THE CONCEPT
The Friends Lounge is a fast-growing business community, a networking platform for sports enthusiasts and entrepreneurs to present their businesses at major events of all kinds. As a place to forge partnerships, create synergies or simply have stimulating dialogue, it has evolved into a true hub of community marketing and B2B networking in the sports and event business.
Each Friends Lounge appearance is uniquely designed for our partners to connect and exchange their visions while enjoying the amenities of a superb location with fantastic food and drinks.
So far, the concept has taken the form of a two week Friends Lounge, a one-day-only Friends Lounge Night or an event within an event – but the options and ideas for the future are as numerous as they are scalable.
Take a closer look at the Website, as well as our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages to find out more about past and future Friends Lounge appearances and see what else we have got up our sleeves.
THE STORY
The Friends Lounge concept first saw the light of day back in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
It all began where the scenic and beautiful beaches of Copa Cabana and Ipanema converge. To be precise, it all began at the temporary, modular and sustainable buildings created by the Austrian company Hochsitz, which accommodate TV studios, hospitality houses and more.
Thomas Riedel, the mastermind behind the concept, had been looking for the ideal opportunity to come along for him to create an island in the middle of such highly busy events.
He envisioned a meeting spot outside of all the hustle and bustle, representing a network and meeting space in a classy atmosphere, attracting solution providers, broadcasters, OB companies, decision-makers, media and other professionals involved.
As a very last-minute option arose, Thomas Riedel then seized the opportunity to create this unique networking hub in the center of one of the most iconic places in the world. In this open, yet exclusive network space, fantastic events and rare behind-the-scenes insights were accompanied by high-class catering – the Friends Lounge concept was born.