A new virtual venue to discuss the future of transport
SAE International (The Society of Automotive Engineers) is a 116-year-old organization, originally established to help automobile engineers share knowledge and technical expertise. Today, SAE sets standards for engineers in the mobility industry, bringing engineers together to share ideas and create the safe, clean, and accessible transportation of the future.
SAE’s business depends on interaction and connection among members, customers, and sponsors. Events are a key part of the organization’s work. They help establish the business as a leader in mobility and ensure its services are at the forefront of customers’ minds.
SAE’s main event goals are engagement and revenue. After switching to virtual, their challenge was ensuring SAE company events were as good, if not better, than previous in-person experiences. Attendees needed to leave each event excited about the future of autonomous and electric vehicles, and the potential for transport improvements. The events also needed to offer career support, and foster connections that would lead to future collaborations and business.
"We want attendees to feel engaged. We want them to feel excited. We want them to feel enthusiastic, and we want them to feel that all our events are meaningful. When you can combine all of those elements together I think that's where the magic happens [...] and I think that's something that Hopin helped us achieve." –Matt Wasowski, Director of New Business Development and Events, SAE International
The SAE team chose to run more than 20 events on Hopin as part of their new sub-brand, SAE RIDE (real-time interactive digital event series). This event series explored everything from the cars and aircraft of the future, to drones and medical devices manufactured by aerospace companies.
Hopin stood out to the SAE team for its stellar customer service and clean, intuitive interface. The platform’s best-in-class networking features allowed SAE to get the essential peer-to-peer connection they were looking to include. Hopin’s broadcast-quality streaming capabilities and reporting features were also key selling points. The platform’s analytics allowed SAE to focus marketing efforts on channels with the best engagement and return on investment.