Corporate Event Marketing Association

Name

Corporate Event Marketing Association

Legal name

Corporate Event Marketing Association

Website

https://cemaonline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAGAM

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Conventions & Conferences (Business Events)

Keywords

• Corporate event marketing
• Professional membership association
• Event marketing community
• Peer networking events
• Business events education

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CEMA generates revenue through annual membership fees across multiple tiers: Individual Corporate Event Marketer at $395/year, Next Gen (30 or under) at $120/year, Business Events Supplier/Industry Partner at $535/year, Next Gen Supplier at $120/year, Corporate Membership (4 client-side event marketers) at $995, and Corporate Industry Partner at $1,000 for 2 individuals. Team discounts of 10% for 5–9 members and 15% for 10+ members from the same organization are available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CEMA is a professional membership association that provides senior-level corporate event marketers and their industry suppliers with structured peer-driven programming — including an annual CEMA Summit, behind-the-scenes Study Tours of marquee events (IMEX, Oktane, Cvent CONNECT, Salesforce World Tour, Art Basel), CEMA Popups, CEMA Connects webinars, a Catalyst online forum, and a regional Educational Series — bundled into tiered annual memberships priced from $120 to $1,000 per individual or corporate seat.

Product overview

CEMA (Corporate Event Marketing Association) operates as a professional membership association for senior-level corporate event marketing professionals and industry solutions leaders. The organization offers a tiered membership structure including Individual Memberships (Corporate Event Marketer at $395/year, Nex Gen at $120/year for those 30 and under, and Business Events Supplier/Industry Partner at $535/year) as well as Corporate Memberships ($995 for 4 client-side members). The core member experience centers on peer-driven programming including the annual CEMA Summit, behind-the-scenes Study Tours, CEMA Popups, CEMA Connects digital webinars, the Catalyst online forum with #askCEMA support, and Regional Educational events. Members also receive access to PCMA Institute's library of 260 video modules and webinars, Case Studies & White Papers repository, the Career Center with job postings and resume coaching, and monthly CEMA newsletters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Event Marketer Membership Annual membership ($395/year) for senior professionals responsible for event marketing strategy, attendee acquisition, and brand engagement at corporate-owned or brand-hosted events. Bundles access to CEMA Summit, Study Tours, CEMA Popups, CEMA Connects, Catalyst online forum, Educational Series, PCMA Institute benefits (260+ video modules, 20% off certificate courses), EIC Credits, case studies/white papers, and the Career Center.
• Nex Gen Corporate Event Marketer Membership Annual membership ($120/year) for corporate event marketers aged 30 or younger, offering the same benefits as the standard Corporate Event Marketer Membership at a reduced price.
• Business Events Supplier / Industry Partner Membership Annual membership ($535/year) for professionals who provide services, products, technology, or venues supporting the production, delivery, or enhancement of business events. Includes access to networking events, CEMA Summit, study tours, and educational content.
• Nex Gen Supplier / Industry Partner Membership Annual membership ($120/year) for business events suppliers aged 30 or younger, providing the same Industry Partner benefits at a reduced rate.
• Corporate Membership Annual team membership ($995 for 4 client-side event marketers from the same company), with additional add-on memberships available at $250 per person. Designed for brand-side companies standardizing onboarding of their corporate event marketing team.
• Corporate Industry Partner Membership Annual team membership ($1,000 for 2 individuals from the same agency or vendor company; $500 per additional individual up to a maximum of 4). For Corporate Industry Partners, bringing a client-side Event Marketer into CEMA is a recruitment requirement.
• CEMA Summit Annual 3-day networking and education conference exclusively for CEMA members, featuring practitioner-led sessions, global case studies, and peer-driven learning experiences. Premium sponsorship and branding opportunities are available to Industry Partners.
• Study Tours 1.5–2 day behind-the-scenes education experiences providing exclusive access to the biggest and best events, including tours of IMEX, Oktane, Cvent CONNECT, Salesforce World Tour London, ServiceNow Knowledge, Atlassian Team, HIMSS, Art Basel, and Workday Rising. Delivered for CEMA members on a recurring, calendar-based schedule.
• CEMA Popups Networking opportunities in a relaxed, informal atmosphere held around large corporate and regional events. Provides members with ad-hoc, geographically distributed peer connection points.
• CEMA Connects Informal and open educational digital experience bringing case studies and innovation to members through webinars, panel discussions, town halls, and on-demand content. CEMA Connects serves as the primary virtual complement to in-person programming.
• Catalyst Online Forum Member-only online forum for open exchange of information, including the #askCEMA channel for peer-to-peer support and knowledge sharing between in-person events.
• Educational Series Local and regional in-person events featuring the most up-to-date information on industry hot topics (sustainability, AI, DEI, extended reality, etc.). Geographic touchpoints for members outside Summit/Study Tour markets.
• Case Studies & White Papers Research, case study, and white paper content library covering topics such as sustainability, DEI, AI in events, sponsorship strategies, extended reality, and event ROI. Authored by practitioners and industry partners for member consumption and reference.
• CEMA Monthly Newsletters Monthly email newsletters highlighting the latest issues, trends, and activities of event marketers. Members also receive Convene newsletters including The Raise from PCMA.
• Career Center Job posting board with free resume reviews and coaching for CEMA members. Provides career services tailored to the senior event marketing talent pool served by CEMA.
• PCMA Institute Benefits Member access to PCMA Institute's library of 260+ video modules and webinars, plus a 20% discount on certificate courses, providing structured continuing education aligned with CEMA's strategic event marketing curriculum.

Quantifiable outcome

• PCMA Institute provides 260+ video modules and a 20% discount on certificate courses.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCEMA is now integrated within PCMA. CEMA memberships are managed through the PCMA community portal. Members gain access to PCMA Institute's library of 260+ video modules and a 20% discount on certificate courses. CEMA Summit and other programs are organized under PCMA's event infrastructure. CEMA's address and operational functions are aligned with PCMA.
• PCMA InstitutecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPCMA Institute provides CEMA members with access to an extensive library of 260+ video modules and webinars, plus a 20% discount on certificate courses. This is a core member benefit of CEMA membership.
• Teneo Hospitality GroupminorOthersGary Murakami, CEMA Advisory Board Chair, serves as Vice President of Global Sales & Industry Relations at Teneo Hospitality Group. This represents an individual-level affiliation rather than an organizational partnership.
• ITA GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerITA Group is featured as an Industry Spotlight partner on CEMA's website. ITA Group is a global events agency that sponsors content and partners with CEMA for thought leadership. CEMA members receive access to ITA Group's industry resources and insights on event strategy and extending event impact.
• Visit Austin, Fairmont Austin, and Delta Air LinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThese organizations collectively sponsor CEMA Summit scholarships, providing free registration, hotel accommodations, and air travel stipends to eligible CEMA Event Marketer members. This is an annual scholarship program supporting member attendance at CEMA Summit.
• Destination Toronto / Visit TorontominorGTM or Marketing PartnerDestination Toronto serves as the host destination partner for CEMA Summit 2026, hosted at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. Destination Toronto is featured in promotional materials and city guides for Summit attendees.
• Sheraton Centre Toronto HotelminorOthersSheraton Centre Toronto Hotel is the official host hotel for CEMA Summit 2026. CEMA members can book accommodations at a group rate during the Summit.
• Delta Air LinesminorOthersDelta Air Lines offers special discounts for PCMA/CEMA event attendees traveling to CEMA Summit 2026 in Toronto. Booking is done through a designated meeting event code (NM56T) via the PCMA booking link.
• Porter AirlinesminorOthersPorter Airlines offers up to 10% discount on available base fares for travel to and from CEMA Summit 2026. Booking window runs March 17 – August 13, 2026 using promo code CEMA26.
• Air CanadaminorOthersAir Canada offers discounted airfare for CEMA Summit participants traveling to Toronto between August 2–18, 2026 using promotion code X4QCD4Y1.
• Invision CommunicationsminorOthersInvision Communications is a featured industry partner and contributor to CEMA's case studies and white papers library. The company has authored content including 'Speaking BETA' case studies and is affiliated with CEMA board member Laliv Hadar (Senior Vice President Marketing & Brand).
• RainFocuscoreTechnology or IntegrationRainFocus is CEMA's event registration platform for the CEMA Summit and other events. CEMA uses RainFocus exclusively for event registration, requiring attendees to create a RainFocus account. RainFocus also hosts CEMA Study Tours (Rainfocus Insight Amplify) and Rodney Hart, VP Events at RainFocus, contributes to CEMA programming.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ASAE (American Society of Association Executives): ASAE is the umbrella membership organization for association professionals across all industries. It is comparable to CEMA as a community-driven association model but is much broader in scope, serving association executives rather than a single industry vertical.
• BizBash: BizBash is a media and events company covering the meeting and event industry, producing trade publications and regional trade shows. It is comparable to CEMA as a content-and-events brand serving corporate event professionals, though it operates on a media model rather than membership model.
• Event Marketer: Event Marketer is a media brand and trade publication targeting the corporate event and experiential marketing industry. It is comparable to CEMA for serving the same corporate event marketer audience with content, awards (Experience Design Awards), and the Event Marketing Summit.

Direct peers

• MPI (Meeting Professionals International): MPI is a global membership association for meeting and event professionals, offering certification (CMP), education, and an annual WEC conference. It overlaps with CEMA's audience of corporate-side event professionals and similar community-driven value proposition.
• ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association): ICCA is an international association for the meetings industry, representing suppliers and destinations handling international association meetings. It is comparable to CEMA as a membership-driven organization serving event professionals with peer learning and annual congress programming.
• SITE (Society of Incentive & Travel Executives): SITE is a global association focused on incentive travel and motivational events, with a niche-membership model similar to CEMA's. It is comparable for serving senior event buyers and corporate-side professionals through certification, education, and an annual conference.
• IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events): IAEE is a membership association serving exhibition and event organizers with education, certification (CEM), and an annual Expo! Expo! event. It is comparable to CEMA as another industry-specific professional association targeting event professionals with tiered membership and educational programming.
• ILEA (International Live Events Association): ILEA is a membership association for live event professionals, particularly on the supplier/agency side. It is comparable to CEMA as a peer-driven community providing education, networking, and an annual conference for event industry professionals.
• PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association): PCMA is CEMA's parent organization and the broader professional association for the business events industry. It is directly comparable because CEMA now operates as a sub-brand within PCMA, sharing the community platform, learning infrastructure, and event registration stack.

Emerging players

• ADMEI (Association of Destination Management Executives International): ADMEI is a smaller, niche membership association for destination management companies. It is comparable to CEMA as a peer-focused industry association offering annual conferences, certification, and education for a specific event services segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cemaonline
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CEMA
• Facebookfacebook.com/cemaonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cema-corporate-event-marketing-assoication
• Instagraminstagram.com/cemaonline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Corporate Event Marketing Association