Sponsorship Opportunities for Tech Events

Imagine paying $50K for your logo on a lanyard and realizing not one person can tell you if it drove a single lead. That’s the sponsorship problem we need to fix. Event sponsorships have always had a special place in my heart. → They offset expenses so the event can be affordable (or free) to attendees → They create and drive a marketplace for buyers to find solutions → They allow for additional moments of connection and activation → They let companies align with the values and reach of the organization hosting the event But now they are at a crossroads. Budgets are flat, costs are rising, and exhibitors are asking tougher questions about ROI. In fact 70% say they are cutting back on sponsorship spend next year. Attendees don’t care about logos on banners; they care about experiences that make their journey better. The old model of selling inventory (logo on a lanyard, coffee cart, banner) is no longer impactful for sponsors. The future belongs to sponsorships that deliver outcomes: → Measurable ROI for sponsors → Predictable revenue for organizers → Meaningful experiences for attendees I love a good research study, and according to new research from Joe Federbush at EVOLIO Marketing, there are three shifts you can make to get there: 1. Too many sponsorships are one-off transactions. Shift: Move to multi-year partnerships. How to do it: → Offer multi-year deals with first-right-of-refusal for stability → Take a consultative approach: ask sponsors what success looks like & co-create packages → Deliver continuous value with quarterly activations like content, campaigns, curated dinners 2. Logos alone don’t influence behavior. 44% of attendees say logos on signs do not affect their choices. Shift: Sponsorships must live both on and beyond the floor. How to do it: → Pair live activations with digital amplification (lounges, highlight reels, sessions, podcasts) → Offer year-round engagement through webinars or co-branded guides → Integrate touchpoints across the journey: pre-event emails, in-event activations, post-event retargeting → Sell campaigns, not placements. Let sponsors “own” a track across multiple events 3. 78% of sponsors say ROI is their top challenge. Shift: Transparency and measurement must be the standard. How to do it: → Share attendee data for smarter targeting → Provide measurable outcomes via dashboards (leads, session traffic, meetings) → Create attendee impact with connection hubs, lounges, or matchmaking → Build trust with outcome-driven design: swap “visibility” for “X leads + Y meetings” Sponsorship MUST evolve beyond selling space for logos if we want to keep selling them. Organizers need to focus on strategic partnerships where everyone wins: → Organizers see stability → Sponsors see pipeline → Attendees see value This is the Sponsorship Evolution. See the full report and get more sponsorship insights inside Club Ichi. #weareichi #sponsorshipevolution Nicole Osibodu, XOXO Sophie Ahmed Nancy Flora

Recently, I was pitching to a prospective company for a sponsorship. While preparing the pitch deck, I kept asking myself one question - “What would make them say yes?”🤔 That process completely changed the way I look at pitch decks. Because a pitch deck is not just a presentation. It is a decision-making document.✅ While building it, I realised something important👇 - Sponsors are not interested in how big your event sounds… - They care about how relevant and valuable the opportunity is for them. Here are a few things that truly matter when creating a pitch deck: 🔹1. Audience > Everything else Clearly define who will attend. Are they relevant to the sponsor’s business? Are they decision-makers or serious participants? 📊2. Show real numbers, not assumptions Community size, engagement, past attendance, expected reach. Numbers build credibility! 🏟️3. Position the event correctly Don’t present it as just another event. Position it as a flagship platform with scale and continuity. 🎤4. Strong content builds credibility Quality of speakers, panels, and sessions directly impacts perception. ⏱️5. Think from a retention perspective Sponsors care about visibility throughout the day. Plan engagement (quizzes, interactions, etc.) to keep audiences hooked. 🤝6. Be extremely clear on deliverables Stage time, branding, stalls, promotions, data access - define everything clearly. 💰7. Simplify the commercial structure Keep pricing straightforward. Offer flexibility where needed, without diluting value. 📈8. Always answer the ROI question What does the sponsor gain? Leads, visibility, positioning, and access to a niche audience. Final takeaway: > Sponsors don’t fund events. > They invest in access to the right audience. If your pitch deck communicates that clearly, closing sponsorships becomes significantly easier. #Sponsorship #PitchDeck #EventStrategy #FinanceCommunity #BrandBuilding #Networking #CapitalMarkets #LinkedInIndia #ProfessionalGrow

We generate millions in (directly attributable) pipeline every month from in-person events on a relatively shoestring budget. Here’s how it’s done: First, huge credit to Krystal Wu, who runs our strategy end to end. Less than a year ago, we took a scattershot approach to events and generated only a fraction of the pipe. ⏩ Fast forward to today, and we have a well-oiled, event-driven pipegen engine. This is our event playbook--event mix, cadence, and tips for success: 🍽️ HOSTED DINNERS Our bread and butter for event-driven pipeline. Think 15–20 person dinners with VIP ICPs. 📅 Cadence: ~1 per month 🔑 Keys to success: -- Book a highly sought after venue -- Feature a noteworthy guest speaker -- Include a few customer stans for social proof === 💳 SPONSORED DINNERS These are similar to a hosted dinner but attendee registration and run-of-show are outsourced to a third party. E.g., we sponsor a handful of dinners hosted by Sam Nelson and co. 📅 Cadence: ~2 per month 🔑 Keys to success: -- Get the attendee list beforehand for pre-prospecting -- Choose locations that are typically harder to reach your ICP -- Match your internal team attending with the attendee persona === 🛰️ ANCILLARY EVENTS These are typically larger events where we can’t splurge on a booth (think re:Invent, Dreamforce, SXSW, etc.), but there’s a concentration of our ICP attending. 📅 Cadence: ~3-5 a year 🔑 Keys to success: -- Co-sponsor with a technology partner to share cost/RSVPs -- Pick a venue that’s either super convenient or super coveted -- Plan around downtimes from the major event === 💰 EVENT SPONSORSHIPS These are a few hand-selected events where we 1) invest in a booth presence and 2) see strong concentration of our core ICP. Examples for us include the Pipeline Conference and PLGTM. 📅 Cadence: ~3-5 a year 🔑 Keys to success: -- Make the booth experience memorable -- SPIFF out rep incentives for pre-event meetings booked -- Try to get a speaking slot or have a customer speaker === All in, we’re running a whopping 40+ events in 2025 which is forecasting to bring in tens of millions in pipeline on a budget of a just a couple hundred thousand. Not a bad return, if you ask me. 🔌 for Common Room To manage list building, invites, follow-up, scoring, attribution, and reporting for all the events above, Krystal and team work almost exclusively in Common Room. For us, it’s a must have if you’re going to run an event strategy like this at scale. Want the full rundown? Hit me or Krystal up, and we’ll make it happen 😊