Delegate Connect Secures $10M AUD in Funding - AirTree Led

Delegate Connect Secures $10 Million AUD in Seed Funding

Delegate Connect, a provider of virtual and hybrid event solutions, has recently announced a successful seed funding round. The Melbourne-based company secured $10 million AUD, equivalent to approximately $7.3 million USD.

This funding round was spearheaded by AirTree Ventures, marking their largest seed investment to date. Additional participation came from Skip Capital, TEN13, and prominent Australian startup founders including Alex Zaccaria of LinkTree and Andrew Barnes of Go1.

Expansion Plans Fueled by Investment

The newly acquired capital will primarily be allocated towards expanding Delegate Connect’s teams. Growth is planned across existing locations in Melbourne, London, and Norway.

The company intends to increase its workforce from 45 employees to over 100 by December. Furthermore, plans are underway to establish a new office within the United States.

Growth During the Pandemic and Key Clients

Delegate Connect was founded in 2017 and operated on a bootstrapped model until this seed round. The business experienced significant growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, mirroring the trend seen by many other virtual event platforms.

Notable clients include the Edinburgh TV Festival, Sportsbet, the World Dental Congress, and the World Library and Information Congress. The company particularly focuses on serving the medical, pharmaceutical, and industry association sectors.

Origins and Platform Development

The genesis of Delegate Connect stemmed from the experiences of co-founders Jordan Walsh and Jacob Thomas. They initially operated a technical production and events business and identified a gap in the market.

They sought a comprehensive technology platform capable of managing all aspects of large-scale events, encompassing registration, livestreaming, video-on-demand hosting, and seamless venue integration. Unable to find a suitable solution, they embarked on building their own.

A Pivotal Moment in India

During a 2019 trip to India for a symposium, Walsh and Thomas recognized the broader applicability of their platform.

As Walsh explained to TechCrunch, “We had a lightbulb moment where we thought ‘we are solving a genuine problem here.’ A major technology company was relying on our system – even in its unfinished state – to deliver event assets!”

The platform’s development was completed by the end of 2019, with its official launch occurring in January 2020.

Focus on Hybrid Events

Even prior to the pandemic, Walsh and Thomas recognized the potential of hybrid events.

“Hybrid events have a long history, particularly within the medical, pharmaceutical, and association sectors,” Walsh stated. “Previously, they often involved simply broadcasting a livestream from the venue and making recordings available afterward. Our platform is built upon these fundamentals, but we aim to elevate the hybrid experience beyond basic livestreaming and on-demand video.”

Specialized Features for Specific Sectors

Delegate Connect offers features tailored to the medical and pharmaceutical industries. These include logging hours spent engaging with educational content for professional development (CPD) credits.

Additional features encompass abstract submissions, content-restricted registrations, and the ability to host concurrent event streams.

Streamlining Professional Development Accreditation

Tracking CPD points is a significant advantage, as Walsh highlighted. “This process is typically technically complex for our clients, but we simplify it by managing accreditation, tracking progress, and processing the final results.”

Differentiation in a Competitive Market

Considering the landscape of online event platforms like Hopin, Bizzabo, MeetingPlay, and Cvent, it’s natural to question what sets Delegate Connect apart.

A key differentiator is its targeted approach, specifically designed for audiences in the medical, pharmaceutical, association, and international congress sectors. The company also intends to introduce a self-service platform for these groups.

Customization is another core strength, allowing events to utilize Delegate Connect as a fully white-labeled solution.

User Experience and Content Control

“Ease of use is paramount in our user experience design,” Walsh emphasized. “Our registration portal offers granular content restrictions, enabling control over session, day, theme, and stream access. We can also restrict sponsor visibility and prevent unauthorized content sharing.”

For example, the platform can prevent pharmaceutical companies from sharing information with non-pharmacists, or limit content access for specific delegate groups.

Adapting to Changing Circumstances

The emergence of the delta variant and renewed COVID-19 concerns have prompted many organizers to shift in-person events online. Delegate Connect has demonstrated its ability to accommodate these last-minute changes swiftly.

In August, the company assisted a medical conference originally planned as a hybrid event in Japan. With thousands of delegates registered, organizers needed to transition to a fully virtual format just before the event’s start.

“We were able to facilitate this transition seamlessly, as the platform’s core functionality remains consistent regardless of the delivery method,” Walsh explained. “Delegates simply logged in and engaged with the content as they would have at the in-person event.”