The event industry is evolving, and Blackthorn is leading the charge with new innovations designed to streamline event management, enhance engagement, and maximize impact. From powerful new product offerings to key executive hires, we’re doubling down on our mission to make event planning seamless for organizations using Salesforce®.
Introducing Event Navigator: A Game-Changer for Attendees and Organizers
Gone are the days of fragmented event management tools and disconnected attendee experiences. Event Navigator, our new mobile app, pulls event details directly from Blackthorn, eliminating the need for manual setup or third-party integrations.
With Event Navigator, organizers can:
- Update agendas, send notifications, and manage event details directly within Salesforce.
- Ensure attendees always have the latest information without extra effort.
Attendees, on the other hand, get a seamless event experience, accessing their schedules, session details, and speaker info right from their mobile devices. No more last-minute emails or scrambling for the latest updates — everything stays in sync automatically.
Expanding Access to Blackthorn Messaging
Communication is the backbone of successful events. That’s why we’re expanding access to Blackthorn Messaging, enabling native 1-to-1 and 1-to-many SMS communication directly within Salesforce. To help organizers get started, we’re offering 1,000 free messages for events and other communications.
This means:
- Instant, direct attendee communication without relying on third-party tools.
- The ability to schedule and manage messages seamlessly within Salesforce.
- More engaged attendees and smoother event execution.
Split Payments: Making Donations and Event Payments Seamless
Managing event finances just got easier. With our new split payments feature, organizers can now separate donations from event-related payments during registration, eliminating the need for manual reconciliation. This is a game-changer for nonprofits and organizations that rely on both ticket sales and fundraising efforts.
Meet Our New Leaders
As Blackthorn continues to grow, we’re excited to welcome two industry veterans to our executive team:
Chris Kearney, SVP of Sales
With 12+ years at Cvent, Chris helped launch their London office and expand their European market. Now, he’s bringing his expertise to Blackthorn to help organizations create data-driven events that prove ROI.
“Event planners are becoming part-time data scientists because they need to demonstrate return-on-event. I’m excited to help them articulate their impact with Blackthorn’s powerful, integrated solutions.” — Chris Kearney
Lauren McCullough, SVP of Marketing
Formerly the VP of Marketing at Bizzabo, Lauren was instrumental in launching and driving demand for the Event Experience OS and Klik Smartbadge technology. At Blackthorn, she’ll be helping event marketers unlock the full potential of Salesforce-native event management.
“Events are one of the most impactful marketing channels, but their impact is often hard to quantify. Blackthorn removes the manual work and data silos, making it easier than ever to showcase event success. It’s a game-changer, and I’m thrilled to be part of this journey.” — Lauren McCullough
Recap: Homecoming 2025—Our First-Ever Customer Conference
The momentum is already building. Earlier this month, we hosted Homecoming 2025, bringing together leaders from 35+ top colleges and universities to explore the future of event technology. A key highlight? How AI-powered event assistants—powered by Salesforce’s Agentforce—are shaping the next generation of event management.
What’s Next?
We’re just getting started. Blackthorn is committed to transforming event management, making it easier than ever to plan, execute, and measure impactful events. Stay tuned for more innovations coming soon!
Want to see these new features in action? Schedule a demo today and discover how Blackthorn can take your events to the next level.