Today, Convene celebrates its 15th anniversary. On November 4, 2009, the very first Convene location opened in New York City and, since then, the company has revolutionized the way we think about meetings, events, and flexible office. To commemorate, here are 15 milestones from the past 15 years:
- Convene is founded and opens in New York City
In 2009, Convene was founded under the thesis “what if you ran an office building like a boutique hotel?” At this time, the U.S. was witnessing the birth of lifestyle as a movement and co-founder Ryan Simonetti saw an opportunity to bring an elevated experience to the office while also creating purpose-built meeting and event venues to support the needs of organizations looking for a non-hotel venue to host their most important corporate gatherings.
- Convene continues to grow and celebrates the opening of its third location
With a focus on providing extraordinary meeting and event venues for corporate clients, the concept of Convene quickly proved to be a success. By 2013, the company had grown to three locations across New York City and the grand opening of Convene 101 Park Avenue marked the beginning of a significant upward trajectory.
- Convene expands outside of New York City
Convene serves as a partner, not just a place, for meeting and event planners. In addition to offering everything needed for a full-service meeting and event experience, the company provides clients with a dedicated, single point of contact to ensure a seamless planning process from conception to execution. By 2014, it was clear that this unique approach made the meeting and event industry ripe for national disruption and Convene began expanding its operation into new markets.
- Convene completes its first acquisition
Convene continued to expand and sought growth opportunities both organically and through M&A. In 2016, the company acquired The Hub in Philadelphia, marking the entrance into a new market while also adding to its network of locations.
- Convene adds landlord partnerships and amenities as a service
By 2017, a new trend was emerging in the commercial real estate sector - tenant amenities in office buildings. With a proven track record of bringing elevated hospitality-driven experiences to its corporate meeting and event venues, Convene expanded its offerings to partner with Class A landlords and asset owners to amenitize and monetize previously underutilized spaces as a way to drive tenant attraction, retention, and engagement.
- Convene expands to Boston
In 2017, Convene expanded into Boston with a new venue in the city’s Financial District. Convene One Boston Place spans 15,000 square-feet and offers six unique meeting rooms as well as a private outdoor terrace.
- Convene launches “WorkPlace”
Drawn to its thoughtful design, professional atmosphere, and hospitality-driven services, existing clients of Convene often expressed interest in having an office in a Convene-run workspace. After nearly a decade specializing as a premium provider of meetings and events, in 2018 Convene expanded its offerings to include “WorkPlace,” its flexible office solution. Today, Convene WorkPlace comprises WorkSuites for teams of 10 or more, and Membership, which offers access to communal workspaces and is great for individuals or small teams.
- Convene opens Club 75
2018 also saw the grand opening of Club 75, the first members-only work and social club in the Convene portfolio. Located atop 75 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, and with unobstructed views of the Empire State Building and One World Trade Center, the club features a private restaurant, bar, and work lounge with private meeting rooms, all staffed by a five-star culinary and hospitality team.
- Convene continues to expand across Greater Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. is a strong market for Convene and in 2018 the company expanded its presence across the Greater D.C. area with a new location in Arlington, Virginia. Located on the very top floor of the tallest building in Arlington, Convene 1201 Wilson Boulevard offers stunning views of the nation’s capital and remains one of the most coveted meeting and event destinations within the company’s portfolio.
- Convene opens Willis Tower location
In 2021, Convene made a significant move to strengthen its foothold in Chicago - opening a new venue in the iconic, Willis Tower. Nestled in the heart of the Loop, Convene Willis Tower spans 90,000 square-feet and offers 11 unique meeting spaces. In 2023 the venue hosted the star-studded “Letters to Santa” fundraising gala headlined by comedian John Mulaney and, in early 2024, Convene Willis Tower became part of the Butter + Vine network of preferred venues for social events and weddings.
- Convene expands into the UK
2022 saw Convene grow internationally; its first U.K. location opened in the brand new 22 Bishopsgate building in the City of London. Spread across two floors, Convene 22 Bishopsgate offers 10 meeting rooms and also offers Membership, which was an immediate success in the market and has since maintained a robust waiting list.
- Convene launches the “by Convene” label
The “by Convene” label was launched in early 2023 and indicates bespoke locations run in partnership with other organizations. The first was “Quorum by Convene,” an ultra-premium venue in Midtown Manhattan that serves as the signature conference space for international law firm White & Case. Quorum by Convene is fully managed by Convene, allowing the company to provide fully-produced and -managed event experiences for both White & Case and the broader business community.
- Convene acquires etc.venues
In February 2023, Convene acquired U.K.-based conference provider etc.venues, marking the formation of the Convene portfolio of brands. The acquisition added 16 new venues to the company’s network, including expansion into Birmingham and Manchester. Today, the Convene portfolio of brands stands as the largest single provider of dedicated premium meeting and event venues in the U.S. and UK.
- Convene expands into San Francisco
In November 2023, Convene celebrated its expansion into San Francisco with the grand opening of Convene 100 Stockton. Located in the Union Square neighborhood in the visionary redevelopment of the former Macy’s Men’s department store, the venue features its own dedicated ground-floor lobby, seven unique meeting rooms across two floors, and design elements that pay homage to the surrounding area including an ethereal statement light fixture reminiscent of “Karl the Fog,” the city’s illustrious weather phenomenon.
- Convene opens a record-breaking location in London
In April 2024, Convene opened its newest - and grandest - London location. Convene Sancroft, St. Paul’s is located in Paternoster Square and the centerpiece of the venue is the 900-person grand hall, the largest space within the Convene global portfolio as well as the largest single above-ground meeting room in the City of London.
Its been an extraordinary 15 years and there is so much more to come for Convene. The company recently announced its largest New York City location, Convene 30 Hudson Yards, set to open next Summer. And 2025 is expected to be a banner year for the meeting and event industry, with flight-to-experience impacting everything from venue selection to the production of immersive brand activations - and through it all, Convene will continue to serve as a partner, not just a place, for its clients.
