Networking

Find your tribe at the Festival!

Meeting other attendees is a crucial component of FoG, a huge opportunity to expand your professional network , gather intelligence , find new solutions, insights, hints and tips , meet future business or research partners, or simply have fun.

As the Festival has become larger, there are now more people than ever to meet with – we’re expecting 7,000+ people to register to attend.

Paradoxically, the Festival is so large, and with so many different types of people in attendance (brilliant for breaking down silos), that it can be more difficult to meet the people you want or need to meet with.

At this year’s Festival, we’re placing a much greater emphasis on helping you network with other attendees. Our research with previous attendees tells us that’s exactly the right thing to do - to make it easier for you to find and meet other attendees so that you derive as much value as possible from your one or two days at the Festival.

Of course, the easiest way to network is to go up and say ‘Hi’ to another attendee. But here are some other ways in which you can network at the Festival.

Networking on The Festival App

Everyone has access to the Festival app around 3 weeks before the event takes place. The vast majority of ticket types have access to the enhanced networking features on the app, where you can see who else is coming and send a message with a connection request.

Once your connection request has been accepted, that person is now a ‘contact’. You’ll be able to chat directly through the app and arrange a place and time to meet up.

* We will provide detailed instructions for using the Festival app when it becomes available to Festival attendees approximately three weeks before the Festival takes place.

Meetings Village * New for this year *

Using the Festial app, you can now schedule a meeting with any of your contacts in the ‘Meetings Village’, a dedicated space on the Festival show floor (you can see it on the 3D floorplan ).

Simply go to the profile of the person you want to meet, click on a proposed meeting slot and table number, and write a message to the person. If they accept, a table will be reserved for you at the agreed time. When it’s time to meet, go to the Meetings Village, check in with the host, and start talking!

Speed Networking

We’ve run speed networking sessions at every Festival since the very first event 10 years ago. It’s a fantastic way to meet other attendees in short, three minute bursts. The rules of speed networking will be clearly explained to participants at the start of each session.

General speed networking takes place during the morning and afternoon breaks on day one and in the morning break on day two. You can find out where speed networking takes place on the 3D floorplan.

We will be announcing further topic-specific speed networking events closer to the event.Watch this space for updates!

Mixers * New for this year*

Taking place across the three domes (the Genome Dome, the Exploration Dome and the Single Cell & Spatial Dome) on the show floor (see the 3D floorplan ), mixers are topic-themed informal networking events, lasting under one hour, where you can meet other attendees with similar priorities to your own.

Supported with drinks and nibbles, you can meet other attendees with similar research priorities to your own, allowing you to grow your network of contacts and have fun at the same time. Places are limited for each mixer, and you will need to sign up in advance.

Several mixers are planned across the two days of the Festival, which will be announced closer to the event. Watch this space for updates on mixer themes, timings and how to sign up!

Other ideas for meeting people

Speaking to people at the booths – build your support network around specific solutions that you may want to tap into soon or in the future.

Talkaoke – Use ‘the flying saucer of chat’ to debate or discuss topics of the moment. Also a great place to get to know other attendees, particularly those with whom you may have lots in common.

The Festival At Night – More details to be announced shortly. Tickets go on sale on Tuesday 10 December.

Roundtables and workshops – Sign up for a roundtable or workshop that is specific to the focus of your work, and use the opportunity to meet people with the same priorities and challenges as yourself. Information is already available on some roundtables and workshops , with more sessions being announced over the coming weeks.

Code of Conduct

It’s important to stay safe at the Festival. Please check out our code of conduct and anti-harassment policies by clicking here.