Hydrogen Cross Border Conference

Reason

The organizations FME, the employers' organization of the technology industry, on the Dutch side of the border and Mariko and H2 Regio Emsland on the German side of the border, wanted to organize an event together. The aim was to put the hydrogen projects in the northern region in the spotlight. That became the Hydrogen Cross Border Conference.

We spoke to Ellen van Zonneveld (PR & Communication at FME) about our collaboration.

What have we done?

From the start of the organization in September 2020, there were discussions about, among other things, the form of the event. Ellen: “We quickly started an online event. We wanted to organize five rounds, each with their own theme. For each round we invited speakers who did their sessions from home. ” The organization considered it important that every speaker could speak in his own language, in both German and Dutch. “This turned out to be a challenge to achieve online. We understood from the Bano employees that it was a real technical tour de force, but in the end they succeeded! ” says Ellen. Indeed, we made sure that every speaker could speak in their own language. A German session was then translated into Dutch in another room and vice versa. For this event we also set up a digital exhibition floor where 27 stands / projects "stood". The participants could take a look and, if desired, plan a meeting with the exhibitors. And of course there was also the possibility to network 1-on-1. The event attended approximately 700 participants, 400 of which were in the system at the same time at its peak.

Future plans?

Ellen: “The reactions of the participants were very positive. They thought it was well organized and were especially enthusiastic about the fact that you could talk to so many people about the same subject at the same time. In addition, they could ask questions to the speakers and they also liked this. No event is planned in the same format for now, but the ideas are certainly there. If we do this again next year, it will likely be in a hybrid form. Where there is a kind of physical "inner circle" of speakers who will be physically on site and in which the participants participate from home. Because that is the biggest advantage of online events. You take away travel time and physical distance. ”