vision and its potential to disrupt the event technology sector.
Future Growth and Expansion Plans
With the new funding, Exhibitly plans to more than double its team from three to seven members to accelerate both product innovation and commercial outreach. This expansion will enable the company to enhance its current platform while scaling its sales and marketing efforts globally. The focus remains on providing event organizers with cutting-edge tools to maximize their marketing impact.
Looking ahead, the company is developing a second product specifically designed for the 4.5 million companies that exhibit at trade shows each year. This new offering will complement its existing solution for event organizers and broaden its market reach significantly. Co-founder Hendrik Franck stated a clear goal to support over 1,000 events worldwide by the end of 2027.
Exhibitly's €1.4 million funding round is a testament to its innovative approach to solving a persistent problem in the B2B events industry. By leveraging AI to deliver personalized experiences, the company is helping organizers boost attendance and prove the value of their events. With a strong foundation of early success and a clear vision for the future, Exhibitly is well-positioned to become a global leader in event intelligence.