Cisco announced today plans to buy privately-held, U.S.-based Socio Labs, a modern event technology platform that provides event organizers with everything they need to successfully host in-person, virtual or hybrid events of any size and format. The purchase price was undisclosed.
Together with Webex, Socio Labs and recently acquired audience engagement technology from Slido will enable Cisco Webex to deliver the industry’s most comprehensive hybrid event management solution.
“The future of events, like the future of work, will be hybrid,” said Jeetu Patel, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco Security and Collaboration.
“With that comes increased complexity of creating inclusive experiences, and meaningful and measurable interactions for both virtual and in-person attendees. Socio Labs offers Webex powerful technology to provide customers with an unparalleled hybrid event management solution to engage participants whether they join in person or virtually.”
As part of Cisco Webex’s vision to deliver inclusive, engaging and intelligent meeting and event experiences, the acquisition of Socio Labs complements Cisco’s recent acquisition of Slido, an industry-leading audience engagement tool, which together will create a comprehensive, cost-effective and easy-to-use event management solution
“We are delighted to join the Cisco Webex portfolio to continue our common goal of enabling seamless, personalized hybrid events of all sizes,” said Yarkin Sakucoglu, Socio Labs co-founder and CEO.
“Teaming up with Cisco gives us an amazing opportunity to apply our technology and expertise at an outstanding scale. We look forward to finding new ways to support the recovery and transition of the events industry.”
With Webex’s cutting-edge meeting innovations like immersive share and real-time translations, Slido’s audience engagement capabilities like polling and Q&A and Socio’s full lifecycle hybrid event management technology, event organizers will be able to plan and execute hybrid events with a unified tech stack from one vendor.
“This is all about integration and innovation. The integrated, single solution approach will enable event managers and marketers to organize every type of event imaginable – internal and external, virtual and in-person, small- to large-scale, without today’s systems integration risks and headaches,” said Javed Khan, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco Collaboration.
“And as events managers and marketers reimagine the future with hybrid events, Webex’s capabilities across hardware, software, SaaS, and support will power unparalleled innovation in the event industry.
