The latest coronavirus, now known as COVID-19, has had a notable impact on upcoming tech conferences around the world. Many of these conferences have been canceled while major tech companies are avoiding others due to concerns about COVID-19. Facebook canceled its Global Marketing Summit which was expected to have 5,000 attendees. Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest mobile phone trade fair, was canceled after some of the largest tech and telecommunications companies pulled out. IBM pulled out of the RSA conference taking place next week.
Someone should build Zoom for full remote conferences, and do it right now. pic.twitter.com/W7eTGnBPT7
— Balaji S. Srinivasan (@balajis) February 16, 2020
Teooh, a Loup Ventures portfolio company, is a platform for attending events without the need to travel. Teooh solves the problem that many of these conference attendees are facing related to the coronavirus, attendees could avoid flying, avoid human contact, and avoid being in congested public spaces. But more than just an alternative to event venue travel during an event like a coronavirus outbreak, hosting remote events democratizes access to people, making it possible for someone who lives in London to easily meet someone who lives in San Francisco. In addition to removing geographical barriers, virtual conferences are often cheaper for attendees, as overhead costs are lower and there is no need to travel. Teooh works directly with event organizers to help them scale their events strategy without scaling overhead costs.