Google Xi’s CoLaboratory is returning to IMEX America this October with an all-new series of content, workshops, open mics and energizers, co-created with a group of disruptors across multiple industries and disciplines.

“What we have planned for IMEX this year is audacious,” says Megan Henshall, strategic solutions lead, Global Events at Google. “I can’t wait for people to interact with the amazing thinkers and change-makers we’re bringing with us, and I’m so curious about what we’ll see, hear and learn from mixing Xi with IMEX in new ways! Last year was so joyful and enlightening, and I already know what we’ve cooked up for 2024 is going to blow it out of the water.”

Features and sessions at the 2024 CoLaboratory include:

New Belonging Playbook: Research cited in Harvard Business Review suggests “belonging” is a crucial value for people both in and out of the workplace. A strong sense of belonging was linked to a 56 percent increase in job performance, a 50 per cent drop in turnover risk, and a 75 percent reduction in sick days.

After more than two years of development, the Google Xi team will launch the much-anticipated Belonging Playbook, designed by Storycraft Lab with contributions from Valuegraphics. This is the result of multiple research efforts and thousands of in-person data touchpoints globally including David Allison’s Belonging Index. Sessions will reveal a first look at new design tools included in the Playbook and guide planners on how to embed them in their own events.

Harnessing the Power of Conversation: Listening is one of the most underrated skills in business. It’s a skill that Victoria Chance, one of the founders of My Neighbor’s Voice, will examine in her session. The mission of My Neighbor’s Voice is to create productive community connections via safe spaces where everyone is invited to share their personal stories, thoughts and opinions about how to best live together.

Chance explains: “We believe that what we’re doing at My Neighbor’s Voice is offering a better way for all of us to communicate, particularly in an age of divisive social media and partisan politics. In our forums, we find common purpose even if common solutions are elusive. In bringing people together to listen to one another’s views, we are challenging barriers of distrust and disrespect across ideological lines.”

In the spirit of listening, the Google Xi team will turn the stage over to attendees in a series of Open Mic sessions. Here audience members become the headliners and can share their ideas, passions and pain points or ask questions – all with the Xi team as the supporting cast.

What is Real Magic?: They say a magician never reveals his secrets, but magician and interdisciplinary artist Derek DelGaudio is set to bust that myth. He’ll explore the tension between illusion, deception and real magic, sharing what his experiences have revealed to him about his purpose, both in art and life. DelGaudio has jettisoned most of the trappings of magic shows and uses his skills as more of a meditation on identity. “I try to use the skills that I have to reveal more than I conceal,” he says.

The Neu Project Expands Neuroinclusive Offerings: According to the World Economic Forum, 10 to 20 percent of the world’s population is estimated to be neurodivergent, and there’s a need for safe and supportive spaces, especially at large events, to help people manage overwhelm. The Neu Project Resilience Room powered by Google Xi and Hello! DMC returns to the show and will serve as a calming and restorative retreat for attendees, located alongside a quiet space, sponsored by Lux Lounge.

The Neu Project, now a charitable organization actively giving back to the industry, will have team members on hand during the show to guide planners on how to use events to promote belonging for all neurotypes, allowing different perspectives and experiences. The initiative, which began as a grassroots movement at Google, formally launched at IMEX in 2022, and sparked a conversation around neurodiversity and neuroinclusion that continues to gain momentum and influence how the event industry thinks about equity and accessibility. An Event Professional’s Guide to NeuroInclusion has best practices and hacks in the form of an A-Z of neuroinclusive events.

Neurodivergent Networking Takeover: In addition to the resilience space, this year The Neu Project partners with Rachel Lowenstein, who has helped reshape how marketers and the world see autism. At Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity earlier this year, Lowenstein launched a new advocacy group and platform, Divergent Convergent, which supports neurodivergent professionals in the media, marketing and advertising industries. Together, these advocacy communities will host a neuro-friendly approach to “happy hours” and networking. Less formal and more friendly, this space is designed by – and for – the neurodiverse community, where you can come as you are, recharge your social batteries, and find your crowd.

Back by popular demand, Google Xi will also host opening and closing rituals with the Reverend Maya Jaguar as well as joy-infused sessions from party scientist Jacques Martiquet.

IMEX America 2024 takes place at the Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, and opens with Smart Monday, powered by MPI on Monday October 7, followed by the three-day trade show October 8 – 10.