9th January 2007. Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs introduced the the iPhone for the first time, and the world of mobile phones changed forever. It was a blacked out stage. Steve stood wearing a one-size-larger black shirt tucked inside blue jeans. The light's keen focus on him and the image of the new iPhone displayed on the giant screen in the background evoked a feeling that only Steve and the iPhone existed in the entire world at that moment. The success of the world's greatest events ever happened is never a coincidence. Abreast of engendering innovative themes, designs hitting the right nerve of the audience, intelligent directions and ideal execution at

considerable costs without compromising the quality, there is a spontaneous factor that enlivens an event from just success to extraordinary, which is quite difficult to measure, sometimes hard to find, and often nearly impossible to define. Could events in the cloud ever match that? Well, maybe literally, but I seriously doubt whether it would in the case of online events.

However, if not online events, the hybrid model definitely stands a real chance. The surveys encrusting different geographies around the world echo that Hybrid events are here to stay. The reasons are no secret, as Hybrid events allow for not only the flexibility and reach of a virtual event but also the connection and engagement of an in-person option. To meet the demand for events that can offer a seamless experience in person and online, many new startups are hitting the scene. According to MarketsAndMarkets.com, the global Event Management Software Market size is estimated to grow to USD 14.1 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 14.9 percent. The increasing popularity of virtual events, the compelling need to save time and money with realtime data analysis, and the demand to capture actionable business insights from events, among other reasons, are expected to drive the market's growth. Clearly it is the bounce back time!