SoCashless in the USA: a proposal for where to start.
Where my position lines up with blue ocean use cases, why the timing is right, and how I would add value from the first month.
Alex Lancuba
Holistic Edge · Prepared for Dylan · November 2026
Tap to check in
Credits, points, data
Opening
Dylan, this is a proposal. It's an idea for you to react to, not something I'm assuming we'll do.
It picks up from April, when you raised Holistic Edge as a USA partner, and from our call on Nov 5. I've looked for two things at once: blue ocean use cases the big event cashless players don't serve, and where my own position already lines up with them. I'm based in Las Vegas, I work inside the exhibit industry, and I'm close to the communities that meet here. The deck connects those dots, and it's backed by outside research where I could find it.
This is the vision and the first moves. Numbers for the deal and the operating model come in the next round.
Where we are
From a conversation to a proposal.
Nothing here is agreed. It's an idea to react to, built on what we've talked about so far.
APRIL
The first conversation
You raised Holistic Edge as a possible USA partner for SoCashless.
NOV 5 CALL
Getting specific
Wallet passes with push, vouchers and credits at events, and Kaitlyn's trainings.
THIS DECK
A proposal
Where SoCashless could start in the USA, and how I would add value.
Where we are
In April you raised the idea of Holistic Edge as a USA partner for SoCashless. On Nov 5 we got more specific: you said "absolutely" to the wallet-pass push notification idea, you described industry events with vouchers for lunch, welcome drinks and access to areas, and you agreed I could sit in on Kaitlyn's trainings.
This deck is my proposal for where SoCashless could start in the USA if we go ahead. Nothing in it is agreed yet.
The thesis
Start where alignment meets blue ocean.
SoCashless is the layer that makes in-person moments measurable.
Thesis
I'm not only starting where I have close-range access. I'm starting where two things overlap: blue ocean use cases that the big event cashless players don't serve, and the alignment I already have.
My alignment: I'm based in Las Vegas, I'm Director of Client Solutions at an exhibit house, and I know EDPA and the gyms here that run community series.
Blue ocean: satellite and happy hour events, loyalty across recurring community events, and the exhibitor relationship layer. None of the competitors in my USA market analysis market these specifically.
Markets where I have no reach are not in this proposal.
SoCashless supplies the digital, data and gamification layer: branded keepsake wristbands, tap-to-redeem credits, points and leaderboards, wallet passes with push notifications, and attendee data back to the host. Holistic Edge brings the design, the guest journey and Las Vegas event access.
Why now · Digital fatigue
As AI fills every screen, the room is worth more.
74%
of 18 to 35 year olds say in-person experiences matter more than digital.
SurveyEventbrite Social Study 2026
46%
of Gen Z say they are limiting their screen time.
SurveyEventbrite Social Study 2026
1 in 5
US adults felt lonely for a lot of the previous day.
FactGallup, Oct 2024
the only place that we know is an authentic experience is being together in-person
Nick Borelli, Zenus · EXHIBITOR, Oct/Nov 2026
Digital fatigue
This is the core of why I think the timing is right. As AI fills every channel with content, people pull back toward things they can trust, and being in the same room is the one thing that can't be faked.
Eventbrite Social Study 2026: a survey of 4,051 people aged 18 to 35 in the US and UK, fielded July 2025. 74% say in-person experiences are more important than digital, 46% of Gen Z are limiting screen time, and 79% plan to attend more events in 2026.
Gallup, Oct 2024: 20% of US adults reported loneliness "a lot of the day yesterday", about 52 million people. Gallup links lower loneliness to community programs such as local exercise classes.
EXHIBITOR Magazine, Oct/Nov 2026: its first full AI issue argues AI has underscored the importance of in-person. IAEE CEO Marsha Flanagan writes that the handshake on the show floor and trust built face-to-face cannot be automated.
To be straight about it: none of these sources measures fatigue with AI content directly. They measure screen fatigue, loneliness and a preference for in-person. The AI link is my view, shared by the people writing in EXHIBITOR.
Why now · Where AI belongs
Humans on the front end. AI in the orchestration layer.
Front end
Human
The handshakeThe drink at the barThe leaderboard momentDesigning for "human collision"
The tap connects them
Orchestration
SoCashless
Wallet-pass invitesCredits and pointsPush timingConsented data back to the host
My view. "Designing for human collision" is Nick Borelli's phrase, in EXHIBITOR Magazine, Oct/Nov 2026.
Humans on the front end, AI in the orchestration layer
EXHIBITOR frames AI as a back-office amplifier, not a threat to live events. Nick Borelli talks about "designing for human collision": building physical spaces for the unplanned conversations that technology optimizes away.
My read: the guest should only see the human front end. A person, a wristband, a drink, a moment on the leaderboard. Behind that, something still has to run the invites, the credits and points, the timing of the push the next morning, and the data that goes back to the host. That's the orchestration layer, and it's what SoCashless does.
That's also where AI earns its keep: timing follow-ups, reading the data, flagging who to talk to next. The guest never has to see it.
Why now · The measurement gap
98% goes to being there. 2% goes to finding out what happened.
SurveyEXHIBITOR Budget Breakdown, Oct/Nov 2026. 362 exhibitors. Drawn to scale.
The open question
Who connects what happens in the room to what shows up in the CRM?
A tap is a record
Consented, per guest: who came, what they did, and whether they came back.
The measurement gap
EXHIBITOR's budget research (362 qualified B2B exhibitors, margin of error 5.15%) found only 2% of exhibit budgets goes to lead management and measurement. The rest goes to creating, staffing, transporting and promoting the presence. Booth space alone is 41%. The bar is drawn to scale.
Julie Holmes, in the same issue, says AI can track dwell time and show how engagement on the floor turns into qualified leads. A small-budget Q&A in the issue recommends "intelligence-gathering tools" and intentional tracking.
That's where SoCashless fits. Every tap is a consented record of who came, what they did and whether they came back to the booth. Communities have the same gap: they can count RSVPs, but not loyalty.
The central shift
From booth build to conversion environment.
Booth build and branded environment (today)
Conversion environment (2027)
What the client buys
Square footage, fabrication quality, graphics
Outcomes: the right conversations, qualified leads, proof
Where value sits
The build ("the container")
The experience inside it and the intelligence around it
Role of the booth
Discovery: catch passing traffic
Closing: meet people who already know you
Engagement
Swag games and badge scans
Tap journeys, credits, points, after-hours invites
Time span
Show hours only
Pre-show, on the floor, after hours, post-show
Evidence
Badge scan counts
Who came, what they did, who returned, who booked
Exhibit firm's role
Builder
Solutions partner that "designs, measures, and improves" it
The central shift
This is the trade show side of the thesis. Today an exhibitor buys square footage, fabrication and graphics. The booth's job is discovery, and the evidence is a badge scan count.
Where it's heading, the client buys outcomes. The booth closes with people who already know the brand, engagement runs from pre-show to post-show, and the evidence is who came, what they did, who returned and who booked a meeting. The exhibit firm moves from builder to a solutions partner that designs, measures and improves the environment.
From Julius Solaris's Delphi AI: "Fabrication quality is now the floor, not the ceiling."
Where SoCashless fits
The booth is the container. The experience inside it is the conversion environment. The intelligence around it is what proves value.
Julius Solaris's Delphi AI
Where SoCashless plugs in
Interpretation
Pre-show
Wallet-pass invite. Push to set meetings and the happy hour.
On the floor
Taps at stations, points, credits for meetings or demos.
After hours
The satellite event, where the relationship forms.
Post-show
Consented data export and a follow-up push.
Where SoCashless fits
The exhibit house supplies the container. SoCashless supplies the experience and the intelligence layers.
The strip is my reading of how SoCashless fills each stage: the wallet-pass invite before the show, taps, points and credits on the floor, the satellite event after hours, and the consented export plus follow-up push afterwards.
The quote comes from a conversation I had with Julius Solaris's Delphi AI about where the exhibit industry is heading.
The 2027 exhibit industry
The forecast points at the events around the booth.
the booth is no longer a discovery zone. It's a closing zone.
Julius Solaris's Delphi AI
Satellite events
Discovery moves to the after-hours party.
package the booth with pre-show targeting, on-floor engagement, and post-show lead intelligence
Julius Solaris's Delphi AI
Shared engine
Wallet-pass invite, taps and credits, then the export.
Large trade shows become collections of microevents... The big show becomes the connector, not the container.
Julius Solaris's Delphi AI
Satellite events · Las Vegas
Each microevent needs check-in, credits and data.
From my conversation with Julius Solaris's Delphi AI. Forecasts, not verified data.
The 2027 exhibit industry
These come from a conversation I had with Julius Solaris's Delphi AI about the exhibit industry in 2027. They're forecasts, not verified data, but they line up with what I see on the show floor.
Closing zone: discovery moves elsewhere, like the after-hours party, and the booth closes the next day.
Package the booth: maps straight onto the SoCashless journey.
Microevents: each happy hour, dinner or meetup around a show needs its own check-in, credits and data. Black Hat USA 2026 had 215 tracked side events.
Where to lead
Blue ocean versus red ocean.
Assumption · a judgment call, not market sizing
Red ocean · avoid leading here
Festivals and large events
Crowded. Needs on-site ops, hardware logistics, big USA references.
Stadiums and arenas
Won on scale and references.
Ticketing
SoCashless integrates with ticketing and takes over from check-in.
POS-led hospitality
Entrenched systems to coexist with.
IntellitixTappitGlownetWeezeventToast
Blue ocean · lead here
Satellite and happy hour events
Paper wristbands and drink tickets. Nobody ties the party to the next day's booth visit.
Community loyalty across events
RSVP tools check people in once. Nothing rewards coming back in person.
The exhibitor relationship layer
Booth, after hours, data back to the exhibitor. A buyer event cashless vendors don't target.
Blue ocean versus red ocean
This split comes from my USA market analysis. It's a judgment call, not market sizing.
Red ocean. Festivals and large events are crowded (Intellitix, Glownet, Weezevent, Tappit, plus Shift4 SkyTab Venue and Billfold). Stadiums and arenas are about scale. On ticketing, SoCashless integrates with ticketing companies and takes over from check-in. POS-led restaurant and nightlife hospitality (Toast, SevenRooms) is entrenched, so we coexist. Chain hotels on Oracle Opera stacks wait for the Oracle integration.
Blue ocean. Small, frequent events where the host or a sponsor pays and the value is relationships and data. That fits SoCashless's design-led wristbands and wallet passes, and keeps the payments burden light.
The shared engine
One guest journey runs every lane.
The same steps power the booth, the after-hours event, the chapter meetup and the gym session.
Invite or wallet pass
Sent before the event, or pushed at the booth.
Wristband
Branded keepsake, issued at check-in.
Tap
At the door, the stations, the bar.
Credit
Drinks, food or a meeting slot, funded by the host.
Points
Earned per tap. Leaderboards make loyalty visible.
Data back to the host
Consented export of who came and what they did.
To confirm Wallet passes, points and the data export are on the confirm list near the end.
The guest journey
Every lane runs on the same engine. That's what makes this one offer instead of four.
Invite or wallet pass: pre-registration by tap or QR, with event details and push notifications, so there's no app to download.
Wristband: a branded keepsake with the host's logo, not paper.
Tap: check-in, activation stations, the bar. Each tap records where the guest went.
Credit: a drink, food, a coffee bar, a meeting slot. For hosted events the host or a sponsor funds the credits.
Points: from check-in, activations and meeting the host team. Leaderboards for community series.
Data back to the host: attendees, taps, redemptions and timestamps, consented at check-in.
Wallet passes, points and leaderboards, and the export are things I need to confirm are live, so they sit with the asks, not the claims.
Part 02
The lanes.
Where SoCashless could work in the USA, starting on the show floor and moving out into the events around it.
Lane 1 · In-boothLane 2 · Satellite eventsExhibit Happy channel
The lanes
This section is about where SoCashless fits. Four lanes in total: two around the trade show, which is where my position is strongest, and two in communities beyond it. I'll walk through the first two here, then the channel I'm proposing at Exhibit Happy.
The lanes
Four lanes, on the show floor and well beyond it.
Two lanes live around trade shows. Two live in communities that meet again and again, and that may be the bigger opportunity.
Around the trade show
1
In-booth experiences
Exhibitors. The branded booth becomes a closing zone.
2
Satellite and happy hour events
Exhibitors and sponsors. Discovery moves to after hours.
Beyond the trade show
3
Industry community events
Association chapters like EDPA. Attendees become repeat participants.
4
Fitness and community series
HYROX, run clubs, gym challenges. Regulars become members.
The lanes
Two lanes sit around trade shows and two sit outside them, in communities that meet over and over. I think the community side could turn out to be the bigger long-term opportunity, because loyalty compounds every time the group meets.
How they connect: lanes 1 and 2 are one journey. The booth invites people to the party, and the party sends them back to the booth. Points can carry from events into the community lanes, and lanes 3 and 4 reuse the same points, leaderboard and credits engine. Las Vegas is where all four would start.
Lane 1 · Around the trade show
In-booth experiences: every booth needs proof.
Conversion roleThe branded booth becomes a closing zone.
BuyerExhibitor marketing and event leads
The space
Measurement gap
Exhibitors put 2% of their budget into lead management and measurement.
SurveyEXHIBITOR, Oct/Nov 2026
Earn-and-spend booths
Apple Rock Displays let attendees earn virtual cash and spend it at an in-booth prize shop.
FactEXHIBITOR LIVE 2026
Points already exist
Many shows rank exhibitors for booth space by accumulated points. Attendees get nothing like it.
FactEXHIBITOR
Swag games today
Most booth engagement is a game for swag. Badge scans show who stopped by, not who engaged.
ObservedShow floor
Example
An exhibitor's booth at a Las Vegas show
Sold direct to the exhibitor, not through general contractors.
How SoCashless maps
1
Taps at demo stations earn points
2
Points turn into credits: coffee, a giveaway, a meeting slot
3
Every tap is a consented record, exported to the exhibitor's CRM
4
The pass carries the invite to that night's happy hour
Lane 1: in-booth experiences
The space: exhibitors spend 2% of their budget on lead management and measurement (EXHIBITOR's budget research, 362 exhibitors). The mechanic already works: at EXHIBITOR LIVE 2026, Apple Rock Displays let attendees earn virtual cash and spend it at an in-booth prize shop, which EXHIBITOR called "turning a game into a journey". And many shows already rank exhibitors for booth space by accumulated points. Attendees get nothing similar, and none of it sends data back.
The example: an exhibitor's booth at a Las Vegas show, sold direct to the exhibitor's marketing or event lead, not through general contractors, who are harder to integrate new technology through. Taps at demo stations earn points, points turn into credits, every tap is a consented record exported to the exhibitor's CRM, and the pass carries the happy hour invite into lane 2.
What Holistic Edge would do: design the journey, configure SoCashless, design the wristbands and passes, run setup and support on site, and write the post-show data summary.
Lane 2 · Around the trade show
Satellite events: where discovery moved.
Conversion roleDiscovery moves to after hours, and the booth closes the next day.
BuyerExhibitors and sponsors hosting after hours
The space
215 side events
Tracked around Black Hat USA 2026 alone.
FactBlack Hat Radar
Open bars
Vendor-hosted parties with free drinks, often co-hosted by several sponsors.
FactBlack Hat party listings
Microevents
Big shows turning into collections of smaller events around them.
ForecastJulius Solaris's Delphi AI
Paper today
Paper wristbands and drink tickets. Nothing ties the party to the next day's booth visit.
ObservedBlack Hat USA
Example
An exhibitor's happy hour during Black Hat USA
Builds on the wallet-pass push idea you said "absolutely" to.
How SoCashless maps
1
A wallet-pass invite, pushed at the booth
2
A check-in tap and a branded keepsake wristband
3
One drink credit at the bar, points for activations
4
A next-morning push back to the booth, lead data to the exhibitor
Lane 2: satellite and happy hour events
The space: Black Hat USA 2026 had 23,000+ verified attendees, and Black Hat Radar tracked 215 side events around it, many co-hosted by several vendors at Strip venues. The official party listings advertise free drinks and open bars. DEF CON follows straight after. Every major show week has its own ring of these events, and they run on paper wristbands and drink tickets.
What I saw at Black Hat USA: booth staff scanning my badge were trying less to get me into a demo and more to get me to their after-hours happy hour. The happy hour builds the relationship, so the next day you want to spend more time with them, and the booth becomes the conversion environment.
The example: a wallet-pass invite pushed at the booth; a check-in tap and a branded keepsake wristband; one drink credit and points for activations; a next-morning push back to the booth for a demo or meeting, with lead data to the exhibitor. It builds on the wallet-pass push idea you said "absolutely" to, and on your own description of industry events with vouchers for lunch and welcome drinks.
A shared "show week passport" wristband across several sponsor parties is a natural next step. Liquor permits and venue POS are the main friction.
A possible channel for lanes 1 and 2
The Exhibit Happy channel
Proposed internally · not yet approved
My role
Director of Client Solutions at Exhibit Happy
My job is to bring value-adding solutions to Exhibit Happy and its clients. I stepped into the role this year, after 15 years in the design industry and over 10 with the company.
Status
Nothing goes to clients until it's approved internally. No client has been contacted.
Why the role is an advantage
I'm in the room when exhibitors define what success at a show looks like.
Creative and estimating report to me, so the engagement layer can be designed into the booth and scoped into the proposal.
We build booths for most of the major shows in Las Vegas.
It sells direct to exhibitors, so it doesn't depend on general contractors.
The Exhibit Happy channel
I'm Director of Client Solutions at Exhibit Happy. I moved into the role this year from Design Director, and my job is to bring value-adding solutions to the company and its clients. That's exactly what this would be.
Why the role helps: I sit in the conversation where exhibitors define success, which is where most of them struggle. Creative and estimating report to me, so the stations and wristband branding can be designed into the booth from the start and the engagement layer can be an optional line in the proposal. We build for most of the major Las Vegas shows, and I'd sell direct to the exhibitor, not through general contractors.
This is a channel I'm proposing internally for lanes 1 and 2. It isn't approved yet, nothing goes to clients until it is, and no client has been contacted.
Part 03
Beyond the trade show.
Groups that meet again and again. This is where I think the bigger opportunity could be.
Why communityLane 3 · Industry communitiesLane 4 · Fitness
Beyond the trade show
Here I move outside the show floor. Digital fatigue is pulling people back into the room, recurring in-person groups are growing, and nobody measures who comes back. Lanes 3 and 4 sit here, and the run club scene in Las Vegas shows what it looks like on the ground.
Beyond the trade show · Why community
Digital fatigue pulls people back into the room.
01
People meet on a rhythm
Chapter nights, run clubs, training sessions. The same faces, week after week.
02
Online tools run the invite
Luma and Meetup take RSVPs. Skool ranks online likes. Strava ranks distance.
03
Nothing rewards showing up
No physical layer sees who keeps coming back, or thanks them for it.
65%
of community professionals hosted in-person events in 2025, up from 29% in 2022.
SurveyCMX 2025 Community Industry Report
Why community
This is the side I'm most excited about. The same digital fatigue that makes trade shows more valuable is pulling people into recurring, in-person groups: association chapters, run clubs, training sessions, founder meetups.
The CMX 2025 Community Industry Report (a survey of community professionals) found 65% hosted in-person events in 2025, up from 29% in 2022. Eventbrite's "Fourth Spaces" study found 95% of 18 to 35 year olds interested in exploring online interests through in-person events, and 84% of interest-based event attendees said they formed close friendships there.
These groups already use online tools for the invite. Luma, Meetup, Partiful and Eventbrite take RSVPs and scan a QR at the door. Skool's points come from likes. Strava's leaderboards rank distance. None of them rewards showing up in person.
Beyond the trade show · The growth
Recurring, in-person groups are growing fast.
3.5x
growth in running clubs on Strava in 2025. New clubs nearly quadrupled overall.
Vendor-reportedStrava Year in Sport 2025 · global
1.5M
HYROX participants in the 2025/26 season, up from about 570,000 the season before.
Vendor-reportedHYROX, via SportsPro
1,200
US gyms, roughly, are official HYROX Training Clubs.
FactHealth & Fitness Business, July 2026
79%
of 18 to 35 year olds plan to attend more events in 2026.
SurveyEventbrite Social Study 2026
The growth
Strava Year in Sport 2025: new clubs on Strava nearly quadrupled to 1 million; running clubs grew 3.5x and hiking clubs 5.8x; club-organized events rose 1.5x. Gen Z is more likely to use fitness to meet people. Global data, and Strava's own numbers.
HYROX: participation grew from about 570,000 in 2024/25 to 1.5 million in 2025/26 (HYROX's figures, via SportsPro). Another source puts the earlier base at 650,000, so treat the base as approximate.
HYROX Training Clubs: about 1,200 US gyms, per Health & Fitness Business (IHRSA). Operators describe HYROX prep as "a community within a community", with members organizing their own socials.
Eventbrite Social Study 2026: 79% of 18 to 35 year olds plan to attend more events in 2026.
One watch-out: some commentators already talk about "peak jog" for brand run clubs. The answer is to lead with the community's purpose and keep the brand light.
Beyond the trade show · The gap
Every tool checks people in. None sees what happens next.
Check-in at the door
Tracks what happens after entry
Rewards showing up in person
Luma
QR check-in
No
No
Meetup
QR check-in
No
No
Eventbrite
App scan
Door sales only
No
Partiful
QR or manual
No
No
Heylo
Attendance
No
Milestone badges
Skool
No
No
Online likes only
Strava clubs
No
No
Distance only
From each tool's own help pages, checked Nov 2026. SoCashless would sit on top of these tools.
Where the tools stop
Based on each tool's own help pages:
Check-in is a one-time scan. Luma, Meetup, Partiful and Eventbrite all scan a QR at entry. None records what happens after: which bar, which station, how long someone stayed.
On-site spend is mostly outside these tools. Eventbrite's Tap to Pay sells door tickets and concessions. Luma says it's still working on in-app door payments.
Leaderboards are online-only or activity-only. Skool ranks likes. Strava ranks distance, with weekly boards that reset. Heylo's milestone badges for regulars are the closest thing to attendance rewards.
Sponsor redemptions are manual. I found no tool that redeems a sponsor-funded drink or smoothie by tap and reports it back to the sponsor.
One vendor describes the typical run club stack as Strava, a group chat, a signup form, a spreadsheet and a payment app. The gap is after the scan. SoCashless would sit on top of Luma, Meetup or Heylo and add that layer.
Open question: Luma's help center mentions integrating external check-in systems. Worth checking whether a tap could mark Luma attendance.
Beyond the trade show · What nobody measures
Check-ins get counted. Coming back doesn't.
18%
of community professionals track repeat event attendees.
SurveyCMX 2025
37%
median no-show rate at small free events. Around 28% across all free events.
Vendor dataPheedLoop, 1,070+ events
First-timer return rate
The number run club organizers say nobody tracks.
Vendor opinionRunLink, Aug 2026
The pitch
Repeat attendance: make coming back a second time visible, and reward it.
What nobody measures
CMX 2025: community teams track active members (84%), total members (63%) and event attendees (43%). Only 18% track repeat event attendees.
PheedLoop analyzed check-in data from 1,070+ events: median no-show about 20%, free events about 28%, small free events (10 to 49 people) about 37%. Their customers are mostly conferences, so the fit with social clubs isn't certain.
RunLink, a run club software vendor, says "growth hides churn" and that first-timer return rate is the number nobody tracks. Coaches quoted by InsideHook say showing up once or twice isn't enough to feel bonded.
That's the opening. A wristband that makes "came back a second time" visible, and rewards it, solves a problem organizers already feel but can't see.
Beyond the trade show · The model
The loop that brings people back.
One band or passacross every event
Show upTap at check-in
EarnPoints and streaks
Get seen7-day and all-time boards
Get rewardedCredits grow with attendance
Come backNext session, next chapter night
What the host gets
Attendance and loyalty data, and a reason for first-timers to return.
What the member gets
Recognition on the board, and credits that grow the more they show up.
Where it starts
Points can carry over from satellite events into the community.
To confirm Points and leaderboards are on the confirm list near the end.
The community loop
This is the model behind both community lanes. Each member gets one wristband or wallet pass that works at every event. Tapping in at check-in earns points and builds a streak. Leaderboards over 7 days (or a season) and all-time make loyalty visible, like Skool's, but for showing up in person. Food and beverage credits grow with attendance, the token-based idea from our call. Leaders get incentives.
If SoCashless doesn't have leaderboards yet, a Holistic Edge companion app could fill that slot.
Beyond the trade show · Who pays
The sponsor is often the buyer.
Show week parties
Black Hat USA 2026 vendors hosted parties with free drinks and open bars, often co-hosted by several sponsors.
Local founder meetups
Zoho covers food, drinks and the venue so Las Vegas Startups' monthly night stays free.
Las Vegas developers
Midtown Las Vegas and UnCommons back run clubs, with marathon entries and happy hour drinks.
Brands at run clubs
Brands hand out product and coupons, and at least one tracks where the coupons are redeemed.
Sponsors want proof of redemption. Tie each credit to a next step: a coupon, a trial class, a booth visit.
Who pays
Grassroots clubs are often free and volunteer-run, so the group itself is rarely the buyer. The people paying for the food, drink and rewards are sponsors, and that fits the host-funded, credits-only model in this proposal.
Black Hat USA 2026: the official party listings advertise free drinks, a premium open bar, signature cocktails. Black Hat Radar tracked 215 side events, many co-hosted by several vendors.
Las Vegas Startups (3,066 Meetup members): Zoho is becoming a recurring sponsor, covering food, drinks and location costs so the events stay free.
Developers: Midtown Las Vegas launched a run club with sponsored Las Vegas Marathon entries and an afterparty. UnCommons hosts SUB/URBAN Run Club with happy hour drinks on site.
Brands at run clubs (Nosh, Sept 2025): CLEAN Cause tracks where coupons are reimbursed to pick retail regions. Elavi found sampling alone "not the best ROI" and recommends coupons that drive the next purchase.
Lesson: a free item on its own gets forgotten. A credit that leads to a next step, and reports the redemption back to the sponsor, is what they'll pay for.
Lane 3 · Beyond the trade show
Industry communities: groups that keep meeting.
Conversion roleEach event turns attendees into repeat participants.
BuyerChapter leaders, organizers or a sponsor
The space
Association chapters
EDPA and other associations run local chapters across the country.
FactEDPA
Volunteer-run
Not enough volunteers is the top challenge chapters report.
SurveyChapter benchmarking, 2025
Founder meetups
Las Vegas Startups: 3,066 members and a monthly night with sponsor-funded food and drinks.
FactMeetup
Repeat attendance
Only 18% of community teams track who comes back.
SurveyCMX 2025
Example
An EDPA chapter's recurring socials
Happy hours, bowling and trivia, often with a drink included.
How SoCashless maps
1
One band or pass for every chapter event
2
A check-in tap earns points, with 7-day and all-time leaderboards
3
Food and beverage credits that grow with attendance, funded by a sponsor
4
Attendance data back to chapter leaders, with less volunteer admin
Lane 3: industry community events
The space: professional and industry groups that meet on a rhythm. Association chapters like EDPA's run across the country. The 2025 Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Report (250 association leaders, 1,132 chapter leaders) found "insufficient qualified volunteers" is the top chapter challenge. Founder and tech meetups are the same pattern: Las Vegas Startups has 3,066 Meetup members and a monthly founders night, with Zoho covering food, drinks and the venue. Across community teams, only 18% track repeat attendees (CMX 2025).
The example: EDPA chapters already run brewery happy hours, bowling, trivia and "Pints & Paddles", often with "a drink on us". One band or pass for every chapter event, points at check-in with leaderboards, credits that grow with attendance and can be sponsor-funded, and attendance data back to chapter leaders without more volunteer work.
Associations are promising but slower to buy, since sales often run through national staff. EDPA ACCESS 2026 is in Phoenix, so I'd start with a chapter or meetup I know.
Lane 4 · Beyond the trade show
Fitness communities: a whole space, primed.
Conversion roleThe open session is the environment. Membership is the conversion.
BuyerGyms, run clubs and fitness brands
The space
HYROX prep
A global touring race. About 1,200 US gyms are official Training Clubs.
FactHealth & Fitness Business
Run clubs
Running clubs on Strava grew 3.5x in 2025. Many end at a café or a bar.
Vendor-reportedStrava
Gym-run competitions
Crunch and F45 have launched their own fitness competitions.
FactHealth & Fitness Business
Outdoor clubs
Hiking clubs on Strava grew 5.8x in 2025.
Vendor-reportedStrava
Example
A Las Vegas CrossFit gym
Frequent HYROX prep on a parking lot roof, open to non-members.
How SoCashless maps
1
A tap each session builds a streak and points
2
A leaderboard counts down to race day
3
Credits at the smoothie bar, for merch or a trial class
4
A streak triggers the membership offer
Assumption Works alongside Luma for RSVPs. Integration path not yet verified.
Lane 4: fitness communities
I don't see this as one gym. The whole fitness community space is primed: recurring sessions, a race or goal date that keeps people coming, open invitations to non-members, and no physical layer that rewards showing up.
HYROX is a global touring race. Participation grew to about 1.5 million in 2025/26 (HYROX's figures), and about 1,200 US gyms are official Training Clubs. Operators call prep "a community within a community".
Run clubs: running clubs on Strava grew 3.5x in 2025 (Strava's global data). Many are free and finish at a partner café or bar.
Gym-run competitions: Crunch and F45 have launched their own.
Outdoor clubs: hiking clubs on Strava grew 5.8x in 2025.
The example: a Las Vegas CrossFit gym runs HYROX prep on the UnCommons parking lot roof, open to non-members. Luma would keep RSVPs and SoCashless would add the physical layer on top; that integration path isn't verified yet. Open question: HYROX365 may already cover part of this for HYROX gyms.
Las Vegas has a lot of these, which makes it a good place to start. The same pattern repeats in every US city.
Lane 4 · Beyond the trade show
Las Vegas run clubs already end at a bar or a café.
Run Drink Las VegasRuns, then drinks at Frankie's Uptown, Summerlin
Stride Run ClubCoffee and conversation at Bungalow Coffee Co., Arts District
G.R.A.C.E.About 150 women at sunrise and sunset runs
Midtown Run ClubDeveloper-backed, Arts District
SUB/URBAN Run ClubHappy hour drinks on site at UnCommons
people are moving here and they have a hard time meeting people
A Las Vegas run club founder, Review-Journal
The fit
A tap at the start, a credit at the café, a streak that brings first-timers back.
Unsure Club list from a 2024 news feature. Current activity and size not yet confirmed.
Las Vegas run clubs
The Las Vegas Review-Journal (Aug 2024) covered a wave of new run clubs: Run Drink Las Vegas runs and then drinks at Frankie's Uptown in Downtown Summerlin; Stride Run Club does coffee and conversation at Bungalow Coffee Co.; G.R.A.C.E. draws about 150 women. One founder said people move here and struggle to meet people because it's not a very walkable city.
Since then, developers have joined in: Midtown Las Vegas runs a club with marathon entries and an afterparty, and UnCommons hosts SUB/URBAN Run Club with happy hour drinks.
Most of these are free to join, and members buy their own coffee or drinks at a partner venue. That's a natural place for a sponsor-funded credit, and for a streak that turns a first-timer into a regular.
The article is two years old, so I'd confirm which clubs are still active before pitching any of them. Nobody has been contacted.
Part 04
The plan.
Las Vegas first, then getting up to speed, then 1 to 3 pilots before any deal numbers.
Las VegasPhase 030 / 60 / 90PilotsNext steps
The plan
This is how I'd start if we move forward. Las Vegas as the launch city, a Phase 0 to get up to speed before selling, value in the first 30, 60 and 90 days, and a small number of pilots: one on the floor and one in the community.
Launch geography
Las Vegas, where the dots connect.
My base, a dense show calendar, and recurring community groups, all in one city.
6.0M
convention attendees in Las Vegas in 2025.
FactLVCVA, Jan 2026
215
side events tracked around a single show week: Black Hat USA 2026.
FactBlack Hat Radar
3,066
members in Las Vegas Startups, meeting monthly with sponsor-funded food and drinks.
FactMeetup, Nov 2026
Fit with your plan
Las Vegas and USA events sit outside your LatAm and SEA targets. New territory, no overlap.
Las Vegas
This is where my position and the opportunity line up. I live here and I'm on the show floor with exhibitors all year.
LVCVA: 6.0 million convention attendees in 2025, nearly flat, while leisure visitation fell 7.5%. Convention traffic is the steadier part of the market. Three major convention centers sit within about 4 miles.
Show weeks: Black Hat USA 2026 had 23,000+ attendees and 215 tracked side events, with DEF CON straight after.
Communities: Las Vegas Startups runs a monthly founders night with sponsor-funded food and drinks; run clubs and HYROX gyms meet every week.
How I'd start: one show week and the satellite events around it, then one recurring local community series.
Fit with your plan: Las Vegas and USA events are outside your LatAm and SEA sales targets, so this would be new territory for SoCashless.
If we move forward · Phase 0
Get up to speed before selling.
Learn how SoCashless is sold and demoed today, then adapt it for USA event and community buyers.
Observe
Sit in on Kaitlyn's sales and demo trainings, with consent to record.
Build the playbook
A USA sales playbook, from the transcripts.
Practice demo
A happy hour scenario, run for Kaitlyn or you.
Sign-off
From you or Kaitlyn that I'm ready to demo solo.
Pilots
Go live with the first hosts.
Playbook
Demo scriptDiscovery questionsObjection handlingPricing conversationUSA versus Latam and SEA
Phase 0
You agreed I can sit in on Kaitlyn's sales and demo trainings as an observer. The goal is to learn how SoCashless is sold and demoed today, then adapt it into a USA sales playbook.
Observe: a set number of trainings, agreed with you and Kaitlyn. Ideally one sales session, one demo and one onboarding session.
Record with consent: Granola or Wispr Flow, with consent at the start, and recordings kept private to the playbook work.
Playbook: demo script; discovery questions for exhibitors, associations, gyms and run clubs; objection handling, including USA-specific ones like payments, data privacy, support hours and "we already use Luma"; the pricing conversation, structure only; and what changes for USA buyers versus Latam and SEA.
If we move forward · Immediate value
30 / 60 / 90 days, before any deal numbers.
30days · learn and map
Kaitlyn's trainings, playbook draft
One-page guest journey per lane
Short USA visual pitch
Las Vegas show and community calendar
Exhibit Happy decision
60days · prepare
Practice demo and sign-off
Pilot hosts lined up
Pilot band, pass and messages
Run sheet and consent wording
USA field feedback for you
90days · prove
First pilot, data report to the host
One case study, with permission
Playbook updated
Which lane to scale first
Inputs for the numbers round
30 / 60 / 90
First 30 days. Sit in on Kaitlyn's trainings and draft the playbook. Map the guest journey for each lane on one page each. Turn the lanes into a short USA visual pitch for event and community buyers. Map the Las Vegas show calendar for the first half of 2027, marking shows with heavy satellite event activity, alongside the active run clubs, HYROX gyms and meetups. Get the Exhibit Happy decision. Write down which features USA buyers ask about first.
First 60 days. Run the practice demo and get sign-off. Line up pilot hosts: an exhibitor's happy hour through Exhibit Happy, if approved, and a community series. Design the pilot wristband, wallet pass and message sequence. Write the run sheet: setup, fallbacks, staffing, consent wording at check-in. Give you a USA feedback list from the field.
First 90 days. Run the first pilot and deliver the data report. Publish one case study with the host's permission. Update the playbook. Bring you a recommendation on partnership structure and which lane to scale first. Prepare the inputs for the numbers round.
If we move forward · Pilots
1 to 3 pilots, one on the floor, one in the community.
Satellite event
A Las Vegas happy hour
For an exhibitor client, subject to the Exhibit Happy decision.
Community series
HYROX prep, a run club or an EDPA chapter
Needs an introduction. Nobody has been contacted.
Optional
Booth check-in station
Tied to the happy hour pilot.
Event metrics
Check-in rateNext-day booth visitsMeetings bookedLeads versus badge scansWristband keep rate
Keep the first pilots small: one event, one booth, one community series.
Satellite event: a Las Vegas happy hour for an exhibitor client, if Exhibit Happy approves the channel.
Community series: a Las Vegas HYROX prep gym, a run club, or a local EDPA chapter. All need introductions and nobody has been contacted.
Optional: a booth check-in station tied to the happy hour, for the next-day return.
Metrics, agreed with the host up front. Events: check-in rate (wristbands issued against RSVPs), share of guests who visit the booth the next day, meetings booked, leads exported against badge scans alone, wristband keep rate. Community: first-timer return rate and repeat attendance (the numbers almost nobody tracks today), sponsor redemptions, leaderboard participation and members gained. Both: host satisfaction, delivery without operational failures, and the time Holistic Edge spends per event.
What I would need from SoCashless
The pilot asks.
To confirm
USA payments, or a credits-only mode
Host or sponsor-funded credits, with no guest cards.
Wristband lead times
Minimum orders, logo customization, USA shipping.
An API or export
Attendees, taps, redemptions, timestamps.
Points and leaderboards
Live, or on the roadmap.
Wallet passes with push
Apple and Google wallets.
A support path
USA evening hours and a named contact.
The pilot asks
None of these are assumed to be live. They're what I'd need confirmed before a pilot.
USA payments or a credits-only mode: at minimum, prepaid or host-funded credits and drink tickets that work without taking USA guest cards. A Nevada lawyer would need to check money transmitter, prepaid access and PCI questions, and how Clark County liquor rules apply to drink credits. Serving at an off-site event needs a licensed liquor caterer with a permit filed at least 10 days ahead; most show-week parties are inside licensed venues.
Wristband hardware: lead times, minimum orders, logo customization, USA shipping and duties.
API or export: attendees, taps, redemptions and timestamps as CSV or an API, with a sandbox. Sponsors will want redemption reports.
Points and leaderboards: live or on the roadmap? If not, Holistic Edge may build them as a companion app.
Wallet passes with push notifications: live? On the call you said the manifest will eventually link to the Apple and Google wallets.
Support: an escalation path during USA evening hours, and a named contact.
Next steps
If the idea lands, here's what comes next.
01
Your read on the proposal.
02
Confirm the Phase 0 training schedule and recording consent.
03
Your answers on the pilot asks.
04
A Nevada lawyer check on the credits-only mode.
05
I line up community pilot partners and get the Exhibit Happy decision.
Numbers and the operating model come in the next round.
Partnership structure is part of that conversation.
Next steps
First, your read on the proposal. If it lands: confirm the Phase 0 schedule with you and Kaitlyn, including recording consent; your answers on the pilot asks; a lawyer check on the credits-only mode before any pilot quote; I line up community pilot partners and get the Exhibit Happy decision on my side.
Open questions I'd answer early: whether a tap can mark attendance in Luma, whether HYROX365 already covers part of the community loop, and which Las Vegas run clubs are active today.
Numbers for the deal and the operating model come in the next round, along with the partnership structure.
Labels on each figure: Fact, Survey, Vendor-reported or Vendor opinion. Links checked Nov 8, 2026.
Sources
Every figure in the deck carries a label. Survey results are what respondents said. Vendor-reported figures are the company's own numbers about itself, so treat them as marketing until independently confirmed.
Tool features come from each tool's own help pages: Luma, Meetup, Eventbrite, Partiful, Skool, Strava and Heylo.
HOLISTICEDGE
Thank you, Dylan
Let's start in Las Vegas.
One show week, one community, and a clear read on what happened in the room.
Alex Lancuba
Holistic Edge · November 2026
Close
That's the proposal. If it lands, the first step is small: one show week and one community series in Las Vegas, with the data to show what happened in the room.
Thank you for taking the time to go through it. I'd love your read on it, whatever it is.
Example
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