In bed with the storytellers: Matej Rus

Aug 18, 2020

IN BED WITH THE STORYTELLERS OF CROSSOVER 2020

“Just like bedtime stories that we used to listen to as children, every event creates and shares its own story. A well-told story is an event where the narrator and the listener meet, where the participant and the speaker form a personal bond.”

Before you come to Conventa Crossover, a hybrid conference for everyone, who wants to learn, socialize and exchange ideas in an informal, relaxed environment, the organisers wanted you to meet the speakers (or storytellers as they like to call them). Don’t worry if you can’t make it to Ljubljana on 27 August 2020, you can join the conference virtually.

Matej Rus

Head of the PODIM Conference

Q: How are we going to organize events in the future?

We will move to a fully hybrid format, using technology to create a permanent virtual space that has fewer time limits and also allows us to host speakers, especially from overseas, with tight schedules or limited travel options.

Q: What is your love story with the world of events?

We are not a serial organizer of large events, but we are focusing all our efforts on a large and complex conference PODIM, which is the core of the national and regional startup ecosystem and promotes it in the world. It is our wish that the PODIM conference will be a source of inspiration and business contacts.

We also need to understand that the startup industry is global and that without numerous presentations to potential partners it is difficult to align the interests of business stakeholders and therefore depends on many meetings. When the right match is made at the PODIM conference, it makes me infinitely happy (and proud ☺). My personal mission is to help individuals/startups to achieve the highest possible degree of independence.

Q: In your opinion, what is live marketing’s best advantage vs online?

The personal contact, which is the core of the live event, enables us to interact intensively, although at this year’s conference has shown that even a 1:1 online meeting is not that bad. However, we should not neglect the informal contacts that take place at live events and that can further enhance our formal experience and give us the opportunity for spontaneous chat and mingling.

Q: What are you bringing to Conventa Crossover and why should an attendee not miss your session?

Experience gained by organizing 18 PODIM live conferences and 1 full online conference in 2020. Starting in 2021, we will innovatively combine the advantages of both worlds and focus our efforts on organizing a hybrid event.

Q: What do you expect from the event?

I look forward to meeting the organizers of other events, sharing experiences and good practice and also to establishing some new potential partnerships.

About Conventa Crossover

The 5th Conventa Crossover, the festival of events and live marketing is moving forward in hybrid form for the first time. Despite the new hybrid form, Conventa Crossover will remain the central THINK-TANK for the meetings industry of New Europe. The live portion of the conference will be taking place from 27 to 28 August 2020 in Club CD, Cankarjev Dom Ljubljana, while the online portion of the event will be streamed on 27 August 2020 through a new online platform. All information about pricing can be found here.

Every August, Conventa Crossover transforms Ljubljana into the centre stage for leading experts in live marketing and event organisation. A place to explore, meet and create new ideas. Conventa Crossover is one of the few places where the event industry comes together to find out where the industry is heading through inspiring speakers, networking and fun. Conventa Crossover is a conference intended for event managers, creative heads, marketing experts, experts in event organisation, providers of meetings services, experts from companies, agencies, associations, tourist destinations, hotels, special venues, and everyone else from the region of New Europe who are closely related to event organisation and live marketing.

The venue; Cankarjev Dom Cultural Centre and the organisers of Conventa Crossover; Toleranca Marketing have both received the Safe & Healthy Events certification from the Slovenian Convention Bureau, ensuring health and safety will be on a high level.