CHICAGO — Reflecting the ever-changing nature of industries, communities and connecting people, live events continue to play a crucial role in moving the world forward by delivering innovative ways to bring people together to inspire impactful action.
Whether it be through business or consumer events, top-tier matchmaking or meaningful educational and developmental programming, events have the power to make definitive change in the lives of all.
Events come in all shapes and sizes, and some sit in different spots in the maturity cycle with great potential. That’s why the Events Venture Group is focusing on finding investment for up-and-coming events. With a growing membership base that includes industry icons and many entrepreneurs themselves, EVG aims to give opportunities to promising ventures in the events industry.
To learn more about this group, Trade Show Executive spoke with one of the Board Members of EVG, Monique Ruff-Bell, to understand the vision, process and impact of this collaborative organization.
MADDY: You’re a board member of the new Events Venture Group. Can you tell us a little about the group and what its mission is? Why is this something you decided to be a part of?
MONIQUE: I’ve always been passionate about highlighting the value of the events industry as a rewarding career path. My experience spans various conferences, with my last role being at Money 20/20, a major FinTech event with a strong startup and VC community. This background has made me an advocate for supporting early-stage ideas in the events industry.
When Marco [Giberti] and Greg [Topalian] approached me, they emphasized a gap in our industry: the need for investment and support for smaller events and startups. While we often see big acquisitions You see what just happened with Money 20/20 and Ascential. , the journey from seed funding to success is less visible. Given my experience and the resurgence of in-person events post-pandemic, I was eager to get involved.
Our board comprises industry powerhouses committed to fostering growth and investment. We offer connections, advice, and seed money to help events scale to the next level. Our membership, nearing 30 this year, includes both micro and major investors who are excited about the impact this initiative will have on the industry.
MADDY: When you’re looking at businesses, people or even ideas to invest in (whether with EVG or elsewhere in life), what are some of the things you’re looking for? What makes something stand out?
MONIQUE: I look for disruptors — those who offer something new and impactful. With AI, for example, there are countless events, but only a few truly stand out with growth potential. It’s about identifying those who serve an underserved community or bring a fresh approach, like how Money20/20 disrupted financial conferences and HLTH disrupted the healthcare event space. I’m particularly interested in experiential events that go beyond traditional conferences. I want to see full-on experience style events, not just events where you gather people to have someone from the stage just speaking at them. People want to be entertained, informed, connected, and engaged in ways they can’t find elsewhere. Those are the ventures that catch my attention.
MADDY: Can you tell us any emerging trends or markets that you’re seeing gain ground?
MONIQUE: It’s not that I have my eye on any particular sector, as we just launched, so we’re just starting the pitching process for our members, so there’s not much I can share there yet. But I can say that this industry is not used to this and aren’t accustomed to pitching like startups in the VC world. They sometimes need additional support in refining their pitch and deepening their market research. There’s a learning curve, and some need guidance to present a clear, compelling case for investment. While some quickly grasp what’s needed, others require more support to refine their pitch and ask effectively for what they want.
MADDY: What is one thing everyone should know about the investment world of events?
MONIQUE: This new platform is a gamechanger. It offers a clear path for those with innovative ideas to explore and secure investment—something that may have seemed out of reach before. I hope it inspires action, especially among those who’ve been hesitant to elevate their events. This is particularly exciting for young people within our industry; now, they don’t have to settle for working for the big players—they can launch something themselves with real support. Hopefully this platform will plant a seed for them, as I’m eager to see Gen Z step up as the next big disruptors, bringing fresh, out-of-the-box ideas to the industry.
