The 38th edition of the IACC Americas Connect conference – themed ‘Radical Innovation – Change Everything!’ – took place from 10 to 11 April at Vantage Venues and The Globe and Mail Centre, Toronto, with more than 230 delegates attending over the two days. Over 20 meeting planners from the US, Canada, Europe and Australia joined the two-day conference. 

This year, for the first time, IACC directly involved the meeting planner and university student communities. Students from Ryerson University and Seneca College attended to gain experience in the industry. 

The tone for the event was set by keynote speaker Pablos Holman, former computer hacker turned inventor and innovator, who delivered a session that should encourage attendees to be the disruptors of the events industry with their innovative venues, services and solutions to some of the industry’s biggest problems. 

 
The conference delivered a 100% new speaker line-up and put a ban on PowerPoint presentations with slides that included more than one-word, the organizers say. The mission for the event was to turn the stereotypical conference on its head and shake things up to create an environment where delegates could think differently.

In a fast-paced competition focused on innovations, IACC members and suppliers were invited to deliver a four-minute-long elevator pitch for their innovation to a panel of global senior press judges. 

IACC announced Janice Cardinale and Richard Emmanuel of The Idea Hunter as the winner of the competition at the IACC Opening Awards Ceremony. Delegates were also treated to a mystery culinary tour around the city, where they visited three number of venues which all approach food and beverage differently.
 
IACC’s next annual European conference ‘Knowledge Festival’ will be taking place in Brussels on 4 – 6 October 2019.