Connect Meetings’ largest annual event, Connect Marketplace, is heading to Miami Aug. 25-27, and is expecting to bring some 3,000 event industry professionals along with it.
The three-day trade show is activating nearly all 1.4 million square feet of the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC), which was awarded last month with the 2025 IAVM Venue Excellence Award by the International Association of Venue Managers. The expo floor alone will span 500,000 square feet—a sizable increase from last year’s 300,000-square-foot exhibitor space at The Baird Center in Milwaukee.
Though details about booth innovations are being reserved for on-site attendees, past editions of Connect Marketplace have featured everything from full-blown half-pipe skateboard ramps and puppies to live DJs (yes, plural) and even permanent tattooing.
Alongside 200-plus exhibitor booths, the trade show is expecting to facilitate more than 38,000 one-on-one meetings across seven tracks: association, business travel, corporate, Informa, international, specialty, and sports. Among the 1,100 pre-qualified hosted buyers taking meetings, 350 are first timers, representing organizations such as Salesforce, Meetings Made Easy, Gold’s Gym, HPN Global, and more.
After all, Connect’s motto is, “Where Business Gets Done”—and this year’s event is poised to deliver on that promise in a big way.
Here’s what else is about to go down in Miami…
Rebranded Speaker Showcase
All live educational programming will take place as part of the Visit Milwaukee Speaker Showcase, at the heart of the trade show floor. But this year, the setup is getting a playful twist: For the first time, the stage, seating, and surrounding space will mimic the sponsor’s booth design. And since Visit Milwaukee is in charge, expect a beer garden vibe, complete with a beer wall to foster a fun, communal atmosphere.
The Visit Milwaukee Speaker Showcase will feature more than a dozen educational sessions from leading industry voices.
In the spirit of refreshing the stage experience, Connect is introducing upgraded audiovisuals and lounge seating conveniently located near charging stations and water refill kiosks. Visit Milwaukee VIPs will also enjoy access to a second-floor viewing deck overlooking the Speaker Showcase.
All the while, more than a dozen presentations and panel discussions will make up a dynamic on-stage agenda. Expect expert takes on navigating hotel contracts, the surprising advantages of Tier 2 cities, and strategies for creating events that resonate across generations. Plus, don’t miss a standout session from Boldpush founder Julius Solaris, titled “You Can’t Fake Events,” as well as “The Road to 2026,” featuring insights from key players involved in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
MatchPoint’s Networking Lounge
Long-time Connect Marketplace attendees William McGlade and Scott Lebwohl saw an untapped opportunity while wandering the trade show floor and after-hours events: casual networking wasn’t always so easy to spark up. So in 2023, they launched MatchPoint, an AI-powered networking app that functions like a corporate dating app—minus the awkward small talk.
Upon signing up, MatchPoint asks users at large conferences about their professional goals and personal interests (think: favorite books, movies, and hobbies), then presents them with a curated selection of fellow attendees that could be a potential business “match.”
At past editions of Connect Marketplace, booths on the show floor have featured everything from full-blown half-pipe skateboard ramps and puppies to live DJs (yes, plural) and even permanent tattooing.
After swiping right, the app encourages an in-person meetup at some point during the event, whether during trade show hours, at an evening reception, or over dinner (Connect Marketplace’s “open night” falls on day two).
This year, Connect Marketplace is expanding its partnership with MatchPoint in a major way: not only will the app’s services be available to all attendees, but for the first time, Connect is unveiling the MatchPoint Networking Lounge. The space will resemble a stylish cafe on the trade show floor, complete with a full-service coffee shop designed for face-to-face meetups between “matched” attendees.
“It’s a way for us to give another opportunity for attendees to meet with potential business matches outside of the one-on-one appointments,” Michela Giovannotto, vice president of BizBash and lead on the Connect Marketplace-MatchPoint partnership.
BizBash Innovation Forum
For the first time, the BizBash Innovation Forum is being held in conjunction with the larger Connect Marketplace event.
For those unfamiliar, the BizBash Innovation Forum is a longtime staple of the industry, originally launched in 2013 by BizBash in partnership with the Event Leadership Institute. Since then, BizBash was acquired by Connect, both brands joined the Informa portfolio, and the Innovation Forum has evolved to include a sports-specific edition.
This year’s stage setup is being designed by showcase sponsor Visit Milwaukee. Expect nods to the city’s brewing history with a beer garden vibe.
In Miami, the Forum is set to bring together some of the brightest minds in the events world for an ultra-curated agenda that will transform BizBash’s editorial insights into immersive educational content and real-world experiences. To attend, there are passes available for an added cost tailored to suppliers and brand-side event and marketing professionals, with optional benefits like sponsorship and speaking opportunities.
On-stage sessions will lean heavily into case studies by the visionaries behind Walmart Associates Week, BÉIS’s viral pop-ups, and Canva Create, just to touch on the highlights. After-hours, a “Sip & Sail” reception in partnership with Seafair Yacht will see attendees networking aboard a $40 million yacht as it sails Miami’s waterways.
Closing Reception Featuring Flo Rida
Connect Marketplace has set itself apart by breaking away from the traditional closing keynote in favor of a lively finale that doubles as a concert.
Breaking away from the traditional trade show wrap-up, Connect Marketplace is ditching a stuffy closing keynote for a lively closing reception headlined by Flo Rida. Dust off your apple bottom jeans and get ready to dance the night away!
And after the sun sets post-Flo Rida concert, the Northern Lights Drone Show will put on a spectacular display of synchronized patterns and formations in a true finale to Connect Marketplace 2025.
Northern Lights Drone Show will light up the night sky on the last night of the trade show with a spectacular display of synchronized patterns and formations.
For more information on Connect Marketplace, visit the event’s website. Registration is open through the event’s kickoff on Aug. 25.
Editor’s Note: Connect is TSNN’s parent company under the Informa umbrella.
