Networking has become an almost automatic ritual, especially at trade fairs, innovation events, and business matchmaking sessions. You introduce yourself, exchange a business card or QR code, smile, and move on to the next person. But what remains the next day? A pocket full of contacts and few authentic connections to remember.

In an era where every event promises high-value networking opportunities, the reality is often quite different: cognitive overload, rushed conversations, not enough time to build real bonds, and follow-ups that are forgotten or never happen. Even digital tools like matching apps or virtual business cards often fall short—they’re great for saving a name but less so for creating a memory.

The paradox of networking in 2025

Attending an event today means entering a bubble of overstimulation: pitches, keynotes, workshops, booths, buffets. Everything is fast-paced. Time is short, pressure is high, and each interaction becomes a speed interview to figure out if it’s worth continuing. People often rely on gut feelings, logos on badges, or first impressions—leading to weak and short-lived networks.

Even when you leave your email at a booth, how often are you contacted afterwards? And how often do we forget to follow up on potentially valuable conversations? Networking has become more about compulsively collecting contacts than actually building meaningful relationships. Sometimes, you end up spending the whole day talking to just one random person, hoping that’s enough to say you “networked.” But that kind of accidental connection rarely leads to long-term value.

The limits of traditional solutions

In recent years, many digital platforms have attempted to improve networking: automated matchmaking, company profile apps, dynamic QR codes, and smart badges. While these tools are helpful, they often fail to overcome a fundamental barrier: genuine human interaction.

An app can suggest who might be relevant to you, but it can’t help you remember a face, a joke, or a gesture. The strongest connections come from shared experiences—moments that mean something. That’s where the power of play comes in.

When networking becomes a game (literally)

Meaningful play is the key to transforming a professional encounter from ordinary to unforgettable. When two or more people share a playful experience, they enter a collaboration, challenge, and emotional dynamic. They don’t just exchange cards—they build memories.

In games, participants are motivated to reach a goal. There are roles, problem-solving, laughter, reactions—you get to observe each other in action. This breaks down professional masks and lets people see one another as complete individuals, capable of trust, empathy, and genuine connection.

Games also lower defenses, encourage openness, and spark curiosity. Where a face-to-face meeting may feel stiff or formal, a playful setting promotes listening, spontaneity, and even humor.

MATCH MIXER: The unforgettable professional blind date

Among the formats, CHRONES. offers for events and trade shows is MATCH MIXER, a game inspired by TV blind dates but designed to connect stakeholders (companies, investors, institutions) with potential partners (startups, innovators, freelancers) in a completely unexpected way.

Three mystery participants compete for the attention and interest of a stakeholder, who cannot see them but only hears them and interacts through a series of questions and mini-games. At the end, the stakeholder chooses who to follow up with.

The entire experience lasts about 15 minutes but leaves a much deeper impact: participants remember who they met because there was a dynamic—and often fun—interaction. And quite often, those contacts turn into real collaborations.

MATCH MIXER has already been successfully used at innovation and entrepreneurship events, where it helped match startups and investors who might otherwise never have crossed paths. The format is flexible and can be tailored to different contexts, with questions and challenges designed for specific industries or audiences.

Other game-based formats for B2B events

The principles in MATCH MIXER can be adapted into many other custom game formats: professional role-playing scenarios, collaborative escape rooms at booths, team challenges between companies and startups, interactive quizzes on industry topics, and scavenger hunts with unlockable badges.

There are also gamified pitch simulations where investors act as judges in an interactive show or speed meeting sessions guided by role cards that direct the conversation toward shared goals. What all of these activities have in common is that they shift the focus from “what do you do” to “who are you.”

Why play works (even in business)

Numerous studies on meaningful play show that playful experiences boost memory, intrinsic motivation, and the activation of positive emotional states. When thoughtfully designed, games can be powerful tools for fostering long-lasting professional relationships.

What’s more, in a market increasingly driven by innovation and creativity, being open to play is a sign of a forward-thinking company culture—one that puts people at the center. Attendees at a playful event not only have fun, but they also learn, connect, and go home with vivid memories—not just a stack of contacts to sort through.

CHRONES. and the future of experiential networking

At CHRONES., we design game-based formats that turn every meeting into a genuine opportunity for exchange, collaboration, and growth.

From MATCH MIXER to fully customized experiences for trade shows, campuses, corporate events and open innovation initiatives, our goal is simple: create moments that leave a mark. If you’re ready to bring more meaning to your events, the game has just begun.

Photo by Product School on Unsplash