When Conferences Are Talent Magnets For a City — Meetings Innovation Report
Skift Take
Part of C2 Montreal's mandate is to attract outside companies and talent to explore the city's convergence of social, tech, research, cultural, urban, and industrial innovation. The conference's trendy design is just the first step in that process.
The Future of Meetings & Events
The meetings and events industry is enamored with innovative, experiential conference design that helps attendees aspire toward changing the world, versus zoning out in sterile hotel ballrooms and convention center breakouts without any windows or fresh air.
C2 Montreal has evolved as a benchmark for what's possible in conference design when event organizers are provided the budget to let their imaginations soar. Having Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil as a founding partner also certainly helps deliver awe-inspiring event experiences.
However, the Canadian government didn't pony up $750,000 to support C2 last month so people could network in circus-like trapeze chairs. They did so because C2 is Montreal's global invitation for outside companies and talent to scope out the city's convergence of social, tech, academic, cultural, urban, and industrial innovation.
The event is basically a postcard to promote international business development with Montreal's startup and research communities.
I talk a lot about convergence in the meetings industry, but sometimes it feels a little overly aspirational. C2 Montreal gives us something tangible to help us envision tomor
