The Conference of the Future is Already Here
How 1 million enrolled attendees and in-person interactions prove that facial authentication at conferences and live events is here to stay
The facial authentication industry had its first mainstream moment in November 2017, when Apple introduced Face ID™ to nearly 100 million iPhone users, followed in 2018 by Delta opening America’s first facial authentication terminal at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport.
A year later, Cvent discussed how facial authentication could improve conference check-in, and Wicket began building our first facial authentication products. A growing segment of consumers was already becoming familiar with this new technology for practical use cases, and the live event industry began to take notice.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which, as the BBC put it in September 2020, was driving a “digital transition” and a rise in virtual events out of necessity. However, the perceived value of in-person events remained strong, and by early 2021, 85% of attendees and exhibitors expected a return to in-person events by the end of the year.
The writing was on the wall: most attendees preferred in-person events to virtual ones, and there was a real, human desire to feel connected and see their peers face to face.
KEY FINDINGS
1.65 billion
Number of people who participate in business and conference events each year globally
75%
Of organizations view in-person events as more valuable than other business development initiatives
$595 billion
Expected value of the corporate events market by 2029
50%
Of event marketing teams manage more than 20 events annually
Making the Choice to Attend
We analyzed the past 5 years of the conference and trade show industry to better understand why attendees choose to attend. We found that adopting and using facial authentication technology at live events was part of a broader focus on the attendee experience, helping increase meaningful connections by reducing wait times.
I think the challenge is going to be overcoming some of that hesitancy that people have, while reminding them of what makes them feel human and alive.
July 2021
This research shows a light at the end of the tunnel with confidence in returning to in-person events up from an all-time low last spring.
March 2021
October 2021
An Industry in Motion
A renewed focus on the attendee experience.
THE BIG QUESTION
Can new technology have a measurable impact on the conference experience?
For event organizers, entering 2022 was a unique moment. There was an opportunity to reshape the experience for attendees, and a big part of that opportunity was in the existing technology that was evolving in front of their eyes and the new technology that was becoming available. Investing in event experience technology was one of the “top tips” for event marketers at the time, and was even named as a “top event planning skill needed to succeed in 2022”.
Perhaps the most critical event tech component was the event management platform. The smartest players in the space were adapting their platforms to account for this new hunger for innovation. One great example was RainFocus, which made “accelerating innovation” the theme of their annual RainFocus Insight event in 2022.
As part of that focus on innovation, they began working with Wicket to build an integration that could speed up conference check-in for one of their biggest customers – Salesforce. Salesforce was hosting dozens of in-person events annually using the RainFocus platform, but had a problem with long wait times for attendee badge printing and entry for popular sessions such as keynotes.
This led to a pilot of the new integration at their World Tour D.C. event in April of 2023 that was so successful that they immediately began planning to incorporate the combined solution as an option for attendees at Dreamforce, their marquee annual event, in September of 2023. Over 8,000 attendees ended up choosing to use facial authentication for check-in at that event, and usage grew nearly 3x that to 23,000 attendees the following year at Dreamforce 2024, where it was described by Event Marketer as “super-fast registration” and earned the top spot in their “10 things we loved at Dreamforce 2024” field report.
THE PROOF
3x Faster
Facial check-in is 3x faster than general badge pickup
Salesforce Strategic Events Manager
15 Seconds
Total time for an attendee to be identified to their badge being printed
NVIDIA GTC 2025 Express Check-In
40 People p/Minute
Peak throughput rate for a single facial authentication-enabled entry location
NVIDIA GTC 2025 Keynote at SAP Center
One of the first experiences people have at Dreamforce is coming to get their badge. We wanna make sure that they have a pleasant experience and get their badge quickly, so we’re super fortunate to be partnering with Wicket, helping people create this magical experience for when they show up on site.
Scott Allen
Director, Event Technology Strategy and Operations
Salesforce
Event Attendee
NVIDIA GTC 2024
On Facial Check-in
The technology is there; use it. It’s the first thing I recommend to my clients. The impact is massive.
Where We Are Today
1 million enrollments and interactions with a growing number of conference events using facial authentication
THE NUMBERS
Going Global
Continents using Wicket facial authentication at live events
Increased Enrollment
Total Wicket authentication enrollment at conference events over time (through October 31, 2026)
Growing Interactions
Wicket facial authentication interactions at conference events, by year (through October 31, 2026)
Expanding Adoption
Conference events using Wicket facial authentication technology, by year (through October 31, 2026)
At What Scale are Attendees Actually
Using the Technology?
The data show that a majority of attendees opt in to and use facial authentication at events.
82% opt-in rate
Average percent of all registered attendees who opted in to use facial authentication at NVIDIA GTC events in 2025 and 2026
68k interactions at a single event
3 interactions per enrolled attendee
Attendees use the technology for more than just badge pickup: for session and keynote entry, access to VIP areas, or custom activations.
99% satisfaction rating
An attendee survey for Salesforce Dreamforce 2023 showed attendees love the technology—from the first deployment.
The industry has spoken, and the benefits are real. What are you waiting for?
The industry has spoken, and the benefits are real. What was once a vision 5 years ago is now a tangible reality, reducing wait times, enabling better operations, and increasing attendee satisfaction at conference events worldwide. The technology’s versatility lets it support a range of applications, including badge pickup, session scanning, back-of-house access, and custom activations.
The early adopters and innovators have paved the way, and the hard lessons have already been learned and best practices proven. Examples include being overt about using the technology, letting attendees opt in as part of existing registration, using clear signage and dedicated lanes to optimize usage, and maintaining a privacy-forward approach when handling user data. So there’s only one question left if your event hasn’t started using facial authentication technology: what are you waiting for?
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Wicket is a privacy-first facial authentication platform provider that reduces friction, enhances fan, employee, and guest experiences, and strengthens security for live events and credentialed facilities.
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