Brella

About Brella

Brella operates as a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) company in the event technology sector, providing a comprehensive solution for in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. Founded in Helsinki, Finland, in 2016, the company's genesis stems from its founders' experiences as young professionals attending events. Markus Kauppinen (CEO), Mikko Matikka (CPO), Jani Lehtimäki (VP of Partnerships), Ville Vanhala (VP of Customer Experience), and others identified a gap in the market for technology that facilitated meaningful networking rather than relying on random encounters. This insight led to the creation of Brella, which spun off from the design agency MEOM, where some of the founders were also partners, bringing a strong background in both design and the event industry to the new venture.

The core of Brella's offering is its proprietary, intent-based matchmaking algorithm powered by artificial intelligence. This technology analyzes attendee profiles, interests, and stated goals to suggest high-quality connections, moving beyond simple contact sharing to facilitate scheduled 1-to-1 or group meetings that align with attendees' business objectives. The platform is designed to manage the entire event lifecycle, serving event organizers, attendees, and sponsors. For organizers, it offers tools for ticketing, registration, customizable branding, agenda building, and detailed analytics on attendee engagement, meeting metrics, and content consumption. This data provides measurable ROI insights for both the organizers and their sponsors. Sponsors and exhibitors benefit from features like virtual booths, lead scanning and retrieval, and AI-powered prospecting to connect with relevant attendees and track their return on investment.

Brella's business model is B2B, targeting corporate event planners, marketing managers, and associations hosting mid-sized to large events where networking is a primary goal. Revenue is generated through a custom pricing model based on consultation, which considers factors like the number of attendees and the specific features required. This positions the company as an enterprise solution provider rather than a low-cost alternative. The company has demonstrated significant traction, having supported thousands of events in over 56 countries and facilitating millions of connections. Its client roster includes major organizations such as Informa Markets, Forbes, Microsoft, and The Linux Foundation. Financially, Brella has secured a total of $11.4 million in funding over two rounds, including a $10 million Series A round in June 2021, led by Connected Capital, to fuel product development and market expansion.