Marcus Richards
Since 2007, Gravit8 has been developing world-leading, experiential software for online and physical events that drives exhibition engagement, boosts interaction, and helps brands to stand out from the crowd.
Tell us about yourself?
My background is in web design, software, and animation, then 10 years travelling the world at events doing Software, Tech and AV.
I first got into events for the travel and the buzz straight after uni – loved the pace, variety and completion (seeing crazy software from an initial mad idea, right through to completion, then onto the next one!).
I started Pixelhouse Content division and grew it until big enough to be standalone as Gravit8 software.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Probably to work less hours!! We’ve put thousands and thousands of man hours into the Virtual Event Platform (VEP) and like anything I’m passionate about – I (and many others) threw myself into it big time!
What problem does your business solve?
Two parts – on the physical = wow factor and standing out. Knowing what works in the medium and being able to quickly make apps that do that job of info delivery.
On Virtual its similar = making it stand out, and a good useful experience – really getting into users heads – whether that user is an organiser, brand or delegate.
So two goals really on both: Innovation and information. 2x skills: creativity & experience (of software and events) to be able to make something cool happen, and happen in time.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
Every brand (including us) wants to let the world know how good their stuff is, and why its so great, as they believe in it.
We help brands do that in a way and in a medium that they don’t know how to construct: software. And for a situation they don’t know how to plan for (short, brief interactions where impact matters).
What is your magic sauce?
Firstly, it’s not my magic sauce, it’s entirely my teams! I’m just good at finding good people and helping them come up with good ideas, and I think the passion to really make something great every time we do something.
We literally give our clients innovation and new ideas and make the future happen right not, and we’ve been doing that consistently for 15 years and I look forward to the next 15 !
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
On the physical side we have all sorts of cool crazy stuff going on for huge global brands, and that’s something I want to see keep growing – its fun the variety of brands, and the variety of situations: from events in real life or online, to customer engagement centres (CECs) and permanent installs.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
At the top of most companies for the last few years, especially in events would no doubt be the pandemic and the switch to online events, however for us, that was a natural blend of what we were already doing anyway – so I’d say the biggest change for me is the need for (and our lack of skill at!) our own marketing, and the difficulty of reaching new customers when we aren’t actually at events.
All our success and clients have always come via recommendations and word of mouth and organically (which is basically how we’ve always grown to this point) – but now, and especially with a product (see: https://www.gravit8.co/gravit8-launches-market-first-diy-saas-platform-for-hybrid-events/) as vast, and good, and genuinely as game changing in the virtual market – we need to really up our marketing game and excel at it – so that as many companies as possible can see how damn good and comprehensive this system is!
How do people get involved/buy into your vision?
We want people who work at event organisers or brands to get in touch with us so we can help them transform how their organisation does online events and software for their in person events. And we will literally transform it, completely, and forever.
I’m looking forward to helping them with that and I know my team are too! They can reach us via our website, phone or email.
