This year's IMEX America marked a milestone for us, not just as our official launch moment, but as our first time exhibiting in five years. A lot has changed since 2019: a pandemic, the Attendify acquisition, a non-compete, and now a fresh start with Highbar.
Walking the show floor, meeting planners and marketers, and showing our AI-native event app felt both familiar and entirely new. Here's what we launched, what we learned, and where we think the industry is headed.
At IMEX America, we officially introduced Highbar, an AI-first event app built to replace traditional platforms with something simpler and smarter.
Instead of burying information in menus and schedules, Highbar puts an AI chatbot at the center of the attendee experience. Attendees get instant answers to questions like "When's the keynote?" or "Which sponsors work in fintech?" through natural conversation—no hunting through tabs or PDFs.
Here's what makes Highbar different:
Our founder, Michael Balyasny, captured a quick 2-minute demo at IMEX showing everything new in Highbar. Watch the full walkthrough here:
Curiosity about AI was everywhere, but the novelty is fading. Everyone's talking about AI, but what actually resonated on the show floor were specific workflows, not buzzwords.
The next 12-18 months will separate the tools that make work meaningfully better from the ones that just shout "AI" the loudest. For us, that means focusing on real problems: helping attendees find the right sessions, connect with the right people, and get answers instantly—not just adding sparkle emojis to features.
There's a massive gap in the market: events that are too complex for DIY tools but underserved by enterprise platforms. That gap has existed because simplicity and configurability have always been at odds.
AI changes that equation. Generative workflows and personalized recommendations at scale make it possible to deliver enterprise-level power with consumer-app usability. For the first time in 20 years, the door to real innovation in event tech is wide open.
You could feel both uncertainty and conviction at IMEX. As a bootstrapped founder who's been through a few downturns, I recognize that tension. The unease is real, but so is the optimism.
In the long term, events are becoming more essential. Our hope is that technology finally helps planners, marketers, and event entrepreneurs fully capitalize on the authenticity and connection that only live experiences can deliver.
We're grateful for the early adopters who took a chance on Highbar and shared their feedback:
"Highbar's AI-driven approach stood out, and the app showed real promise in driving engagement at our event. Working with the Highbar team was an absolute pleasure, collaborative and easy to communicate with."
— Dani Balgos, Marketing Operations @ AppsFlyer
"We used Highbar as the event app for our Agentic AI in Procurement event and it was a huge hit with attendees, everyone loved it! The chatbot feature fit perfectly with our theme and really elevated the experience."
— Sophie Serhan, Co-Founder @ KonnectHouse
One of the best parts of IMEX was reconnecting with so many people who've been generous with their time, support, and encouragement. From former colleagues to new friends at Club Ichi, the energy and warmth reminded us why we love this industry.
If we connected at IMEX—whether at the booth, over coffee, or in passing—thank you. Your insights and enthusiasm fuel what we're building.
We're in the founder-led sales phase of our journey, which means we're learning fast and iterating constantly. If you're organizing an event and want to see what an AI-native app can do, you can create a free Highbar account and start building in minutes.
Here's to next year—and to building event technology that finally puts attendees first.
Ready to try Highbar? Start building your AI event app today
