Planning and organizing a virtual global event like reInvent@Home comes with feelings such as excitement, anxiety, stress, relief, and the best of all satisfaction and reward.
Last year, in 2023, AWS introduced the concept to bring a percentage of the energy and excitement of re:Invent to those who couldn’t attend in person.
This year, a small but passionate team, comprising of Annem Shah, Oluwasegun Adedigba, Andreas Rütten and myself organized a first ever community led re:Invent@home.

Our intention was to create a welcoming and engaging virtual space for attendees around the world.
Here’s how we brought it all to life, the lessons we learned, and tips for anyone looking to organize a similar event.

The Start: Turning an Idea into Action 💡📙 📝

The idea to organize reInvent@Home started with a shared enthusiasm for connecting with the global AWS community. Some of us had attended last year’s re:Invent@home, others had been to Las Vegas for the live re:Invent experience, and a few were simply inspired to try something new.

Once we assembled a like-minded group, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. Our first step? Establishing a central meeting point where everyone involved could collaborate seamlessly.

Planning Across Borders: Navigating Time Zones and Busy Schedules ⏲ ⏳

Planning an event of this magnitude meant overcoming logistical challenges. With team members spread across different time zones, we were fortunate that the differences were minimal, just two hours apart.

To make the most of our time, we set a regular meeting schedule:

• Three months before the event: Weekly meetings to brainstorm and outline the event structure.
• One month out: Increased to three meetings per week to refine details and tackle action items.

Every meeting started with updates on designated tasks, ensuring accountability and progress. Of course, there were days when someone couldn’t attend, but our mantra was simple: the show must go on!

Laying the Foundation: Tools and Strategies ✍🏻💻🗂

We relied on a variety of tools and strategies to streamline the planning process:

• Collaboration Tools: A shared spreadsheet became our central hub for brainstorming, tracking ideas, and assigning tasks.
• Participant Outreach: To gauge interest, we created a Google Form for attendees and potential speakers, setting clear timelines for submissions.
• Communication Channels: We combined all community members interested in the planning into a Slack channel, which became our event’s heartbeat.

In Slack, we shared event updates, fostered daily conversations, and created excitement leading up to the event.

Making It Interactive: The Event Blueprint 🎡👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

To keep attendees engaged, we designed a mix of live sessions, watch-alongs, and interactive discussions. Key elements included:

• Keynotes: Keynotes are huge!! We scheduled watch-alongs for the major keynotes, starting meetings five minutes early for networking and running discussions afterward.
• Daily Sessions: Inorder to enforce collaboration, knowledge sharing and networking within the community, we offered a range of 45–60-minute talks/presentations based on AWS services.
• Daily Recaps and Previews: Each day began with an agenda and ended with highlights, ensuring everyone stayed informed and involved.
• Swag and Fun: Thanks to the incredible support from AWS, we distributed swag to all speakers and selected daily winners to add an extra layer of excitement.

Lessons Learned: Tips for Future Organizers 🧠🙌🏻
Reflecting on the experience, here are some key takeaways for organizing a virtual event:

• Engage Early and Often: Start building momentum well in advance with consistent communication.
• Leverage Technology: Use platforms like Zoom or WebEx for live sessions and Slack for ongoing discussions.
• Stay Flexible: Have backup plans for no-shows or technical glitches.
• Prioritize Fun: While structure is important, creating an enjoyable and memorable experience should always be the goal.

Swag: A Token of Appreciation ✨🎁
No event is complete without swag! As a small token of appreciation, we received some amazing AWS swag for our efforts, which added to the joy of organizing. Sharing a photo of my swag haul feels like the perfect way to celebrate the journey and the connections we made along the way:

I received:

• A builders big bag of adventure (In black). Optimal for AWS events and meetups. It can contain a 16 inch laptop and other items.
• A white building T-Shirt
• A think big notebook and
• AWS BuildersCards Resilience Expansion

I love my package.Thank you AWS Community. 🥰🥰

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for reInvent@Home?
Organizing reInvent@Home was a rewarding experience that demonstrated the power of collaboration and shared passion. For those seeking inspiration to organize similar events, I hope our journey serves as a helpful guide.

The question now is: how will you create your next big virtual event? Let’s continue to innovate, connect, and grow as a global community.
Looking forward to the re:invent@home2025 What new ideas do you suggest we engage in next year?