ConferNest: a conference app attendees actually opened after day one
An events company ran large industry conferences and saw attendees abandon the event app after checking the agenda once. Sponsors wanted leads, attendees wanted useful meetings. We built ConferNest: personalised agendas, AI-recommended networking with meeting booking, badge-scan lead capture for sponsors, live Q&A and polls, and post-event content and analytics.
An app opened once
ConferNest's head of events had data from previous conferences: most attendees downloaded the event app, looked at the agenda and never opened it again. Networking happened by chance at coffee breaks. Sponsors collected business cards in bowls and complained about lead quality.
“People pay to come to meet people. Our app helped them find the toilets.”
Why people attend
We surveyed past attendees and sponsors. Attendees came mainly to meet specific kinds of people — potential customers, partners, peers — and valued sessions second. Sponsors wanted qualified conversations, not badge scans of everyone who took a pen.
- Introductions to the right people
- Easy meeting booking during breaks
- A personal agenda, not the full programme
- Sponsors: qualified leads with context
Meetings first
At registration, attendees share what they are looking for and what they offer. ConferNest recommends people to meet and lets attendees request short meetings in dedicated meeting zones. Personal agendas are built from interests. Sponsors scan badges and add notes and qualification in seconds, and their leads sync straight to their CRM.
Live Q&A and polls in sessions keep the app open all day, and after the event, recordings and slides keep it useful.
The team
A mobile-heavy team with an AI engineer for matching.
Attendee and sponsor research, event operations.
Meeting-first attendee app and sponsor app.
Attendee and sponsor apps.
Organiser console and integrations.
People recommendations.
6 people in total, working as one team.
Decisions we made
Agreed with the head of events and sponsorship team.
Agenda-first or meetings-first?
- Agenda app
- Meetings and networking first
Our call: Meetings and networking first. Meeting people was the main reason to attend.
Open messaging?
- Anyone can message anyone
- Meeting requests that can be accepted or declined
Our call: Meeting requests that can be accepted or declined. Requests kept networking respectful and prevented spam.
Sponsor leads format?
- Exported spreadsheets after the event
- Live sync to sponsors' CRMs with notes
Our call: Live sync to sponsors' CRMs with notes. Sponsors could follow up while conversations were fresh.
Every feature, module by module
Everything that shipped for attendees, sponsors and organisers.
- 01Networking profile
What you're looking for and offering.
- 02People recommendations
AI-suggested people to meet.
- 03Meeting booking
Request meetings in meeting zones.
- 04Personal agenda
Sessions based on interests.
- 05Live Q&A and polls
Participate in sessions.
- 06Digital badge
QR badge in the app.
- 07Badge scanning
Scan and capture leads.
- 08Lead notes and rating
Context captured at the booth.
- 09CRM sync
Leads sent to the sponsor's CRM.
- 10Sponsor analytics
Visits, leads and meetings.
- 11Agenda management
Sessions, speakers and rooms.
- 12Live updates
Room changes pushed instantly.
- 13Session screens
Q&A and polls on stage screens.
- 14Check-in
Badge check-in at entry.
- 15Event analytics
Attendance, meetings and engagement.
- 16Recordings and slides
Content available after sessions.
- 17Connection list
Everyone you met, with notes.
- 18Feedback surveys
Session and event feedback.
- 19Role-based access
Attendees, sponsors, speakers and organisers.
The first conference
At the first conference on ConferNest, attendees kept the app open across both days — for meetings, Q&A and agenda changes. Sponsors left with leads already in their CRM.
- Weeks 1–2Research
Attendee and sponsor surveys.
- Weeks 3–4Design
Meeting-first app and sponsor flow.
- Weeks 5–11Build
Apps, matching, console and integrations.
- Weeks 12–13Rehearsal
Dry run with staff and speakers.
- Week 14First conference
Live across both days.
What we learned
Build for the real reason people attend. Meetings made the app indispensable.
Give sponsors context, not just contacts. Notes and qualification made leads useful.
- React Native
- Next.js
- NestJS
- PostgreSQL
- Recommendation model
- Real-time Q&A
- Badge QR scanning
- AWS
