Networking
The networking hub is where you connect with other attendees, book meetings, and manage your professional presence at the event. Everything lives under the Connect section in the Me portal.
Me > Connect
Open the event-specific Me portal and select Connect to use directory search, connections, meeting requests, availability, and messages.
Attendee Directory
The attendee directory lists everyone participating in the event who has opted into networking. Search and browse to find people you want to meet.
Searching the Directory
Use the search bar and filters to find attendees by:
- Name — search by first or last name.
- Interests — discover attendees who share your professional interests or discussion topics.
- Attendee type — narrow the directory when the event uses attendee categories.
You can sort the directory by recommended matches, recent activity, profile completion, or name. Results show each attendee's name, headline, company or job title, photo, interests, attendee types, and connection status. Tap a result to view their full networking profile.
Viewing Profiles
An attendee's networking profile includes:
- Their photo, name, and headline.
- Company and job title.
- Bio describing their background and what they do.
- Listed interests and discussion topics.
- Social links (LinkedIn, Twitter/X, website) if they have added them.
- A Connect button to send a connection request.
- A Request Meeting button to propose meeting times.
Your Networking Profile
Your networking profile is what other attendees see when they find you in the directory. A complete profile makes you more discoverable and approachable.
Setting Up Your Profile
Edit your networking profile to include:
- Photo — a clear headshot helps people recognize you at the event.
- Bio — describe who you are, what you do, and what you are looking for at the event.
- Interests — select or type topics you want to discuss. These are searchable by other attendees.
- Social links — add your LinkedIn, Twitter/X, or personal website so connections can follow up after the event.
Your networking profile can include your headline, company, job title, industry, location, bio, interests, skills, what you are looking for, social links, and visibility settings.
Profile Visibility
Your profile visibility is controlled from Connect > Profile. You can choose whether your profile is public to the networking directory, limited to connections, or hidden.
Use a public profile when you want attendees to find and contact you. Limit visibility if you only want existing connections to see more detail. Hide your profile if you do not want to participate in networking for the event.
An attendee interested in healthcare data searches the directory for that topic, finds three people attending the same workshop, sends connection requests, and books a short coffee meeting during an open networking window.
Connections
Sending Connection Requests
Find someone in the directory and tap Connect. They receive a request and can accept or decline it.
Managing Incoming Requests
View incoming connection requests under your connections list. For each request, you can:
- Accept — add them to your network and enable messaging and meeting booking.
- Decline — remove the request. The sender is not notified of a decline.
Your Network
Your connections list shows everyone you have connected with. From this list, you can:
- View their full profile.
- Send them a message.
- Book a meeting.
- View any past meetings you have had.
The connections list in an event shows people from that event who have accepted your connection request.
Meetings
Booking a Meeting
Send a meeting request to an attendee:
- Visit their profile or tap Request Meeting from the directory or connections list.
- Choose whether the request is for a 1:1 meeting or a group meeting.
- Select up to three available time slots from the event's networking windows.
- Add an optional message describing what you would like to discuss.
- Send the request.
The other person receives a notification and can:
- Accept — the meeting is confirmed and appears in both your schedules.
- Decline — the request is declined.
If no networking windows are configured, meeting requests cannot be sent yet. If a window has no available slots, choose another window or check back later. Events may also cap how many networking meetings you can book per day and set a time limit for the other person to respond before the request expires.
Other attendees can only request times that match available networking windows and your selected slots. Update availability when your agenda changes so you do not receive requests for times you can no longer attend.
Your Meeting List
View networking meetings from Connect > Meetings or the meetings tab on your connections page. Each meeting shows:
- Attendee name and photo.
- Date, time, and duration.
- A physical location, an external virtual meeting link, or ema's built-in video call, depending on how the meeting was set up.
- Status -- Confirmed, In Progress, Completed, Cancelled, or No Show.
Upcoming meetings appear at the top. Past meetings are kept for reference.
Open a meeting to also:
- Join Video Call -- appears on confirmed meetings that use ema's built-in video calling. It becomes available 15 minutes before the meeting starts and stays available for an hour after it ends.
- Message Participant -- start or continue a direct message with the other attendee.
- Add to Calendar -- download a calendar file for the meeting.
- Reschedule or Cancel -- for meetings that have not yet happened.
- Leave feedback -- rate a completed meeting once it has taken place.
Setting Your Availability
Define when you are open for meetings by setting available time blocks for each day of the event.
- Open Connect > Availability.
- Review the networking windows configured for the event.
- Toggle individual time slots on or off.
- Save each window after changing your slots.
Green slots are available, and grey slots are blocked. Keeping your availability up to date helps others propose times that work for you.
Connection Recommendations
ema may suggest connections based on:
- Shared interests — attendees who listed similar topics.
- Mutual connections — people connected to others in your network.
- Event participation — attendees in the same sessions or tracks as you.
Recommendations appear on your networking home screen when available. Tap a suggestion to view their profile and send a connection request.
Exhibitor Demos
If the event includes exhibitors, you can browse exhibitor profiles and book demo sessions with their representatives.
- Browse exhibitors — view exhibitor profiles with company descriptions, products, and team members.
- Book a demo — select an available time slot with an exhibitor representative.
- Demo meetings — booked demos appear alongside your other networking meetings in your meeting list.
This is a convenient way to schedule dedicated time with exhibitors instead of waiting at their booth during busy periods.
Messaging
Once you are connected with another attendee, you can exchange direct messages. Use messaging to:
- Introduce yourself before meeting in person.
- Share contact details or documents.
- Coordinate meeting logistics.
- Follow up after a conversation.
Messages are accessible from your connections list.
Complete your networking profile before the event. Set your photo, bio, and interests so other attendees can find and connect with you. Early profile setup means you start receiving connection requests and meeting invitations as soon as networking opens.
Confirmed networking meetings also appear in your meeting list alongside other event commitments. See My Meetings.