How smart spaces and real-time strategy transformed ASCO® 2025

By Nick Bellomo, Director of Technology and Engagement, Inizio Medical 

From LED walls to real-time in-booth optimization, ASCO® 2025 wasn’t just a showcase of ground-breaking oncology science – it was a proving ground for how we engage, educate, and evolve the congress experience. 

At Inizio, our multidisciplinary teams supported dozens of clients with hundreds of deliverables and booth builds. That front-row seat gave us insight into the big ideas driving smarter, more strategic engagements. Here’s what stood out and how we’re turning insights into action. 

The LED wall, reimagined: From passive screens to interactive storytelling at congress

For years, LED walls have been visual anchors at congress booths, often cycling through branded animations or disease awareness visuals. While eye-catching, these static formats left interaction and customization on the sidelines. 

This year marked a turning point. 

We saw LED walls come alive – transformed into touch-enabled, gesture-responsive storytelling platforms. With interactive mechanisms of action (MOA) walkthroughs, branching patient journeys, and live clinical trial dashboards, attendees weren’t just observers – they became navigators. 

Why does that matter? 

• Immersive learning: HCPs explored at their own pace, diving into the content that mattered most to them. 
• Engagement boost: Interactive experiences kept people in-booth longer, enabling deeper conversations and more memorable moments. 
• Data-driven design: Every interaction generated real-time analytics, allowing us to refine what was shown, and how, based on behavior. 

This evolution aligns with the expectations of digital-first healthcare professionals, turning booths from broadcast hubs into dynamic destinations. 

Offline analytics: Smarter congress strategy in real time 

The second breakthrough wasn’t visual – it was strategic. 

Traditional booth metrics rely on post-event reports, often weeks delayed and disconnected from on-the-ground insights. At the congress, we piloted offline in-booth analytics that flipped that timeline on its head. 

Instead of reviewing data after the fact, brand teams accessed live dashboards during show hours, with no in-booth internet or manual syncing required. This meant: 

• Mid-show tweaks to content based on what was resonating (or not) 
• Streamlined staff alignment and tactical pivots 
• Faster, more targeted education for HCPs 

For example, a client could include an interactive quiz as part of their booth experience. On day one, real-time insights may reveal that several questions offer little value in terms of knowledge checks. By day two, we could reconfigure the quiz, focusing on questions that sparked discussion or uncovered educational gaps. This would ultimately result in more relevant, higher-impact tool – delivered without disrupting compliance workflows. 

From trendspotting to transformation at congress

These innovations aren’t just bells and whistles. They reflect a broader shift: from static storytelling to responsive engagement. From guessing what works to knowing and acting in real time. 

As congresses continue to grow in complexity, the need for strategic, data-rich experiences has never been more urgent. 

At Inizio, we’re not just building booths – we’re building platforms for smarter engagement. We’re connecting immersive design, scientific depth, and agile measurement into a congress ecosystem that delivers more value to every stakeholder, especially patients. Because when we move at the speed of science, the booth becomes more than a backdrop – it becomes a catalyst. 

To dive deeper into these trends and explore how to elevate your own congress strategy, catch our recent webinar – Beyond the booth: Big ideas, smart spaces & strategic insights from ASCO® 2025 – on demand.