Case Study: ECS 2025 – Orchestrating a Seamless Multi-Conference Experience

ECS 2025: Orchestrating a Seamless Multi-Conference Experience

In May 2025, three co‑located tech summits welcomed 3,000+ attendees, 84 sponsors and 300 speakers to Düsseldorf. With run.events orchestrating every phase, check‑ins averaged less than 8 seconds and real‑time signage, app and streaming delivered a friction‑free experience all without a single critical failure.

CASE STUDY

Transforming Multi-Event
Coordination at Scale

The European Collaboration Summit, European AI & Cloud Summit, and European BizApps Summit came together from May 26-28, 2025, in Düsseldorf, offering an unmatched opportunity to dive into over 300 sessions across Microsoft 365, AI, Azure, Power Platform, Fabric, and similar technologies. It's the ultimate opportunity to expand the knowledge and network with top experts in tech and business!

0 k+

Attendees

From 42 countries

0 +

Sessions

Across 12 tracks

Exhibitors

Interactive floor plan

Co-located Events

One unified experience

The Challenge

Multi-Summit Coordination Requirements

run.events was tasked with orchestrating three simultaneous conferences requiring seamless coordination across thousands of attendees.

The challenge demanded unified event management, real-time synchronization, and integrated networking capabilities with premium attendee experiences.

Critical Requirements to Address

⚡

High-Volume Check-in Processing

Handle peak registration flows without creating bottlenecks or extended wait times

🔄

Unified Data Architecture

Centralize attendee information across all three events with real-time synchronization

📱

Seamless Multi-Event Experience

Provide single application interface that adapts to attendees' specific event registrations

📺

Dynamic Content Management

Enable instant updates across all digital signage and information displays accross all three summits

Unified Platform Solution

Integrated Architecture Approach

Implementation of a unified platform architecture with centralized data management and real-time synchronization.

Single authentication system, shared data layer, and instant updates across all touchpoints eliminated operational complexity while enhancing user experience.

Implementation Results

⚡

Instant Self-Service Check-In / Registration

Self-service kiosks with real-time validation—attendees processed in seconds

🎯

Centralized Data Management

Single source of truth for all attendees, speakers, and sponsors data across all three concurrent events

📲

Adaptive Mobile Application Experience

Unified app that dynamically adapts interface based on attendee event registrations

🔄

Real-time Content Distribution

Digital signage with automatic updates synchronized across all display systems

The Five-Phase Event Management Journey

From initial concept, over execution to post-event analysis, run.events orchestrated every aspect of the ECS 2025 experience.

Event Planning Phase

When run.events needed to run three conferences simultaneously for 3,000+ attendees, the biggest risk was obvious: arrival chaos. Anyone who's managed large events knows that slow check-in kills first impressions and creates a domino effect of delays.

We committed to something that sounds impossible: checking in 3,000 people within 45 minutes. Here's how we approached it.

→ Treated the three conferences as one unified system instead of three separate events. This eliminated the usual confusion when attendees couldn't find their registration.
→ Built the entire check-in process around peak arrival times, not average flow. Most people arrive in the first hour, so we designed for that reality.
→ Connected everything from the start: ticketing, schedules, and communications ran off the same system so updates happened everywhere at once.

Key Features

Centralized Event Planning Dashboard

Plan and manage multiple events from a single platform with unified processes and stakeholder coordination across all venues and timelines.

Multi-Event Architecture

Seamlessly coordinate complex event portfolios with unified branding, and synchronized logistics across multiple concurrent events.

Automated Workflow Management

Streamline operations with intelligent task automation and team collaboration tools that ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Planning Sessions

Stakeholders Involved

Requirements Mapped

Event Planning Phase

Phase 01

Event Marketing Phase

Three conferences under one roof, 300 sessions to promote, and 84 exhibitors all vying for attention. The challenge: turn awareness into registrations without juggling half-a-dozen disconnected tools.

With run.events we orchestrated every email blast, social post, influencer push and retargeting flow from a single dashboard—tracking every click right down to the ticket sale.

→ Activated organic-influencer campaigns so speakers and sponsors became zero-CPA promoters with personalised referral links
→ Used UTM-based precision tracking to attribute every registration in real-time—no more guesswork
→ Won back abandoned orders through automated retargeting emails and instant voucher offers

Key Features

Organic Influencer Campaigns

Turn speakers, sponsors and community leaders into powerful promoters with one-click shareable assets and real-time performance dashboards.

Precision Marketing Tracking

Integrated UTMs and live analytics link every campaign to actual ticket sales so you can double-down on what works.

Retargeting Incomplete Orders

Automated reminders and behaviour-based incentives recover revenue from visitors who drop out at checkout.

3000

Registrations Tracked

250

Influencers Activated

540

Orders Recovered

Event Marketing Phase

Phase 02

Event Registration and Ticket Sales

Most events treat the mobile app as an afterthought: launch it a week before and hope people download it. We launched 6 weeks early because the best networking happens when people arrive already knowing who they want to meet.

The CollabCoin system wasn't just gamification for the sake of it. It rewarded meaningful actions: scheduling meetings, joining relevant discussions, planning your agenda.

→ Single registration for all three conferences made it easy to sign up while letting people customize their experience based on their interests
→ Early mobile app access meant people could start networking weeks before arriving: they showed up with meetings already scheduled
→ Gamification that actually worked: points for quality interactions like booking meetings, not just opening the app or scanning badges

Key Features

Flexible Ticketing System

Create sophisticated pricing structures with early bird discounts, group rates, and tiered access levels while maintaining seamless, branded checkout experiences.

Secure Payment Processing

Handle global transactions with confidence through tax-compliant invoicing, multiple payment methods, and enterprise-grade security for all financial operations.

Registration Conversion Optimization

Maximize ticket sales with streamlined registration flows, abandoned cart recovery, and real-time sales tracking that turns interest into confirmed attendance.

2850

App Downloads

4200

Pre-Event Connections

156000

Points Earned

Event Registration and Ticket Sales

Phase 03

Event Delivery Phase

When 3,000 people actually showed up in Düsseldorf, all our planning faced the ultimate test. The 45-minute check-in goal wasn't just a nice idea. It was a promise we had to keep.

We hit it. Badges printed in under 8 seconds, queues never exceeded 5 people, and the system held steady under peak load.

→ Self-service kiosks handled the bulk of check-ins with simple QR code scanning, fast badge printing kept lines moving
→ Smart load balancing: real-time displays showed wait times at different stations so people could choose the shortest queue
→ 42 digital displays throughout the venue meant people always knew where to go and what was happening, even when sessions moved or schedules changed
→ Backup systems worked: when popular sessions filled up, attendees got mobile alerts about live streaming in alternate locations

Key Features

Real-Time Event Orchestration

Coordinate live events with instant updates across all touchpoints, from mobile apps to digital signage, ensuring seamless communication and logistics management.

Contactless Check-In Systems

Deploy high-speed, self-service registration with QR code scanning, instant badge printing, and intelligent queue management for smooth attendee flow.

Mobile Event App Platform

Engage attendees with interactive mobile experiences featuring live schedules, networking tools, push notifications, and real-time event updates.

Badge Generation Speed

5 people

Maximum Queue Depth

Information Displays

Event Delivery Phase

Phase 04

Event Analysis: What We Learned

The numbers tell the story: 4,600 qualified leads generated for exhibitors, and 187,000 data points captured throughout the event. But the real insights came from understanding why these numbers mattered.

Success wasn't about the technology, it was about removing friction at every touchpoint.

→ Data collection that actually helps: tracked attendee movement patterns, popular sessions, and networking behaviors to understand what worked and what didn't
→ Heat mapping showed which areas got crowded and which were underused invaluable for future venue planning and traffic flow
→ Lead generation improved because we matched people intelligently instead of hoping random encounters would work
→ High satisfaction came from solving small problems before they became big ones: clear signage, reliable WiFi, and information that was always current

Key Features

Comprehensive Event Analytics

Transform event data into actionable insights with detailed attendee behavior analysis, session popularity tracking, and ROI measurement across all event touchpoints.

Real-Time Performance Dashboards

Monitor event success with live metrics, attendance tracking, engagement scoring, and instant feedback collection that enables immediate optimizations.

Post-Event Reporting Suite

Generate detailed reports on attendee satisfaction, lead generation, marketing effectiveness, and operational performance to inform future event strategy.

187000

Data Points Collected

4600

Qualified Partner Leads

94%

Satisfaction Rate

Event Analysis: What We Learned

Phase 05

ECS 2025: Orchestrating a Seamless Multi-Conference Experience