Conference Systems

What Conference Systems does

Conference Systems operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary brand within Encore Group (USA) LLC (formerly PSAV), the global event production entity founded in 1940 and headquartered at 5100 N. River Road, Schiller Park, Illinois. Conference Systems itself is an event production company offering planning, event management, and multilingual event services, and was acquired by PSAV in 2015 before the parent rebranded to Encore in 2019. The Encore platform produces 350,000 in-person, virtual, and hybrid events annually across 2,200+ venue locations in more than 20 countries, and is structured as the #1 AV provider to hotel chains and the #1 casino/gaming provider globally.

Encore's service stack spans five interlocking revenue streams: Event Technology Services (AV equipment rental, lighting, sound, video, staging); Production Services (full-service staging and logistics); Creative Services (design, content, branding); Design & Fabrication (custom booths, displays, stages, exhibits via the Hargrove division); and Virtual & Hybrid Events (software platforms Chime Go and Chime Live, with subscription/recurring economics). Proprietary technology includes Chime Go (full-service event platform with agenda, maps, Q&A, upvoting, note-taking, sponsor banners, deployable in as little as three days), Chime Live (second-screen hybrid technology with choreographed slides, interactive polls, Q&A, chat, and sentiment emojis), an exclusive Bandwidth Calculator for sizing event connectivity, and licensed Encore Music services. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; self-service tooling includes the Customer Billing Portal and EventNow product selection platform.

The go-to-market combines enterprise field sales with venue-partner distribution: Encore serves corporate event planners, agencies, and staging customers directly while operating as the preferred or exclusive AV provider at hotels, convention centers, and event venues globally. Primary customer segments are Corporate Events, Casino/Gaming, Conventions & Trade Shows, and Hotels & Venues (plus Social Events & Weddings as secondary). Named enterprise customers span Adobe, Caesars, BlackHawk Industrial, Forbes Travel Guide (as Official Solutions Partner), and Sciton Skin. Marketing emphasizes industry thought leadership via the Encore Insider Blog, Planner Pulse quarterly research, LinkedIn and Instagram presence, and active participation in IMEX America, PCMA Convening Leaders, Destinations International, and Event Leaders Exchange. The legal parent, Encore Group (USA) LLC, is a privately held Delaware LLC with wholly-owned regional subsidiaries across North America, EMEA, and APAC.

Name

Conference Systems

Legal name

Encore Group (USA) LLC

Website

https://conferencesystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Conference Systems is an event production subsidiary of Encore Global, offering planning and multilingual event services within a parent platform that produces 350,000 events annually across 2,200+ venues in 20+ countries for corporate, gaming, and convention clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Production Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM), Conference Room & Meeting Services Support (BPABAEAE)

Keywords

• Event technology services
• Audio visual production
• Hybrid event platforms
• Event production services
• Conference technology systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Lanham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Technology Services: Audio-visual equipment rental, setup, and technical support for events at hotels, venues, and convention centers. Includes lighting, sound, video, and staging solutions.
2. Production Services: Full-service event production including staging, production management, and logistical support for complex events.
3. Creative Services: Creative design, content creation, and messaging services for events including visuals and consistent branding.
4. Design & Fabrication: Custom booth, display, stage, and exhibit construction through Hargrove division.
5. Virtual & Hybrid Events: Technology platforms (Chime Go, Chime Live) and production support for virtual and hybrid event formats.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Conference Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Encore Group (USA) LLC (formerly PSAV) that delivers conference and event technology systems, providing audio-visual equipment rental, setup, and technical support, along with live streaming, hybrid event platforms (Chime Go and Chime Live), and digital engagement tools for corporate events, conventions, and trade shows. Operating as part of the broader Encore portfolio, the unit supports thousands of in-house venue locations worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Event Technology Services Audio-visual equipment rental, setup, and technical support for events at hotels, venues, and convention centers, including lighting, sound, video, and staging solutions for enterprise customers.
• Production Services Full-service event production including staging, production management, and logistical support for complex enterprise events.
• Creative Services Creative design, content creation, and messaging services for events including visuals and consistent branding.
• Design & Fabrication (Hargrove) Custom booth, display, stage, and exhibit construction services for conventions and trade shows through the Hargrove division.
• Virtual & Hybrid Event Platforms (Chime Go and Chime Live) Technology platforms and production support for virtual and hybrid event formats. Chime Go provides agenda management, maps, Q&A submission, upvoting, note-taking, forum participation, and sponsor banners (deployable in as few as three days). Chime Live provides second-screen technology supporting choreographed event design, push slides, pop-up interactive polls, Q&A, and chat with sentiment emojis.

Quantifiable outcome

• 78 percent of businesses using event applications report positive event ROI
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Destinations InternationalcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 March 2025Encore named as 'Preferred Global Event Production Partner' for Destinations International, the world's leading association representing destination organizations and convention visitors bureaus. This expands an existing partnership where Encore has long provided event technology and production services for DI events.
• Event Leaders Exchange (ELX)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2025Encore joined as strategic partner for 2025, contributing creative expertise to help ELX deliver world-class experiences. Partnership reflects shared vision for enhancing innovation, experience, and impact across the events industry.
• Event Design CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2022Multi-year partnership for the United States focused on event design collaboration and creative services.
• HargrovecoreTechnology or IntegrationDesign & fabrication division of Encore specializing in custom booths, displays, stages and exhibits. Works alongside Encore production teams for complete event fabrication needs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GES (Global Experience Specialists): GES provides event and exhibition services including AV, logistics, design, and production for trade shows and corporate events worldwide. Operates as a direct competitor to Encore in the convention/trade show AV and production services space.
• SmartSource Rentals: SmartSource provides AV and technology rentals, staging, and event production services for corporate meetings and events. Directly comparable to Encore's event technology rental and on-site AV service offerings for enterprise customers.
• MC2 (MC2 Event Services): MC2 provides corporate event production, AV, design, and fabrication services for trade shows, conferences, and corporate events. Comparable to Encore/Conference Systems across the full event production stack with similar enterprise customer focus.
• Maritz Global Events: Maritz provides corporate event planning, incentive programs, and meeting production services for enterprise customers. Overlaps with Encore's corporate events segment and competes for similar Fortune 500-level event budgets.
• ITA Group: ITA Group provides corporate event management, incentive travel, and engagement solutions for enterprise customers. Comparable to Encore in the meetings, incentives, and corporate events space with overlapping enterprise buyer relationships.
• Freeman: Freeman is a leading global event production and brand experience company offering AV, staging, design, and exhibition services across corporate events, trade shows, and conventions. Directly comparable to Encore/Conference Systems across both enterprise event production and trade show operations at scale.

Broad incumbents

• Cvent: Cvent is a leading event management software platform offering registration, venue sourcing, and attendee management tools used by corporate event planners. While primarily software, Cvent competes with Encore's Chime platform in the event technology layer and serves overlapping enterprise customers.
• Live Nation Special Events: Live Nation Special Events provides event production, AV, and venue services within Live Nation's broader live entertainment platform. Overlaps with Encore in the production services space but is anchored in a much larger live entertainment portfolio.

Emerging players

• Hopin: Hopin is a virtual and hybrid event platform offering live streaming, networking, and event management capabilities. Represents the pure-play virtual event competitor whose growth could structurally compress traditional AV production budgets that Encore's business depends on.
• Bizzabo: Bizzabo offers an event experience platform with registration, engagement, and analytics features for in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. Competes with Encore's Chime Go and Chime Live in the event technology space, particularly for hybrid and virtual formats.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/conference-systems-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/encore_global

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries8 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 Conference Systems