VenuesIn launches AI-powered cost calculator: an ally for the industry

VenuesIn has introduced the first smart calculator for corporate event costs, developed with artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

The platform specializing in finding and selecting venues for corporate events has launched this tool, which is based on real data from hundreds of events and promises to transform event planning by offering a personalized cost estimate.

The solution aims to “address embryonic requests, whether from clients or companies, who are often presented with an internal challenge (for example, an offsite event) without having any idea of ​​the associated costs,” says Rodrigo Nené, co-founder and general manager of VenuesIn, adding that, “using our calculator, with the AI ​​model and based on the hundreds of proposals made by our team, the client has an initial view of costs.”

The launch coincides with the phase of preparing companies’ budgets for 2026. “We have been telling clients that they are using the simulations to put into their budgets. This makes us very proud and proves that it is a valuable asset for users,” the manager emphasizes.

“We believe that AI will greatly help the events industry.”

Rodrigo Nené explains that VenuesIn’s AI model “analyzes various patterns and variables in order to obtain an estimate of the final value for the event,” fueled by years of commercial proposals from the team.

“We believe that AI will greatly help the events industry. It will be fundamental in developing more routine tasks that generate little added value,” says Rodrigo Nené, who sees AI as “an ally for sales teams and event managers.”

Among the tasks that can be automated, he highlights “handling the hundreds of emails that are written and received per event,” “automatic follow-ups to partners,” “efficient management of operational team communication,” and “billing management,” for example.

Sustainable growth and internationalization plans

The VenuesIn venue finder model remains free for the user. “It’s a proven model. Increasingly, we feel it’s a transparent model that has achieved visible and sustainable results, after overcoming a pandemic that lasted two and a half years, between openings and closings,” explains Rodrigo Nené, according to whom, what distinguishes VenuesIn from international venue directories and marketplaces is, in short, “our ability to send business proposals within 24 business hours.”

The speed of response, coupled with a process without intermediaries, has sustained the company’s growth, even after the initial adversity. Founded in January 2019, VenuesIn faced the pandemic almost immediately. Rodrigo Nené recalls that, with only one year and three months of activity, “when we started receiving the wave of cancellations for the following six months, we didn’t have the cash flow to withstand the ‘impact’, so we had to lay off the entire team in the following months.” The experience brought lessons, such as “managing cash flow,” “making quick decisions,” and “adapting the product or service.”

Today the scenario is different, and the company already has an internationalization plan underway for Florida, in the United States. “The venue finder model is quite well-known in the North American market, and this state is a highly sought-after destination for corporate events, especially conferences,” he says.

Rodrigo Nené explains that, in Portugal, a 360º management service was launched about a year and a half ago, “which complements the needs of clients in some events” – a service that has an associated cost.

Key trends and vision for the future

According to Rodrigo Nené, the Portuguese corporate events market is experiencing “constant growth,” with an “evolving demand for innovation to generate value, both for internal and external clients.” He believes that remote work “continues to be a ‘barrier’ to team unity, so clients are looking for events to bring people together in a face-to-face format,” and that there is an increasing use of company-owned spaces, such as offices, for more informal events.

Among the international trends with the greatest impact, Rodrigo Nené highlights AI – the “hot topic” – as well as health and well-being. Regarding AI, he mentions that there is a growing demand to integrate the topic directly into events, “whether in the content of presentations (with the integration of AI into company activities, with virtual assistants and customer support)”, or also in team-building activities.

“We’ve already had to develop a more complex narrative, in which AI stole information from the company’s main server, so access needs to be regained. In that sense, a program is created in which the target audience is divided into several groups with the mission of solving mysteries,” he explains.

In the case of health and wellness, “small-scale events (up to 30 people) for venues with a strong nature component and relaxation programs” are on the rise. VenuesIn created the ‘Running Club – Company X’ product for larger groups, in which a coach develops runs tailored to the different levels of the participants. The result, assures Rodrigo Nené, has been “a success”, also due to the energy with which the teams start the meetings.

Regarding the future, VenuesIn’s vision is clear: “We want to be the number 1 venue finder in Portugal, continue to gain market share in the national territory, continue to attract international events to our country, and internationalize to the United States,” points out Rodrigo Nené.