1
Research· 2 weeks
Event organizer interviews
Interviewed 15 event organizers across conferences, music festivals, and corporate events to map pain points and tool stacks.
Back to products
SaaS
EventRaft
End-to-end event management with branded mobile apps
Event organizers juggle 5-6 tools for ticketing, check-in, communication, and analytics. EventRaft consolidates everything into a single platform with branded mobile apps - so the organizer's brand shows up everywhere the attendee looks.
Live
70%
Faster check-in
50K+
Tickets processed
98%
Attendee satisfaction
The problem
Event organizers cobble together separate tools for ticketing (Eventbrite), check-in (spreadsheets), communication (Mailchimp), analytics (Google Sheets), and engagement (WhatsApp groups). Each tool has its own data silo. The attendee experience feels fragmented because it is fragmented.
Cost of inaction
A 5,000-person conference using 5 separate tools spends $3,000-$8,000/year on subscriptions alone - plus dozens of hours per event on data reconciliation. Slow check-in lines (3-5 minutes per attendee) mean the first session starts with half-empty seats.
Our approach
We mapped the event lifecycle from the organizer's perspective: create → promote → sell → check-in → engage → analyze. Each stage had a different tool and a data handoff that lost information.
EventRaft's architecture puts the mobile app at the center. The organizer builds their event in the dashboard, and it instantly appears in a branded app that handles every attendee touchpoint - no separate integrations needed.
Offline check-in was non-negotiable. Venue WiFi fails at the worst possible moment - when 2,000 people arrive in 30 minutes. We built encrypted QR codes that validate locally, then sync when connectivity returns.
Key insight
The attendee's phone is the single control surface for the entire event experience - from ticket purchase to check-in to session navigation to feedback. Build the mobile app first and everything else follows.
What EventRaft does
Branded iOS & Android apps
Ticketing with early bird & VIP tiers
QR code entry - works offline
Automated attendee communication
Real-time event analytics
Sponsor showcase & lead capture
Multi-event dashboard
Self-service event creation
Results
70% faster
Check-in speed
5→1
Tool consolidation
35%
No-show reduction
Single-scan QR verification replaces manual name lookup. Average check-in drops from 45 seconds to 12 seconds per attendee.
Organizers replace ticketing, check-in, communication, engagement, and analytics tools with a single platform.
Automated reminder sequences and push notifications reduce no-shows significantly compared to email-only reminders.
“Our check-in line used to be a 45-minute nightmare. With EventRaft, 2,000 people were seated in under 20 minutes.”
Architecture
Tech stack
React NativeNode.jsPostgreSQLRedisFirebase Cloud MessagingAWS LambdaStripe Connect
Key decisions
Encrypted QR codes with offline validation
Venue WiFi is unreliable during peak check-in. QR codes contain encrypted ticket data that validates locally without a server round-trip.
White-label app architecture
Each organizer gets a branded experience. The app dynamically applies theming (colors, logos, fonts) from the dashboard configuration.
Stripe Connect for ticketing
Organizers receive direct payouts. 1Raft collects a platform fee automatically - no manual invoicing or reconciliation.
Push notification pipeline
Attendee communication must be instant and reliable. We built a multi-channel pipeline (push + email + SMS) with delivery tracking and fallback.
How we built it
2
Core· 6 weeks
Ticketing & check-in engine
Built the ticket purchase flow, encrypted QR generation, and offline-capable scanning app. Tested at a 500-person pilot event.
3
Platform· 4 weeks
Dashboard & communication
Self-service event creation, attendee management, automated email/push sequences, and real-time analytics.
4
Polish· 3 weeks
White-label & multi-event
Branded app theming, multi-event dashboard, sponsor showcase, and advanced reporting.
What we learned
Offline is not optional for events
We tested at a venue that lost WiFi 10 minutes into check-in. If we hadn't built offline-first, 800 people would have waited in line while we troubleshot network issues.
The organizer's first event is make-or-break
Event organizers evaluate tools during their first real event. If anything fails under pressure, they never come back. We over-invested in onboarding and first-event support.
Sponsor value is underserved
Organizers struggle to prove ROI to sponsors. Adding lead capture and engagement metrics for sponsors turned into a major selling point we didn't initially plan.
Growth strategy
Event industry is relationship-driven. We focused on making the first event flawless, then leveraging organizer-to-organizer referrals. Conference organizers talk to each other - one successful event generates 3-5 warm introductions.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The platform has processed 50K+ tickets and handles concurrent check-in for events up to 5,000 attendees. The offline-capable QR system ensures check-in speed doesn't degrade regardless of venue connectivity.
Next Step
Planning to build an event platform?
We've built event tech from scratch - ticketing, check-in, mobile apps, analytics. Tell us what you need and we'll scope it out.