What Emerald does

Emerald (NYSE: EEX, operating as Emerald X, LLC) is a US-headquartered operator of business-to-business trade shows, conferences, content, and media products, serving 1.9MM active customers across seven vertical end markets: Design & Construction, Food/Pharma/Healthcare, Gift/Home/General Merchandise, Industrial & Manufacturing, Luxury, Action Sports & Outdoor, and Tech/Advertising & Marketing. The company runs 140+ live events annually (KBIS, IBS, Outdoor Retailer, CEDIA Expo, COUTURE, MJBizCon, Advertising Week, Pizza Expo, etc.) and operates 16-18 media properties including trade publications, websites, and podcasts (SIGHTLINE Live!, Emerald Podcast), driving 15MM+ annual website visitors. Emerald's go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting B2B exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees, monetized through one-time booth rental and exhibitor fees, recurring subscription revenue from publications, transaction fees on B2B e-commerce (Elastic Suite), and recurring fees for year-round digital engagement and virtual event platforms. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

The company's core technology stack centers on event management and registration systems, digital event platforms, and the Elastic Suite B2B e-commerce and digital merchandising platform (acquired via PlumRiver Technologies) that connects manufacturers and retailers year-round. Emerald Studio operates as an in-house creative content agency producing video, podcasts, and multimedia. The business has been built significantly through acquisitions since Onex's June 2013 take-private, including MJBiz, Advertising Week, CEDIA Expo, Overland Expo, and most recently (2025) This Is Beyond, Insurtech Insights, and Plant Based World Expo. The company is currently undergoing a pending $1.5B take-private by Apollo Global Management announced May 2026, which will combine Emerald with Questex to form a unified B2B events and digital engagement platform across multiple industries. The leadership team, led by CEO Hervé Sedky (former Reed Exhibitions and American Express), CFO David Doft, and a deep bench of division-level SVPs, indicates a professionalized public-company management structure now transitioning under PE ownership.

Name

Emerald

Legal name

Emerald X, LLC

Website

https://emeraldx.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Emerald (NYSE: EEX) is a US-based operator of 140+ B2B trade shows, conferences, and media properties serving 1.9MM active customers across seven verticals including design, food, luxury, sports, industrial, and technology, monetized through exhibitor fees, subscriptions, and digital commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

B2B Trade Shows and Events

NAICS

Jewelry Retailers (458310)

SIC

Wholesale-Jewelry, Watches, Precious Stones & Metals (5094)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)

Keywords

• B2B trade shows
• Exhibitions and conferences
• B2B ecommerce platforms
• Trade publications and media
• Live event management

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Trade Show and Event Operations: Emerald operates B2B and B2C tradeshows connecting buyers and sellers, generating revenue through exhibitor fees, booth rentals, sponsorship, and attendee registration
2. Publications and Media: Magazine subscriptions, trade publications, and digital content products serving various industries
3. B2B E-commerce and Digital Merchandising: B2B ecommerce and digital merchandising solutions serving manufacturers and retailers
4. Digital Events and Online Engagement: Year-round digital engagement platforms and virtual/hybrid event offerings

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Emerald is a leading operator of B2B trade shows, conferences, exhibitions, and media properties in the United States. The company delivers over 140 live events annually across seven market verticals (Design & Construction, Food/Pharma/Healthcare, Gift/Home/General Merchandise, Industrial & Manufacturing, Luxury, Action Sports, and Tech/Advertising/Marketing), complemented by 18 media properties and the Elastic Suite B2B e-commerce and digital merchandising platform.

Product overview

Emerald is a leading operator of B2B trade shows, conferences, content, and media products in the United States. The company delivers a portfolio of over 140 live events and 16 media properties across seven market verticals: Design & Construction, Food/Pharma/Healthcare, Gift/Home/General Merchandise, Industrial & Manufacturing, Luxury, Action Sports, and Tech/Advertising/Marketing. The core offering combines live events with integrated digital platforms including Emerald Studio (in-house creative agency), Elastic Suite (B2B e-commerce platform), and various publications and websites. Emerald has pursued an active acquisition strategy, adding brands like This Is Beyond, MJBizCon, Advertising Week, Insurtech Insights, CEDIA Expo, and Overland Expo to its portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emerald Live Events Over 140 live events annually across diverse B2B markets including trade shows, conferences, and exhibitions connecting buyers and sellers.
• Emerald Media Properties 16-18 media properties including trade publications, websites, and digital content platforms serving various industries.
• Elastic Suite B2B e-commerce and digital merchandising platform serving the needs of manufacturers and retailers, acquired through PlumRiver Technologies.
• Emerald Studio In-house creative content agency producing video, podcasts, and multimedia assets for events and brands.
• CEDIA Expo Leading trade show for the custom residential electronic systems industry, featuring home automation, audio/video, and connected home technology.
• Advertising Week Series of events dedicated to advertising, marketing, and digital media leadership across APAC, Europe, LATAM, and New York.
• COUTURE Prestigious luxury jewelry and design event showcasing high-end jewelry, watches, and luxury brands.
• MJBizCon One of the industry's largest B2B events serving the cannabis sector, including MJBizDaily publications.
• Impressions Expo Trade show for the decorated apparel and screen printing industries.
• Pizza Expo One of the world's largest events serving the pizza industry, along with Pizza Today magazine.
• ASD Market Week General merchandise and gift products trade show connecting manufacturers and retailers.
• NY NOW Trade show for home and lifestyle products, gifts, and general merchandise.
• Outdoor Retailer Leading outdoor and snow sports retail trade show serving the surf, swimwear, lifestyle apparel, and winter sports markets.
• Surf Expo Wholesale trade show featuring surf, skate, swimwear, and outdoor lifestyle brands.
• SIGHTLINE Live! Podcast Podcast platform for industry insights and content distribution across Emerald's verticals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140+ live events annually connecting hundreds of thousands of buyers and sellers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Net Zero Carbon Events InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmerald is a signatory of the Net Zero Carbon Events pledge initiative that targets net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with an interim goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. Emerald collaborated with venues, hotels, and general service contractors on sustainability initiatives.
• OneTenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOneTen is a nonprofit association dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap for individuals without four-year degrees through skills-first hiring. Emerald partners with OneTen to support recruitment and talent development initiatives.
• Maritz Global EventsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial registration partner for Emerald events
• FreemanminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOfficial decorator, furnishings, freight, and labor provider for Emerald events
• EvolveConminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial housing provider for Emerald events
• NHS Global EventsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial housing provider for Emerald events
• Reach MarketingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial lead retrieval and targeted email marketing/list rental partner for Emerald events
• Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmerald joined JMIC members UFI, AIPC and ICCA in launching the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge & Initiative, aligned with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In 2022, the initiative defined an industry Net Zero Roadmap for Events launched at COP27.
• UFIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal exhibition association; Emerald participates in industry task force for sustainability report 'Finding the Future, Together: Towards a More Sustainable B2B Trade Show Industry in the U.S. and Canada'
• This Is BeyondcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmerald acquired This Is Beyond, a global events company renowned for creating immersive platforms including PURE Life Experiences, L.E/Miami, We Are Africa, and Further East that unite leaders across luxury travel, hospitality, and experience-led living.
• Insurtech InsightsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmerald acquired Insurtech Insights as part of strategic expansion into insurance technology events
• Plant Based World ExpominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired Plant Based World Expo from JD Events as part of portfolio expansion
• QuestexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApollo will combine Emerald with Questex to form a unified B2B portfolio offering exhibitions and year-round digital engagement across multiple industries

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Reed Exhibitions (RX, a division of RELX): One of the world's largest B2B trade show organizers operating across dozens of industries globally. Directly comparable as the largest incumbent in the same B2B exhibitions category as Emerald, with overlapping verticals (design, luxury, healthcare, technology) and a far larger international footprint.
• Informa Markets: Global B2B events, exhibitions, and content business within Informa plc. Operates flagship trade shows in overlapping verticals including food, health, technology, and design, and is one of Emerald's main competitors in shared categories.

Direct peers

• Questex: B2B media and events company spanning hospitality, technology, healthcare, and industrial verticals. Apollo announced plans to combine Questex with Emerald, making it both a peer and a near-term combination partner with very similar business model and end markets.
• dmg events: International B2B exhibitions operator owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. Directly competes with Emerald in several verticals including construction (Big 5), hospitality, and energy, with a comparable focus on large-scale industry-specific trade shows.
• MCH Group: Swiss-headquartered exhibitions company operating major venues (Baselworld, Art Basel) and B2B events. Comparable to Emerald as a vertically specialized B2B exhibitions business with strong brand portfolios in luxury, art, and live events.
• GL Events: French-listed global events company combining venue management with trade show organization across industries. Comparable in business model (B2B exhibitions and live event services) and operates many of the same kinds of industry trade shows as Emerald.
• Tarsus Group: UK-based B2B media and events group operating industry-specific exhibitions and conferences. Directly comparable as a multi-vertical B2B exhibitions business with similar event-led revenue model and overlapping verticals (medical, technology, aerospace).
• Ascential Events: Events-focused segment of Ascential plc operating B2B exhibitions such as Money 20/20 and Cannes Lions. Directly comparable as a high-growth B2B events business with similar content-plus-exhibitions model and similar exposure to marketing, retail, and technology verticals.

Others

• Freeman: Leading provider of event production, audiovisual, and decorator services for trade shows. Comparable as an ecosystem partner to Emerald (an official decorator) and as a partial peer given its deep involvement in the same trade show customer base, though its primary business is event services rather than event ownership.

Emerging players

• Cvent: Event management and registration technology platform that powers many of Emerald's own events as an official registration partner. Comparable as an adjacent technology enabler for the B2B events industry and a partial competitor in the digital events and event technology category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emeraldx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emerald