Metaverse virtual events platform, Flox, has launched to make large scale immersive virtual events a reality for organisations and brands. The UK-designed 3D virtual platform offers the first full-feature ‘metaverse’ experience to help create more human virtual and hybrid live events for business, HR, marketing and events leaders across all industries for up to 25,000 participants.
The multinational Molson Coors Beverage Company used Flox to host the first virtual event for its global marketing team. Matt Marlow, digital operations manager EMEA & APAC at Molson Coors, said: “Flox is a great platform and great team, it’s made our annual marketing event even more engaging.”
Flox is a major development in the metaverse virtual events market, and the platform marks an unrecognisable leap from video conferencing solutions. The global virtual events market is projected to reach USD 617.33 billion by 2030 but after much metaverse hype and a recent McKinsey article claiming “investors are asking questions of metaverse companies about when they can expect tangible results from companies’ investments” – Flox is leading the field to deliver a remarkable metaverse experience that will benefit businesses, citizens and the environment.
Increased calls for an environmentally responsible approach to events, as well as the need for the advantages of digital (including instant translation, conversation transcribing, data capture and limitless space) are driving demand for digital events. Flox’s metaverse offer is far superior to 2D digital alternatives in offering an experience that’s as close to in-person as you can get digitally. Attendees move their digital avatars (personalised to their face with scanning technology) around a defined space, with active intention and more freedom to explore an event than is achievable in a video conference or in-person event.
Facing mounting pressure from increased ESG directives for an environmentally responsible approach to events, forward thinking business leaders can at last switch up their in-person events for a more sustainable and immersive experience, with proven return on investment and calculable CO2 savings. Based on 2,800 attendees of a physical event, an equivalent global Flox virtual event for a global brand would have saved 338 metric tonnes of CO2 and 85% of the costs of hosting the event in person.
The brainchild of digital and experiential marketing heavyweights Alistair Bryan and Jaie Genadt, Flox has successfully managed events with over 3000 participants and is backed by advisors including Phil Chambers, founder of employee engagement platform, Peakon (which recently sold to Workday) and Matt Kingdon, founder of innovation leader WhatIf?.
Flox co-founder, Alistair Bryan said: “Flox marks a new era in virtual events and online experience. For event managers and organisations that want to engage with their audiences – whether prospects, peers, students, employees, customers, suppliers or other stakeholders – our 3D virtual events platform is truly focussed on human connection and engagement at a global level. Designed to be fully immersive and scalable, Flox can also enable business leaders to minimise the carbon impact of events, support diversity, reduce event costs and measure the effectiveness of their spend.”
Flox co-founder, Jaie Genadt, said: “Far from sticking to the status quo in the virtual event space, we set out to design a platform that replicates the spontaneity, collaborative opportunity and live excitement of in-person events and experiences. Between us, we have decades of experience building relationships with event producers, tech suppliers, production logistics teams and CMOs, so we understand what matters to them, and we can bring it to life in the Flox metaverse.”
Easily accessed at home or at work through a computer screen or phone, businesses and brands can use the beautiful pre-built and customisable virtual space or decide to build something entirely bespoke. The bespoke option could be a digital twin (e.g., an exact replica of a corporate site, a retail environment or pop-up, or a university campus) or something completely original and limited only by imagination.
Social connection is at the heart of Flox and has been built into its core product, with movement around virtual space and artificial intelligence helping users find and connect with the right people. This makes it easy to create spontaneous breakouts, or schedule one-on-ones and message other people instantly. The platform also has integrated tools to encourage active participation, such as live polls and moderated Q&As. With responsibility in development a priority, Flox has best in class privacy and security built in and is Cyber Essentials accredited.