Host an official conference session if your goal depends on a place in the curated agenda or organizer-controlled program. Host a side event if you need more say over the format, venue, or guest list—and can take on the planning and operating work. Neither format guarantees turnout or business results. The conference’s rules for the specific edition decide what counts as official, what support is included, and what it costs.
What makes a conference event “official”?
“Official” is defined by the conference, not by the host. Some organizers require an application and written approval before they recognize or list a side event. For example, Bits & Pretzels reviews and approves events before they appear in its Side Event Program; IVS2025 also reviews applications and sets conditions for recognition. An independent gathering should not be described as an official conference event unless the organizer’s rules and approval support that claim.
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Being listed or promoted is not a promise of attendance. IVS says it may promote side events but cautions that attendance is not guaranteed. Bits & Pretzels encourages hosts to invite their own networks and local community, even though its program provides a listing and communications. Bits & Pretzels’ side-event guidance and IVS2025’s side-event guidance explain their respective policies.
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How the two formats compare
| Decision | Side event | Official conference session |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Often allows more host control over venue, guest list, and format, subject to approval and program rules. | Follows the organizer’s format, selection process, program, and schedule. |
| Audience | Can target a defined community or invite list; the host may need to source attendees directly. | Can benefit from agenda placement and conference access, but acceptance and reach depend on organizer policy. |
| Workload | The host may be responsible for venue, invitations, registration, promotion, operations, and costs. | Requirements vary. Confirm the application route, production support, fees, and attendee access. |
| Timing and location | May be constrained by conference dates, location, and scheduling rules. | Set by the official agenda and the organizer’s available slots. |
| Promotion and certainty | Recognition or listing may depend on approval, and promotion does not guarantee turnout. | Agenda placement may be selective; acceptance and audience outcomes are not assured. |
These are tendencies, not universal guarantees. Compare the actual host guide and agreement for the conference and edition you are considering. Organizer examples illustrate how terms differ: Bits & Pretzels, IVS2025, and the ITF 2027 Summit publish distinct approval, scheduling, and host requirements.
#1 Best Overall
- Omnidirectional Microphone - It is not a Speaker or Speakerphone, it is a condenser microphone. The microphone has an omnidirectional pickup pattern with a pickup distance of 11.5 ft, making it easy to capture the most subtle sounds from 360° directions and transmit the sound more loud and clear. Participants can hear each other without raising their voices.
- Made for Conferences - This microphone is perfect for small or medium meetings over an internet network by using Skype/GoToMeeting/WebEx/Hangouts/Fuze/VoIP/Zoom and other softwares. You can also use it for court reports, seminars, remote training, business negotiations, video chats, etc.
- Plug & Play, No Drivers Required - The microphone is compatible with all operating systems - both Windows and macOS. You just need to plug the microphone to start recording. If there is no response after inserting the mic, please go to the microphone setting of your computer and select the mic as the INPUT device.
- Convenient Mute Button - Quickly mute/unmute your microphone. The built-in blue indicator light for checking whether the USB microphone is working.
- Well Designed Cable - The microphone is constructed of sturdy and metal material and the base is fitted with an anti-slip mat which keeps it stable on desktop during use. It is small, convenient and does not require much space when in use. Connected with a 1.8m nylon shielded wire, it effectively eliminates signal interferences to achieve the best recording results.
Choose a side event when control is worth the work
A side event is a better fit when the value comes from convening a specific group or creating a format that would not fit the main agenda. A small dinner can support deeper conversation; a breakfast or reception can accommodate a wider invite list. The trade-off is operational ownership. Bits & Pretzels assigns hosts responsibility for organization, location, invitations, costs, registration, promotion, operations, and insurance. IVS likewise places planning and execution on organizers.
Before announcing anything, work through these checks:
Rank #2
- 360° Coverage: 6 microphones arranged in a 360° array pick up voices from all directions to instantly transform any space at home or the office into a meeting room.
- Voice Radar 3.0 Technology: Powered by AI deep learning capabilities to reduce noise, cancel echo, and detect multiple speakers.
- Optimized Clarity and Volume: Your voice is automatically balanced to make up for differences in volume and distance from the Bluetooth speakerphone.
- Perfect For Home Offices: Connect to your phone via Bluetooth or to your computer with a USB-C cable—without needing to install drivers. PowerConf Bluetooth speakerphone is Zoom certified and is compatible with all popular online conferencing platforms.
- 24 Hours of Call Time: A built-in 5,200mAh battery gives you the option to go wireless and hold meetings virtually anywhere. Integrated Anker PowerIQ technology allows you to charge other devices via PowerConf at optimized speeds.
- Define the outcome and audience. Decide what attendees should leave with and who needs to be in the room.
- Choose a format and scale that fit. Match the guest list and conversation to a dinner, breakfast, reception, or other permitted format.
- Check the conference schedule and rules. Confirm eligible dates, time windows, location requirements, approval steps, and any conflicts with major programming.
- Confirm the practical commitments. Establish venue availability, costs, registration ownership, staffing, insurance, and attendee communications before inviting people.
- Plan arrival and check-in. Give guests the exact address and arrival instructions. If using printed badges at an in-person check-in, badge holders are an optional supply—not a conference requirement.
Rules can be highly edition-specific. Bits & Pretzels’ 2026 guidance required an in-person event in the Munich area and asked hosts to schedule on conference days after 5 p.m.; IVS2025 recommended aligning events with its own timetable. Those conditions should not be carried over to another conference or edition.
Choose an official session when agenda placement matters
An official session makes sense when your objective depends on being part of the curated program or reaching attendees through a conference-controlled agenda. It may offer organizer-provided structure, but it can also involve selection, fixed formats, limited time slots, fees, or requirements for passes and production. Do not assume that every official session is free, open to proposals, or supported in the same way.
Rank #3
- Enhanced 360° Voice Pickup with 4 AI Mics - The EMEET OfficeCore M0 Plus Bluetooth speakerphone features a four-mic array, which enhances voice pickup from any direction. Powered by EMEET’s VoiceIA algorithm upgraded in 2023, the mic can filters out background noise and eliminates echos of the speaker.
- Crystal-Clear Audio Quality - The 3W high-quality bluetooth conference speaker can spread sound evenly throughout the room, ensuring no details are missed. With full duplex audio support, our conference speaker produces natural and rich sounds, so to feel like you are talking to others in person.
- Expandable for Larger Meetings - Room is too large? Link 2 EMEET’s Bluetooth speakerphones with the Daisy Chain, you will have 2x professional mics and speakers working seamlessly extending the conferencing space, effectively supporting up to 16 attendees. This feature supports multiple models of EMEET products, such as Meeting Capsule, M3, or M0 Plus, making it a flexible solution for setting up your conference room.
- Easy to Set Up and Use - The EMEET Conference Speaker and Microphone M0 Plus offers 2 ways to connect: USB-C & USB-C-to-A Adapter, and Bluetooth 5.0 with single-device or dual-device connection. No drivers or additional software is required, simply plug and play. The speakphone is compatible with most conferencing platforms, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Webex, and etc. Connect Bluetooth-enabled phones using standard Bluetooth protocols, regardless of brand or model.
- Long Battery Life for Optimal Performance - Equipped with a large capacity battery, the M0 Plus Bluetooth conference speaker with microphone supports long-term calls over 10 hours of talk time on a single charge, making it perfect for all-day meetings. The M0 Plus Bluetooth Conference Speakerphone is optimal for use in the meeting room, home office, or on business trips, ensuring that you always have a professional meeting experience.
First identify the relevant route: a speaker proposal, sponsor package, partner conversation, or curated-session application may be separate from side-event hosting. Ask the organizer how selection works, what you must supply, whether fees or passes apply, where the session will appear, and what operational or promotional support is included.
The ITF 2027 Summit provides an example of why the route matters: its Secretariat selects side events and Open Stage Café sessions, chooses schedule placement at its discretion, and lists fees for those options. The Open Stage Café is a scheduled discussion format during breaks in the main program. This is an ITF summit example, not a standard term for startup conferences. Its page lists side-event administrative fee options of EUR 3,000 plus VAT with four passes or EUR 3,500 plus VAT with five passes, and notes an exemption for member countries. These are terms published for the ITF 2027 Summit, not general startup-conference pricing.
Rank #4
- HD Voice and Crystal Clear Sound: Q95mini USB speakerphone comes with 360° omnidirectional microphone and high-quality speaker, plus DSP technology which provides Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) and Automatic Noise Suppression (ANS). This conference speaker and microphone combo are ideal for your business conference calls, online courses, meetings, chatting, etc.
- 360° Coverage: Omnidirectional microphone picks up voices from all directions to instantly transform any space at home or the office into a meeting room. And the best range of voice pick-up is up to 3 meters radius, no need to raise your voices all the time
- Setup and Use with Ease: USB plug and play, with 3m (9.8ft) long cable, connecting to your computer without needing to install drivers. USB wired connection is stable. Quickly mute or unmute the conference microphone (DO NOT mute speaker) with the physical mute button
- Built-in USB Hub: Q95mini is an innovative conference speakerphone built-in USB hub. It provides more convenience in connecting a mouse, keyboard, U-disk, handset and another conferencing system, etc
- Universal Compatibility: Q95mini USB conference speaker and mic is compatible with leading systems like Windows 7-10/macOS and all popular online conferencing platforms, Zoom, Skype, Lync, Teams, WebEx, GotoMeeting, Facetime, Google Voice, eLearning and more
Check the edition before committing
Programs, deadlines, eligibility, and costs can change by organizer and year. Bits & Pretzels described its 2026 Side Event Program as including 100+ events; that figure describes program scale, not attendance at an individual event or its success. Its listed submission deadline—25 September 2026 at 12:00 CEST—was specific to that edition and has passed. Do not treat it as a current deadline for another event or year.
There is no verified comparative statistic establishing that side events or official sessions produce better startup leads, attendance, fundraising, or business outcomes. Published organizer guidance describes available routes and responsibilities, not a controlled comparison of results. Base the decision on the objective, the actual terms, and the work your team can support.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- [8-Mic Speakerphone with a Satellite Mic] EMEET's first Bluetooth Speakerphone with a dedicated satellite Mic. The Luna Plus conference speakerphone itself already has an 8-omnidirectional-Mic array, which offers clear voice pickup for up to 10 people. With its dedicated satellite mic, the Luna Plus Kit offers a 360° ultra-wide voice pickup to a 14 people conference room, ensuring that every participant is heard loud and clear.
- [Voice IA Noise Reduction Upgrade] The EMEET Luna Plus Meeting Kit conference speaker upgrades voice processing technology with the latest VoiceIA Algorithm which enables intelligent dynamic noise reduction. Say goodbye to background noise like air conditioning noise, and keyboard clicks, and focus on the conversation. With a full range of enhancement technologies such as full duplex technology and echo cancellation, the spokesperson ensures uninterrupted, no-echo conversations in any space.
- [Flexible Daisy Chain for Up to 25 Attendees] With the flexible daisy chain feature(EMEET Daisy-Chain Cable is NOT INCLUDED, sold separately), you can expand coverage for different scenarios such as boardrooms and conference halls. By daisy-chaining 2 Luna Plus Meeting Kit via the EMEET Daisy-Chain cable, you can support meetings of up to 25 attendees. The wired connection technology of the conference speaker ensures a stable and no-interference connection, unlike wireless options.
- [5W Ultra-Clear Speaker & 10-Hour Call Time] Luna Plus Meeting Kit conference speaker comes with a long-lasting battery and a powerful, clear speaker. With a built-in 2600mAh battery, Luna Plus support 10-hour call time which can keep your all-day meeting on single charge. The 5W clear speaker is designed to provide crystal-clear voice quality, the maximum volume is increased to 89 dB, so you can communicate with confidence and ensure that your message is received loud and clear.
- [Easy Set up & Broad Compatibility] The Bluetooth speakerphone can connect to various devices in seconds using USB 2.0, and Bluetooth 5.3, without the need for any drivers. The upgraded Dongle A350 offers a lightspeed connection and low latency for smooth real-time communication. The Bluetooth speaker is universally compatible with Windows, Mac OS, iOS, and Android, and works seamlessly with mainstream meeting platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft for Teams, Skype for Business, and more.
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