PRESS RELEASE: GoLucid Launches the Certified EventTech Classification Initiative™ (CECI)

CECI – January 14, 2026

Empowering the Events Industry with Clarity, Collaboration, and Innovation

Phoenix, AZ — GoLucid, LLC proudly announces the launch of the Certified EventTech Classification Initiative™ (CECI), a leadership-driven guild and framework designed to bring clarity, shared language, and structured collaboration to the event technology sector.

In today’s rapidly evolving events industry, technology vendors and buyers face persistent challenges: fragmented terminology, inconsistent classification, and a lack of transparency that slows innovation and decision-making. CECI addresses these issues by cultivating a living framework—shaped directly by working technologists and industry leaders—that empowers members to define standards, refine models, and drive ongoing improvements in event technology.

A Guild-Guided Framework: Shaped by the Industry, for the Industry

CECI is governed by the CECI Council, a diverse group of Registry Members, neutral Industry Experts, and Guild Members representing the core verticals of event technology. This council oversees onboarding, validation, and the continuous evolution of the classification system, ensuring that the framework remains responsive, transparent, and inclusive.

GoLucid leads foundational research, data modeling, and operational structure, while the direction and integrity of the framework are shaped by active participation from vendors—both established leaders and innovative startups. Through collaborative input, member surveys, and working groups, CECI enables the industry to collectively define categories, identify gaps, and refine terminology.

“CECI is an industry-led effort to solve one of the biggest challenges in events today: understanding what event technology vendors actually do. By creating a shared, vendor-validated framework, CECI helps buyers navigate a fragmented landscape while giving vendors clearer positioning and trust.”

Why CECI Matters Now

The event technology landscape is expanding at an unprecedented pace, yet the events industry has never had a formal classification system to organize and define this growth. Without a structured framework, event producers and vendors face mounting challenges in understanding, comparing, and positioning technologies—and these problems will only intensify as innovation accelerates.

Time is critical. Building this framework now ensures that both emerging and mature technologies are recognized appropriately, creating clarity and trust across the industry. While analysts, influencers, and buyers struggle to classify event technology today, that limitation is a symptom of a deeper issue—the absence of an industry-driven standard. CECI exists to fill that gap.

CECI focuses on:

 

Establishing a shared vocabulary and structured classification model
Publishing a registry of companies aligned to clearly defined categories
Creating transparent mechanisms for ongoing refinement and member-driven updates
Delivering tiered access to event tech data to support benchmarking and decision-making
Achievements and Ongoing Impact

Since its inception, CECI has:

Developed a foundational classification model grounded in real vendor terminology
Conducted extensive research across the event technology ecosystem
Established the Certified EventTech Classification Registry, now open for vendor registration
Formed a governing council to ensure neutrality and quality
Launched quarterly reporting to guide transparency and industry alignment

How to Participate

Participation begins with company registration, ensuring that vendors are counted and accurately represented within the ecosystem. Industry Members and Guild Members contribute to the evolution of the framework through surveys, structured feedback, and validation efforts.

As participation grows, the clarity and utility of the classification model expand—driving greater trust, education, and alignment across the events industry.

Event producers and organizers may join the mailing list to stay informed. As the model matures, it will serve as a practical resource buyers can use to begin their technology search by identifying needs first, not vendors.

Benefits for Vendors and Buyers

For Vendors:

Clearer differentiation and positioning
A voice in defining industry categories and standards
Increased visibility through participation and reporting

For Event Organizers and Associations:

Faster, more informed technology decision-making
Access to a neutral, vendor-validated framework
Reliable data to support planning and procurement

Building the Future—Together

CECI is more than a framework—it is a collaborative movement. As the industry participates, the framework evolves, ensuring that the language, tools, and systems defining event technology reflect the expertise of those who build and use it.

About GoLucid
GoLucid, LLC is a strategy and research consultancy specializing in event technology. As the creator of CECI, GoLucid helps organizations and vendors navigate, structure, and advance the event technology landscape through data-driven clarity and standardization.

Schedule a meeting to register your company: https://meetings.hubspot.com/jtaulbee/want-to-join-ceci