Convergence

What Convergence does

CONvergence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Convergence Events, Inc., Minnesota) that operates an annual four-day science fiction and fantasy convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, drawing 6,000+ attendees each year. Founded in 1999 and held at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis (where the convention takes over the first six floors of the hotel), the event is entirely volunteer-run, with more than 200 year-round convention committee members and more than 800 additional volunteers during the convention week. Programming spans panels, gaming, art shows, masquerade costume contests, cinema (Cinema Rex), live music (Harmonic CONvergence), spoken word (Wordslingers Way), dealer rooms, and celebrity Guest of Honor appearances, supported by a distinctive mascot universe (Connie the robot, Professor Max, Rex, F2-E2, Tea 3P0) that has been part of the brand identity since 1998.

The underlying technology stack is conventional event-management tooling rather than a proprietary platform: registration runs on NeonCRM with tiered self-serve badge sales, scheduling is delivered through a Sched-based mobile app for iOS and Android with offline schedule caching, and content distribution leverages CVG-TV (a closed-circuit hotel channel), three YouTube channels, and a Twitch presence. Revenue is generated through badge sales (adult 4-day $85-$135 with early-bird tiering, teen, child, day passes), merchandise, vendor/artist booth fees (15-20% commission on Art Show sales), sponsorships, donations (PayPal, Patreon, GiveMN/Give to the Max Day), and a newly launched Lifetime Pass ($1,500-$1,700) whose proceeds are invested in CDs through an endowment fund. The go-to-market is event-driven and direct-to-consumer, relying on word-of-mouth in the regional fandom community and a multi-platform social media footprint (Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, Discord, YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, Pinterest, Twitter/X, Tumblr).

Recent strategic actions include a 2025 Attendance Grant pilot targeting BIPOC and financially disadvantaged fans, the Lifetime Pass endowment instrument, a 2026 security partnership with Sequeerity (a queer/POC-owned Minneapolis firm), and the release of the CVG2026 mobile app — collectively signaling incremental accessibility, funding-model, and product evolution rather than geographic or vertical expansion.

Name

Convergence

Legal name

Convergence Events, Inc.

Website

https://www.convergence-con.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CONvergence is a Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates an annual four-day science fiction and fantasy convention at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, drawing 6,000+ attendees and supported by 1,000+ volunteers, with revenue from badge sales, vendor fees, merchandise, sponsorships, and a Lifetime Pass endowment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fan Convention Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hybrid Conferences & Conventions (In-Person + Streamed) (MPAGAOAC)

Keywords

• Fan convention services
• Science fiction events
• Fantasy community conventions
• Nonprofit event organization
• Fandom gathering events

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lifetime Passes: One-time purchase lifetime membership passes ($1,500-$1,700) that provide perpetual annual attendance. Money is invested in CDs through an endowment fund for financial stability.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of official CONvergence merchandise including t-shirts, posters, and other branded items at the convention and potentially online.
3. Badge Sales: The primary revenue stream is 4-day and day-pass badge sales with tiered pricing based on purchase timing (early bird, regular, at-door rates) and age categories (Adult, Teen, Child, Kids under 5 free).
4. Vendor/Artist Booth Fees: Fees charged to vendors in the Dealers Room and artists in Artists Alley for booth space. Also includes Art Show commission on sales (15% for display art, 20% for print shop).
5. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through PayPal, Patreon, and Give to the Max Day campaigns. Donations support the Attendance Grant fund for accessibility.
6. Sponsorships and Advertising: Opportunities for businesses and organizations to advertise with CONvergence or sponsor various programs and services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

CONvergence is a nonprofit organization that produces an annual four-day science fiction and fantasy fan convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, featuring Guests of Honor, panels, gaming, art shows, masquerade contests, live music, cinema, and Dealers Room programming. Its commercial offerings consist of badge and pass sales, merchandise, vendor/artist booth fees, Art Show commissions, sponsorships, donations, and the printed Souvenir Guide, all supported by digital tools including the NeonCRM registration system, the Sched mobile app, and the CVG-TV broadcasting system.

Product overview

CONvergence is a fan-run nonprofit organization that operates primarily as an annual four-day science fiction and fantasy convention held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The core offering is the convention event itself, supported by digital products including the CVG2026 mobile app (for schedule management), the CVG-TV closed-circuit television system, and a NeonCRM-based registration platform. Supplementary offerings include the Souvenir Guide publication and branded mascot character intellectual property.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CONvergence Annual Convention An annual four-day science fiction and fantasy convention held in Minneapolis, MN, drawing 6,000+ attendees across multiple hotel floors. Features Guests of Honor, panels, room parties, gaming, art shows, masquerade costume contests, live music, cinema, Dealers Room and Artists Alley. Aimed at sci-fi/fantasy fans of all ages.
• CVG2026 Mobile App CONvergence's official Sched-based mobile application for iOS and Android that provides attendees access to the convention schedule, allows personal event planning, and downloads schedule data to local phone storage for offline use without background mobile data.
• CVG-TV A closed-circuit CONvergence television channel running in the host hotel during the convention that broadcasts main-stage events, public service announcements, and other content directly to hotel rooms, with live streaming on YouTube and Twitch before and during the convention.
• CONvergence Registration System CONvergence's web-based NeonCRM registration platform that lets attendees purchase 4-day badges and day passes, transfer badges, update personal information, and order merchandise pre-orders and souvenir guides.
• CONvergence Souvenir Guide An annual printed and PDF guidebook featuring Guest of Honor perspectives, programming guides, venue maps, sponsor information, and other convention details, free with advance pre-order and otherwise available in limited quantities at the convention.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SequeeritycoreOthers · 2 July 2026CONvergence partners with Sequeerity, a Minneapolis-based security team, for convention security services. Sequeerity is owned and operated by queer and POC womxn with a goal of creating and maintaining safe spaces for everyone, especially the LGBTQIA+ community. This partnership addresses attendee concerns about traditional police presence while maintaining safety.
• Geek Partnership SocietyminorOthersLost and Found items from CONvergence that are not claimed are donated to Geek Partnership Society after the convention ends.
• GiveMNminorOthersGiveMN is Minnesota's statewide day of giving platform used by CONvergence for its Attendance Grant fundraising campaigns. Donations made through Give to the Max Day may qualify for Golden Ticket prizes.
• Hyatt Regency MinneapoliscoreOthersThe Hyatt Regency Minneapolis at 1300 Nicollet Mall is the host venue for CONvergence. The convention takes over the first six floors of the hotel for convention spaces, with CONvergence attendees also staying as hotel guests.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dragon Con: Dragon Con is a large annual fan convention centered on science fiction, fantasy, gaming, comics, costuming, and celebrity programming. Its multi-day event, fan community, and marketplace model closely overlap CONvergence's core offering.
• Worldcon: Worldcon is the annual World Science Fiction Convention, focused on science-fiction and fantasy literature, media, panels, and fan culture. It directly matches CONvergence's science-fiction and fantasy audience and convention-led programming.
• San Diego Comic-Con: Comic-Con International operates a major annual pop-culture convention with panels, celebrity appearances, cosplay, exhibits, and fan programming. It overlaps heavily with CONvergence's attendee, programming, vendor, and community proposition, though at much larger scale.
• Gen Con: Gen Con is a large annual tabletop-gaming convention with tournaments, exhibitors, panels, and community programming. It is comparable to CONvergence's gaming and fan-programming components, but its core proposition is more gaming-specific.
• Minicon: Minicon is a Minneapolis-area science-fiction convention with programming for fans, writers, artists, and gaming communities. It is a close local category peer because it serves a similar regional fan base with a community-oriented convention model.
• Emerald City Comic Con: Emerald City Comic Con is a large regional pop-culture convention featuring comics, gaming, cosplay, celebrity programming, and exhibitors. It is comparable to CONvergence's multi-format fan programming and vendor marketplace.
• PAX: PAX is a series of annual gaming and pop-culture conventions with exhibitors, panels, community spaces, and entertainment programming. It shares CONvergence's gaming-led fan engagement and event-driven attendee model.

Regional players

• WisCon: WisCon is an annual feminist science-fiction convention with literary programming, panels, community events, and a volunteer-led orientation. It overlaps CONvergence's science-fiction fandom community and volunteer-driven programming while serving a different regional market.
• Kumoricon: Kumoricon is a large volunteer-run anime and pop-culture convention in Portland with cosplay, panels, performances, gaming, and an artists and dealers marketplace. It is comparable to CONvergence's volunteer-led multi-format fan experience, but its primary genre and region differ.

Broad incumbents

• Fan Expo Chicago: Fan Expo Chicago is a large pop-culture convention featuring comics, sci-fi and fantasy, gaming, cosplay, celebrities, and exhibitors. It competes for similar fan attendees and sponsors but operates as a broader commercial event platform than CONvergence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/convergencecon
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CVGTelevision
• Facebookfacebook.com/CONvergenceConMN
• Instagraminstagram.com/convergencecon
• TikToktiktok.com/@convergencecon
• Pinterestpinterest.com/conniecvg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/convergence-convention

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Convergence