The RSA Conference circuit includes cybersecurity events all over the world, with one of the best-attended security conferences right here in the U.S. Tens of thousands of attendees and hundreds of speakers, sessions, and exhibitors make this a highly popular industry show. In 2023 the event runs from April 24 to 27 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Here’s a look at what you can expect.
Why Exhibit at RSA Conference in 2023?
Every RSA Conference is a chance to learn from the world’s top cybersecurity experts and thought leaders—and to connect with people in the industry, make new contacts, and forge new business relationships. There are thought-provoking keynote addresses and informative sessions. There are demos; presentations; and news of the most advanced cybersecurity trends, breakthroughs, products, and services.
RSA Conference North America is huge. In 2022 the event attracted over 26,000 attendees, including 600+ speakers, 400+ exhibitors, and more than 400 media attendees. With 34 keynote presentations and over 350 sessions, the schedule was packed with valuable content.
That means hordes of attendees eager to learn and eager to find solutions to the problems they face in the course of doing their jobs. Exhibiting at RSA Conference gives you the chance to connect with those people and convince them you’re the one who can solve their problems.
Who Attends the Event?
Most people who attend RSA Conference in the U.S. are Americans. Around 25% of attendees are from other countries. RSA Conference attendees are highly experienced, with an average of 10 years of security awareness and experience. They work in a diverse range of industries and workplaces, including:
- IT security
- Software/hardware
- Finance/banking/accounting/insurance
- Government
- Education
- Business services/consulting
- Healthcare/medical/pharma
- Manufacturing
- Communications/telecommunications
- E-commerce/retail
RSA 2023 Theme and Lineup
Since 1995, RSA Conference has focused on a different theme every year. Previous themes have touched on topics as diverse as:
- The power of opportunity
- Challenging current thinking in cybersecurity
- Security in knowledge
In 2022 the theme was “transform,” focusing on the transition of the industry from “the backroom to the boardroom.” Where once the community was mainly comprised of behind-the-scenes professionals, people in the industry now play more visible roles and are very often key decision-makers rather than support personnel. As the world becomes more digitized, it increasingly looks to the cybersecurity community; in 2022, RSA Conference was about recognizing that transition and empowering the community to continue growing and evolving.
RSA Conference Programs
RSA Conference includes a range of programs for attendees to participate in, like keynotes, conference track sessions, CPE credits, and more. Programs expected for the 2023 schedule include:
CISO Forum and Boot Camp: Each of these invitation-only events is limited to a maximum of 100 people and designed for current CISOs and deputy CISOs, with exclusive content and activities.
RSAC Most Innovative Startup: Each year, 10 finalists are chosen to compete at RSA Conference by giving 3-minute pitches to a panel of judges.
Security Scholar Program: Up-and-coming cybersecurity students connect with industry thought leaders and others, with team-building activities, networking, and more.
RSA College Day: This is a day for connecting students and recent graduates with career and networking opportunities.
Speakers and Sessions
There are hundreds of sessions available on a huge range of industry-relevant topics and emerging trends. Submission topics include:
- Advanced targeted attacks
- Big Data security
- Cloud security
- Identity management
- Insider threats
- Internet of Things
- Information security
- Social engineering
- Threat intelligence
RSA Conference typically has a stellar speaker lineup. In 2022 speakers included:
- Rohit Ghai, Chief Executive Officer, RSA
- Vasu Jakkal, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Security, Compliance and Identity
- Jessica Long, Paralympic Champion
- Mary O’Brien, General Manager, IBM Security
- Bryan Palma, Chief Executive Officer, McAfee Enterprise / FireEye
- Nir Zuk, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Palo Alto Networks
- Tal Goldstein, Head of Strategy, World Economic Forum Centre for Cybersecurity
- Amy Hogan-Burney, Associate Counsel and General Manager, Digital Crimes Unit, Microsoft
- John ‘Chris’ Inglis, Office of the National Cyber Director, Executive Office of the President
- Robert Joyce, Cybersecurity Director, NSA
- Bobbie Stempfley, Business Unit Security Officer, Dell Technologies
- Hugh Thompson, Program Committee Chair, RSA Conference
Every year the speaker lineup only gets better! For information on 2023 speakers and conference tracks, see the RSA Conference website.
How to Focus Your Exhibit Design at RSA Conference
There are over 1,200 vendors competing for attention in the cybersecurity market, and in 2022, nearly one-third of them exhibited at RSA Conference. There’s a sea of competition, and it’s important for exhibitors to make themselves distinct from one another. As one attendee noted in 2018, there’s little to differentiate exhibitors because the cybersecurity market is narrow in terms of core product types. They also felt there was a lack of distinctive voices in the booths they visited and that every pitch sounded the same.
In this industry and at this trade show, therefore, effective booth design is all about standing out in the crowd. That doesn’t just go for the design of your display but also in brand development and differentiating your organization from your competition.
- Use custom graphics that help visually brand your organization, with your logo and company name prominently displayed.
- Go for bold visuals and lighting that make your booth stand out from a distance.
- Make your marketing messages short, to the point, and easy to digest – This is a highly competitive environment, and you must get your point across in the time it takes to walk past your booth. Elements like backlighting can make key messages stand out.
- Highlight what makes you unique – What makes your organization the best choice? Is this obvious to attendees shuffling by?
- Provide solutions – Attendees at RSA Conference are looking for them! Make it easy for them to learn about you once inside your booth, whether that’s from highly trained staff, multimedia presentations, or something else.
A Big Event Means Huge Opportunities
Tens of thousands of people from all over the industry will attend RSA Conference in April 2023. There are big opportunities available for exhibitors who know their stuff and show it. Attending as an exhibitor is a great chance to make your mark in the industry and forge valuable new business relationships.
Planning to exhibit? Consider a trade show exhibit company that’s local to the San Francisco area. There are so many advantages to going local: Save on exhibit shipping costs and benefit from working with a company that has local industry contacts and knows the venue inside-out. A local exhibit company is best placed to help you narrow down what you need and get the job done!
Contact us to learn how we can help you bring in more leads at RSA Conference.
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