International Confex
International Confex is the UK's flagship annual trade exhibition for the events industry, held at ExCeL London by Mash Media Group Ltd, serving 5,500+ event professionals and 330+ exhibitors through a two-day exhibition, conference programme, and year-round Events Unplugged community.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What International Confex does
International Confex is the UK's flagship annual trade exhibition for the events industry, owned and operated by Mash Media Group Ltd and held at ExCeL London since its founding in 1981. The two-day event brings together more than 5,500 event professionals, 330+ exhibitors spanning venues, technology providers, production companies, and service suppliers, and a conference programme of 200+ speakers across nine content theatres covering creativity, sustainability, technology, and leadership. Attendees register free while exhibiting and sponsorship tiers (theatre naming, networking zones, VIP lounge, lanyard, networking bar) are sold via a dedicated direct sales team, with pricing bespoke by stand size, location, and package. Revenue is anchored in exhibition space rental and tiered sponsorship, with freemium attendee registration as the volume driver for the buyer-side of a two-sided marketplace.
The underlying operating stack combines a digital event platform supporting attendee networking (22,731 app connections recorded at Confex 2025) with partner-supplied technology for registration, badge printing, mobile apps, floor plans, and AI-powered matchmaking (Grip as Event Technology Partner). Year-round community engagement is maintained through the Events Unplugged monthly newsletter, a content blog, a video library, and active social channels under the #eventprofs identity, with official media partnerships extending reach through Conference News, Exhibition News, and Exhibition World. A parallel premium event, the Global Event Tech Summit 2026, extends the product surface into a focused technology vertical.
International Confex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- International Confex
- Legal name
- Mash Media Group Ltd
- Website
- https://international-confex.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- International Confex is the UK's flagship annual trade exhibition for the events industry, held at ExCeL London by Mash Media Group Ltd, serving 5,500+ event professionals and 330+ exhibitors through a two-day exhibition, conference programme, and year-round Events Unplugged community.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
International Confex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Trade Show and Exhibition Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General & Multi-Industry Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Exhibition & Trade Show Management (Conference-Adjacent) (THAHACAF), Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB), Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM)
Keywords
Where International Confex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
International Confex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Exhibition Space Rental: International Confex generates primary revenue by renting exhibition floor space to event industry suppliers, venues, technology providers, and service companies. Stand options range from bespoke stands to turnkey pavilion packages with varying sizes and locations.
- Sponsorship Packages: Tiered sponsorship opportunities including content sponsorship packages (theatre naming rights), networking zone sponsorships, lanyard sponsorships, VIP lounge sponsorships, and networking bar sponsorships. These packages offer premium visibility and thought leadership positioning.
- Attendee Registration: Free registration for event professionals to attend the exhibition and conference sessions, with registration serving as the primary lead generation mechanism for exhibitors to reach qualified buyers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Exhibition stand packages - bespoke options available |
| Other | Annual | Sponsorship packages - multiple tiers available |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
International Confex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
International Confex organizes the UK's leading annual trade exhibition for the events industry, held at ExCeL London, bringing together 5,500+ event professionals with 330+ exhibitors including venues, event technology providers, and service suppliers. The event delivers a multi-theatre conference programme (100+ free sessions, 200+ speakers), structured networking, and bespoke exhibitor/sponsorship packages across two days. It also runs the separate Global Event Tech Summit as a focused premium event for event technology.
Product overview
International Confex is not a technology product company but rather a physical exhibition/trade show event held at ExCeL London. The event serves as a meeting platform for event professionals, featuring conferences, exhibitor showcases, and networking opportunities. It does not offer a software product, platform, or digital service offering.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Events Unplugged: The official newsletter of International Confex delivering monthly insights, event planning strategies, and industry updates to subscribers.
Products and services
- International Confex Annual Exhibition
- Global Event Tech Summit 2026
- Events Unplugged Community and Newsletter
- Conference Calls Video Library
Quantifiable outcome
- 5,500+ attendees over two days
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use International Confex
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
International Confex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
International Confex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- InGo.mecoreInGo.me is the Powered By sponsor for International Confex, providing referral platform technology that enables speakers, sponsors, and attendees to become co-marketers sharing the event with one click. Informa Exhibitions is cited as a customer case study for InGo's event marketing capabilities.
- vFairscorevFairs is featured as an exhibitor (Stand ET19) providing event management platform capabilities including registration, badge printing, mobile apps, and hybrid event solutions. vFairs is a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader and three-time Gartner Peer Insights Customer Choice winner.
- GripcoreGrip is the Event Technology Partner for International Confex, providing AI-powered networking and matchmaking capabilities for event professionals attending the exhibition.
- CventcoreCvent is the VIP Lounge Sponsor, providing event management and venue sourcing technology to support the Confex exhibition experience.
- mdg (formerly Tag Digital)minormdg (formerly Tag Digital) is an exhibitor (Stand J10C) providing digital marketing agency services and publishing the annual Event Industry Trend Report with benchmarking data from over 100,000 paid advertising campaigns.
- Conference NewsminorOfficial Media Partner providing editorial coverage and industry news distribution for the events industry and Confex exhibition.
- Exhibition NewsminorOfficial Media Partner providing industry coverage and news for the exhibition and events sector.
- Exhibition WorldminorOfficial Media Partner delivering industry news and editorial coverage for the events and exhibition industry.
- The Delegate WranglersminorOfficial Media Partner and community organisation for event professionals, hosting networking drinks and buyer meet-ups at Confex.
- ABPCOcoreABPCO (Association of British Professional Conference Organisers) is an exhibitor (Stand F2C), representing the UK's leading membership organisation for Association Conference and Not-for-profit Event Organisation. Partnership provides access to professional conference organiser community.
- ACC LiverpoolminorACC Liverpool Group is an exhibitor (Stand E30C) featuring interconnected venues including a convention centre, arena, and exhibition centre with 848 bedrooms on campus. Successfully hosts national and international events 365 days a year.
- ICC WalesminorInternational Convention Centre Wales is an exhibitor (Stand MIA16), showcasing their 4,000 sqm pillar-free exhibition hall and 1,500-seater auditorium as a major UK venue for meetings and events.
- Ghelani StudiosminorGhelani Studios is an exhibitor (Stand B20C) providing experiential photo booth and instant photography services, including AI-powered photo booth experiences for event activations.
- Catch the MICEcoreCatch the MICE operates a dynamic content-led stand at Confex showcasing event tech innovations and hosts a Live Broadcast Hub with IntelliGO for streaming industry conversations.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
International Confex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- ABPCO (Association of British Professional Conference Organisers): ABPCO is the UK's leading membership organisation for association and not-for-profit conference organisers. It is a strategic partner and exhibitor at International Confex, addressing an overlapping professional audience and serving as an adjacent ecosystem player in the UK events industry.
- Mash Media Group: Mash Media Group is the parent company of International Confex and operates other UK events industry media properties, including Conference News and Exhibition News. It is a related-party peer rather than a competitor, but provides useful context on the broader portfolio strategy.
Broad incumbents
- Messe Frankfurt: Messe Frankfurt is a major global trade fair organiser, hosting numerous exhibitions across industries including consumer goods, textiles, and mobility. It is a broad incumbent in the trade-show organiser category and a useful benchmark for large-scale exhibition operating models.
- Hyve Group: Hyve Group is a UK-listed international events organiser running a portfolio of trade shows across multiple industries. It is a comparable mid-sized public exhibitions business and a useful benchmark for unit economics of focused event properties.
- Informa Markets: Informa Markets operates a large global portfolio of exhibitions across multiple verticals, including events industry shows. As the world's largest exhibitions organiser, it represents both a competitive threat and a potential roll-up acquirer for a focused player like Confex.
Emerging players
- Cvent: Cvent is a leading event management technology platform and VIP Lounge Sponsor at International Confex. While not an exhibition organiser itself, it operates in the event-tech layer that Confex increasingly aggregates and is a meaningful ecosystem partner and partial competitor for event industry mindshare.
- Event Tech Live: Event Tech Live is a UK exhibition dedicated specifically to event technology. It is the closest comparator to International Confex's Global Event Tech Summit and a partial competitor for the tech-focused segment of the Confex floor.
Direct peers
- IMEX: IMEX Group runs the IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX Las Vegas trade shows for the global meetings, incentives, conferences, and events industry. It is the most direct international comparator to International Confex, operating the same trade-show-for-event-professionals model at a larger global scale.
- The Meetings Show: The Meetings Show is a UK-based annual exhibition for the meetings and events industry held at ExCeL London. It is the closest direct domestic competitor to International Confex, targeting the same UK event-buyer audience with a similar exhibition and hosted-buyer model.
- ibtm world: ibtm world (formerly EIBTM) is the leading global event for the meetings and events industry held annually in Barcelona. Like Confex, it aggregates venues, destinations, and event suppliers in front of qualified buyer audiences, but at significantly larger international scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
International Confex social profiles
Digital presenceInternational Confex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
International Confex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
International Confex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
International Confex M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about International Confex
What does International Confex do?
International Confex organizes the UK's leading annual trade exhibition for the events industry, held at ExCeL London, bringing together 5,500+ event professionals with 330+ exhibitors including venues, event technology providers, and service suppliers. The event delivers a multi-theatre conference programme (100+ free sessions, 200+ speakers), structured networking, and bespoke exhibitor/sponsorship packages across two days. It also runs the separate Global Event Tech Summit as a focused premium event for event technology.
Is International Confex a public or private company?
International Confex is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was International Confex founded?
International Confex was founded in 1981. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is International Confex based?
International Confex is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does International Confex make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Exhibition Space Rental is the primary driver. The others are sponsorship Packages and attendee Registration.
Who are International Confex's main competitors?
Others on record are ABPCO (Association of British Professional Conference Organisers) and Mash Media Group. Broad incumbents are Messe Frankfurt, Hyve Group and Informa Markets. Emerging players are Cvent and Event Tech Live. Direct peers are IMEX, The Meetings Show and ibtm world.
Does International Confex have an API?
No public API is recorded for International Confex.
What industry is International Confex in?
International Confex's product category is Trade Show and Exhibition Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHABAA, General & Multi-Industry Trade Show Organizers, with a secondary code of THAHACAF, Exhibition & Trade Show Management (Conference-Adjacent). Its NAICS code is 561920.