AIDSImpact & Invajo: How a global HIV research conference strengthened its digital backbone
How AIDSImpact streamlined their workflow with Invajo
For more than 30 years, AIDSImpact has brought together researchers, clinicians, community groups, and public health leaders to examine the psychosocial dimensions of HIV and AIDS. The conference moves between host cities across the world and is organized by a UK-based nonprofit driven by volunteers. Each edition involves extensive planning: international abstract submission, multi-track programming, coordination across continents, and support for hundreds of delegates.
When preparations began for the 2023 event in Sweden, they needed a platform that could bring registration, payments, abstract review, scheduling, and communication into one place without adding administrative burden. After a competitive bidding process, Invajo became their choice.
“We were incredibly impressed by the service,” says Professor Lorraine Sherr, one of the conference founders. “The coordination and support were outstanding. We couldn’t have delivered the conference at that level without them.”
“We were incredibly impressed by the service. The coordination and support were outstanding.”
A platform built for scientific complexity
AIDSImpact is not a typical event. With up to five parallel sessions, international plenary speakers, over 100 poster presentations, and a scientific review board handling hundreds of abstracts, the team needed a system that could respond quickly and handle complexity without friction.
Invajo became the backbone of the entire workflow:
- End-to-end abstract management with reviewer ratings, program clustering, and instant notifications.
- Flexible tools that supported real-time programme decisions during the scientific board’s marathon planning meeting.
- Seamless presentation uploads, enabling speakers to submit and update materials in advance.
- Integrated registration and communication, connecting what used to be several disconnected admin channels.
“We used to manage everything through custom systems or even spreadsheets,” Sherr explains. “Now, it’s all connected. Delegates move from our website straight into the Invajo environment without even noticing the transition.”
“Delegates move from our website straight into the Invajo environment without even noticing the transition.”
Casablanca: A scaled-up conference, a proven partnership
Following the success of the Swedish edition, the AIDSImpact team reopened the platform bid for the 2025 conference in Casablanca. Although Invajo wasn’t the cheapest option, the quality of support and adaptability made the decision easy.
The Casablanca edition delivered above expectations:
- 100% higher attendance than projected
- 500+ participants from across the world
- Five parallel sessions and a record number of posters
- Hybrid plenary speakers supported with advance uploads and on-site reliability
“Anything we asked for, the answer was always with a ‘can do’ approach,” Sherr says. “They were incredibly responsive to our IT team and adjusted to our needs quickly. It made everything seamless – exactly what modern conferences require.”
Invajo’s willingness to build missing functionality stood out as well. When the Swedish conference needed on-site badging, Invajo sourced and supported it. By the following year, the functionality was integrated directly into the platform.
“They learn fast and adapt even faster,” Sherr notes. “That flexibility matters in a conference environment where things shift constantly.”
“Anything we asked for, the answer was always with a ‘can do’ approach.”
Looking ahead: London 2027
Planning for the next conference is already underway. The challenges will shift – funding models, venue demands, infrastructure differences – but the need for a reactive, integrated system will remain.
As the conference grows and changes location, the organising team relies on systems that can evolve with them.
“There are always new challenges, and you need a lot of help to run something like this,” Sherr says. “Being organized in advance, having the right tools, and having a responsive team behind the platform is essential. Invajo has been that partner.”