Poken
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{{Infobox company
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| type = Technology company
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| foundation = {{start date|2007|12|df=y}}
| founder = Stéphane Doutriaux
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Poken is a cloud-based event management platform utilized by trade shows and exhibitions, corporate and association events, and sports and youth events.{{cite news|title=Poken wins contract for boy scouts of america conference|url=http://www.meetpie.com/Modules/NewsModule/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=21253|accessdate=24 August 2016|work=meetpie.com|publisher=CAT Publications|date= 20 July 2015}} The modular platform includes features and services such as registration and badging,{{cite web|title=Poken expands its partnership with Reed Exhibitions to provide additional technology solutions for ibtm america 2016|url=http://www.eventindustrynews.co.uk/event-technology-news/poken-expands-partnership-reed-exhibitions-provide-additional-technology-solutions-ibtm-america-2016/|website=Event Industry News|publisher=Event Industry News|accessdate=23 August 2016}} match-making, meeting scheduling, mobile apps, NFC interactive USB devices, lead generation devices,{{cite web|last1=Colston|first1=Paul|title=Poken selected as Technology Partner for International Confex 2016|url=http://www.conference-news.co.uk/2015/12/poken-selected-as-technology-partner-for-international-confex-2016/|website=Conferencenews.com|publisher=Mash Media|accessdate=23 August 2016}} gamification, access control, and metrics reporting.{{cite web | url=http://www.poken.com/ | title=Home | publisher=Poken | accessdate=6 November 2014}}
History
The company, Poken S.A., was founded in December 2007 in Lausanne, Switzerland, by Stéphane Doutriaux. The founder developed the initial concept of an interactive USB device for sharing personal information and social networks by touch{{cite web|last1=Schaffer|first1=Neal|title=What is a Poken?|url=http://maximizesocialbusiness.com/poken-and-social-networking-the-perfect-match-2435/|website=MaximizeSocialBusiness.com|publisher=Maximize Social Business|accessdate=24 August 2016}} while doing his MBA at IMD, a business school in Lausanne. This project was inspired by an application running on the IMD campus developed by Gabriel Klein in 2004, one of the first employees of Poken.{{cite web|last1=Klein|first1=Gabriel|title=Networking people?|url=https://www.nuage.ch/projets/KleinGabriel-NetworkingPeople.pdf|website=Nuage.ch|publisher=Gabriel Klein|accessdate=30 September 2004}} The technology was developed in collaboration with the Berner Fachhochschule, a university of applied sciences in Biel, Switzerland. The project started in July 2008 and ended in December of the same year. The first release of the interactive USB device, called ‘Sparks,’ was in January 2009. Since the initial development of the Poken 'Spark,' the company has expanded its lines of products and services.{{cite web|title=A new wave of innovation for Poken|url=http://www.venturelab.ch/index.cfm?page=130666&article_id=466|website=venturelab.com|accessdate=23 August 2016}}
Poken has a network of partners and resellers in over 12 countries, with headquarters in London, Lausanne, Dubai, and New York,{{cite web|title=Poken Contact|url=https://www.poken.com/contact/|website=www.poken.com|publisher=Poken}} and has delivered events in over 80 international locations. In 2017, Poken was acquired by GES.{{cite web|title=Acquisition of Poken|url=https://insights.ges.com/us-blog/ges-adds-leading-visitor-engagement-technology-with-acquisition-of-poken|website=www.ges.com|publisher=GES}}
Products and services
Poken is a modular, end-to-end platform that consists of both software and hardware products. The Poken interactive USB device utilizes Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to exchange online social networking data between two devices. The primary information exchanged via the Poken is a ‘social business card,’ a digital replacement for a physical business card. By touching two devices together, a unique ID is exchanged that links to contact information on the Poken website. Contact information acquired using the Poken can be uploaded to the Poken website using a built-in USB connector. The user's Poken contact card can contain any information they want to share, for example, URLs, mobile numbers, email addresses, and locations. It can also be configured with links to the user on over 40 social networking sites.
When used with Poken Touch points, the Poken interactive USB can collect digital content via touch, such as brochures and magazines, interact with installations such as media walls and digital surveys, and be used for access control and meeting check-in.{{cite news|last1=Boden|first1=Rian|title=Reed exhibitions uses NFC for ibtm america visitors|url=http://www.nfcworld.com/2015/06/12/335933/reed-exhibitions-uses-nfc-for-ibtm-america-visitors/|accessdate=24 August 2016|publisher=SJB Research LTD|date= 12 June 2016 }}
Awards
- Swiss ICT Award- Best Newcomer, 2009{{cite web|title=Swiss ICT Award- Poken, Wuala und Amazee uberzuegen die Jury|url=http://www.venturelab.ch/index.cfm?page=130667&article_id=41|website=Venturelab|publisher=Venturelab|accessdate=23 August 2016}}
- Tech Crunch Europa- Best Real World Gadget, 2009{{cite web|title=Tech crunch Europa Awards- Quick Round Up|url=http://www.computerweekly.com/blog/Inspect-a-Gadget/TechCrunch-Europa-Awards-quick-roundup|website=compuerweekly.com|publisher=computerweekly.com|accessdate=23 August 2016}}
- Red Herring Europe- Top 100 Finalist, 2011{{cite web|title=Die Finalisten der REd Herring Top100|url=http://www.venturelab.ch/index.cfm?page=130667&article_id=418|website=venturelab.com|publisher=venture lab|accessdate=23 August 2016}}
- Mobile World Congress- Best Innovation in Mobile Advertising, 2012{{cite web|title=Poken wins Global Mobile Award at Mobile World Congress|url=http://www.startupticker.ch/en/news/february-2012/poken-wins-global-mobile-award-at-world-mobile-con|website=startupticker.ch|publisher=Start Up Ticker|accessdate=23 August 2016}}
- E.X.C.I.T.E - Innovation in the Event Industry: Silver, 2012{{cite web|last1=Schon|first1=Eugene|title=E.X.C.I.T.E. awards recognizes Poken's innovations in the events industry|url=http://blog.alpict.com/2012/06/26/e-x-c-i-t-e-awards-recognize-poken%E2%80%99s-innovation-in-the-event%C2%A0industry/?lang=en|website=alpict.com|publisher=AlpICT.com|accessdate=23 August 2016}}
- GMIC Green Meeting Industry Award (GMIC NCC),2015
- CTI/KTI Swiss Government Innovation Grant- 2016{{cite web|title=Poken receives 1 million innovation award|url=http://www.eventindustrynews.co.uk/event-technology-news/poken-receives-1-million-innovation-award/|website=eventindustrynews.co.uk|publisher=event industry news|accessdate=23 August 2016}}