One of the more respected analyst firms, Gartner, invited client iotum to their recent Gartner Symposium. At the event, Gartner Group ran their first ever Cool Vendor Shorts program and included iotum, led by Alec Saunders. He has a recap.
Now, here’s the cool part.
They were chosen. Selected. Invited.
They didn’t pay to be there.
What does this translate into for iotum? Exposure.
What’s the difference between the “pay to play” events where your company has to fork over an “entry fee” to be up on stage?
Plenty.
At this conference, a neutral party, the Gartner Group, foots the bill, charging their clients with the cost of putting on the event. In doing so, this eliminates the spectre of the only reason why a company is there is because they can buy their way in. It also means that as researchers Gartner Group has done their homework first, considered many, and chose only a few who in their view are very deserving. It is really separating the wheat from the chaff, in my view, not because its a client, iotum, that got the props, but because in eliminating the pay to play aspect of the conference you really are seeing the opinion of Gartner brought to life. That’s what firms like theirs get paid for. Insight and an advance view of what’s going to be hot, not just whose got the money to say they’re hot.
For VCs looking at companies to fund, or who have already funded companies, that went the pay to play route, taking a look at these may end up really being worth your while.