Barcelona bound: Making it to MWC 2023!

The shift from hosting virtual events to participating in an on-site global expo is massive. The heart beats at the speed of light when you are moments away from the launch. Our journey began a couple of years ago which makes it even more special to rewind and narrate our episode- the road to MWC 2023! 

About Mobile World Congress

Mobile World Congress (MWC) is one of the world’s largest tech gatherings that attracts 100,000 visitors and 1000+ exhibitors from around the world, every year. A gathering of tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, C-level executives, business professionals and journalists, MWC hosts attendees and exhibitors from more than 180 countries.  

The event offers a venue for startups and new businesses to display their products and innovations and develop relationships with possible partners, clients, and investors. The creation of new businesses in the mobile industry is supported and nurtured through a variety of competitions and programmes. 

MWC Barcelona offers a variety of keynotes and other sessions on subjects like 5G technology, artificial intelligence, the internet of things (IoT), and mobile security in addition to commercial and networking opportunities. These events, which are led by industry professionals, offer information on the most recent advancements and trends in the mobile sector. 

Restarting from scratch after COVID 

We were elated to return to work after spending months in the enclosure of our homes, away from our loved ones. Was it too soon to start planning for MWC when the future seemed foggy with unpredictability? We sat out on the next two editions of MWC and planned our visit only at the back of our minds. 

In 2022, we crunched on the numbers and finally decided to give it another shot. Maybe the next edition will be ours, but before we took out our blueprints, we convinced ourselves that anything could happen. Nevertheless, we aimed for the moon and stars and booked a stall that was bigger than our last attempt at MWC. The main goal of our booth was to not only stand out among the rest but provide enough space for any attendee to wind down while learning about endpoint security management. 

The Hexnode team studied every nook and cranny of the GSMA arena hosting the Mobile World Congress and settled on an optimal location in Hall 2 to host our open booth numbered “2L8”. We immediately booked it, thus officially confirming our presence in Barcelona from 27 February to 2 March 2023. 

3 months turned to 3 weeks, then 3 days… 

The Hexnode team was engaging in various parts of planning like logistics, communication, marketing collaterals, etc. as the dates were getting closer. During the 3 days of MWC, we devised interesting and memorable merchandise to distribute among the attendees. It consisted of functional giveaways like bucket hats, temperature-sensing bottles and tote bags.  

Creativity was in full swing and after settling on a stall design, we finally started constructing our booth barely 3 weeks before MWC began! After months of grinding, we were finally ready to reap what we sowed. With only 3 days to go, we assembled the stall and Hexnode was more than ready to own the show! 

“It’s lights out and away we go!” 

The Fira de Barcelona was bustling with attendees on all the days and at any given point of time, there was something or the other going on. Talk about the most happening places on earth, and we assure you that MWC Barcelona would be topping the charts for those three days. 

This year, we had attendees from 190 countries sprawling across the 240,000 sqm arena. Much to our surprise, many visitors had forgotten to bring their water bottles. Our Hexnode branded temperature sensing bottles came to their rescue, and we ran out of stock. Not a bad start to our expedition.  

We came, we saw, we conquered (the challenges) 

We were prepared to face any calamity after the 2020 debacle. But the stars were aligned for us and we could arrange for everything even in the last minute, including a coffee machine. The merch arrived on time and we had the most lip-smacking muffins, chocolates and beverages for our guests. Both our vendors and the MWC organizing committee were kind enough to help us out in every step of the way. 

The Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2023 

The Hexnode team interacted with the audience and broadened ideas about endpoint security management. Our attendees enjoyed discussing security architecture and learned about Hexnode’s many features, including zero-touch onboarding, remote access and control, configuration management, and threat defense.

Apart from Hexnode, there were countless striking booths that stood out for their design or their magnanimity. The 4YFN event (4 years from now), a section of MWC is a platform dedicated to up-and-coming startups. There, the stalls gave us a glimpse of the future and the ever-shifting technology.  

The land of flavor, flair and fiesta 

Barcelona and their lovely folks had our backs and so did the hundreds of guests who entered our stall. Leaving MWC Barcelona, we felt more confident about the future and comforted by the people and the city’s beauty.

To sum it up, we had a memorable experience in our debut at MWC Barcelona. We faced unexpected hurdles, technical glitches and last-minute changes that tweaked our plans. However, our team rose to the occasion and tackled each obstacle with resilience and determination. From putting our nose to the grindstone to running over the most minute details till the last minute, we ultimately pulled off the plan that was once stowed away in a backup disc.