Skift Take
In a refreshing move that isn't just about AI, Bizzabo is betting big on wearable event technology that passively collects attendee behavior data.
Event technology company Bizzabo has released a major update to its wearable event technology, Klik Experiential. The digitally enhanced badge now comes in a sleeker design titled The Edge. It is a departure from the original design developed by Klik, which was acquired for $13.5 million by Bizzabo in November 2021.
Bizzabo now also offers the smart badge as a standalone hardware option compatible with other registration platforms. There appears to be some energy around wearables currently, particularly smart badges.
Hardware Update
This is the first significant update since the Klik acquisition and launch of Klik Experiential. The new badge design, which the company calls The Edge, is die-cut and made from more durable ABS plastic.
The previous hardware featured a sleeve design with wearable tech on the front of the badge. The new design features the hardware device at the back of the badge. A pill-shaped cutout on the front now glows with every interaction.
“The Edge is a true next-generation SmartBadge — one we built based on feedback from our customers and their event-goers,” said Bizzabo CEO and co-founder Eran Ben-Shushan. “Customization and flexibility are key, and The Edge delivers that while continuing to improve the attendee experience and capturing rich, real-time behavioral insights.”
Improved Sustainability
Bizzabo highlights the sustainability credentials of its new offering. The ideal use is to have attendees return their smart badges at the event of an event so that staff can remove the small hardware device. The hardware comes back to Bizzabo’s warehouse for refurbishing, including wiping all data. Customers using the technology for multiple events can simply replace name labels.
Tech Agnostic Approach
In a refreshing move, Bizzabo has introduced what it calls Klik à la Carte, an option to use the smart badges with any registration system. A separate app and analytics dashboard gives planners an overview of the data collected, regardless of their event tech stack. Bizzabo can also offer on-site support to any user. Given the great potential for data collection, being able to integrate with other tools like this is a big deal.
“It was important to us that the experience feel as holistic as possible, and not detached from one another. We worked hard to make the necessary API and UI changes to ensure that Klik feels like an extension of the Bizzabo OS, and at the same time, serves as a product can stand on its own, and be integrated to other event tech solutions,” said Bizzabo chief marketing officer and co-founder Alon Alroy.
Pricing
The product offering is complex. It mixes hardware and software with a service. According to Bizzabo the pricing is comparable between the old and new versions of the product. Cost per attendee starts at around $10 and varies depending on the number of attendees, number of check-in stations, additional touchpoints, and level of support.
Bizzabo boasts an impressive list of tech-savvy clients that have used its smart badge technology. They include Adobe, Shopify, Forbes, PwC, and Deloitte.
