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Bosch Hydrogen for Life

Client: Bosch/JSO
Agent:  JSO
Event: Hydrogen for Life
Date: 30 June 2022
No of guests: 350 in-person; 1,000+ online
Venue: Illuminate & The Smith Centre

Event brief & objective:

Hydrogen for Life was a unique showcase of the best of Anglo-German innovation and technology. It built on the themes in the Government’s Hydrogen Strategy, underlining the strength of innovation across the hydrogen value chain, and showcasing operational demonstrators of hydrogen technology ready to kickstart the world’s energy transition.

Hydrogen for Life was a private daytime exhibition of technology demonstrators across the hydrogen value chain. It included a Ministerial keynote address, keynote speeches on hydrogen technology and panel discussions on the topic. A venture capital/inward investment element was also integrated into the proceedings.

There were around 350 physical guests, with a further 1000+ joining via the livestream. They were senior stakeholders, selected Government Ministers, senior civil servants, politicians, journalists, and investors from across the energy industry.

Why did you choose the Science Museum for your event? What were you looking for in a venue when you started planning this event?

We chose the Science Museum for the event after an extensive search of other venues in London because it is a prestigious venue with good transport links and crucially had the space to accommodate both the numbers and the scope of activities we envisaged. As a venue it has personality and it fitted with the theme of the event. We had also used the Science Museum before for events so knew the practicalities of access, timings and so on.

What sort of experience did you want to create for your guests?

We wanted guests to feel enthused by how much is going on in the hydrogen space, not only from the speaking agenda but also from the exhibits. We wanted a full, busy event with spaces available for guests to network, and also quieter areas to take a break and catch up on calls and emails. We wanted guests to have the opportunity to dip into lots of different areas and interesting activities during their time at the event.

How did you choose which spaces at the museum you wanted to use?

We had previously held events in the Science Museum so we knew the spaces and what might work. Previously we had split exhibits between the Smith Centre and Level 5 of Illuminate, but by focusing on the latter for the exhibits and using the Smith Centre for meetings it meant that the event remained compact and easy to navigate for guests. Level 4 of Illuminate is perfect for a speaking auditorium, so it made sense to use this too.

How did Illuminate and the Smith Centre work for your event? What was the benefit of using these spaces? What set up did you go for? What were the standout features of these spaces?

Level 4 of Illuminate was used for the speaker sessions, while Level 5 was used for exhibits, catering, networking, and some parts of the agenda. The Smith Centre was used as the entrance to the event and also for private meetings. Level 5 of Illuminate is extremely light with a fantastic view of London and works very well for networking. We focused the event on Illuminate to minimise guests having to use the lifts to the ground floor, and this kept the event tight in a compact area.

Who were your catering and AV partners? Did they create anything bespoke for the event?

We used White Light and Moving Venue for our AV and catering respectively. We did not ask for anything bespoke, trying to keep things as simple as possible; we kept branding relatively light and neutral. Both elements worked extremely well on the day.

What feedback did you receive from guests?

We received highly positive feedback from guests, who particularly liked Level 5 of Illuminate. Guests stayed longer than anticipated and were reluctant to leave at the end of the event. They enjoyed the food and felt that everything worked seamlessly and was incredibly slick. The event was a great success, and we are already planning for a follow-up in 2023; several organisations who attended as guests have already asked to be sponsors next year.

Client testimonial:

“In June 2022 we used the Science Museum to host our Hydrogen for Life event, a private daytime exhibition of hydrogen technology with a full speaking agenda for around 350 guests. This was the second year that the event was held at the Science Museum; it’s great to be hosted by such a prestigious venue in such a convenient location. We found the event spaces perfect for combining exhibits with keynote speeches and panel discussions.

“The two levels of Illuminate are highly flexible and easy to brand, while providing plenty of space for guests. The Smith Centre works very well for breakout meetings and more private discussions.  Setup and breakdown were easily accomplished, and the catering worked extremely well.

“Venues offering this level of convenience, space and flexibility in central London are quite rare. We found the Science Museum to be a great choice for Hydrogen for Life. The event was a great success and plans are already in motion for a repeat in 2023.” – Ed Thomas, Political Affairs and Government Coordinator, Bosch.