BETTER PARTICIPATION. BETTER NETWORKING.

Speed Networking with Custom Rules

Make every fast one-to-one conversation more intentional with positive and negative matching rules based on participant segments.

No credit card needed

The Problem

Do not leave your highest-value introductions entirely to chance

Speed creates energy. Relevance makes that energy useful. For revenue-focused webinars and virtual events, a few minutes with the right person can uncover intent, create peer proof, open a partner path, or move a follow-up forward.

Random does not always mean relevant
An unstructured draw can spend scarce networking minutes on low-fit conversations while high-intent participants miss the people they came to meet.
Poor pairings weaken trust
Some attendee combinations may be unhelpful or sensitive. Without exclusion logic, organizers have less control over the networking experience.
Priority audiences can pass each other by
VIPs, buyers, experts, students, recruiters, customers, and partners may share an event without reliably crossing paths.

The Solution

Set the guardrails before networking begins

Choose rule-based matching when you create the Serendipity Session, then define who should meet, or who should not, using one supported segment category.

Multiple rules follow AND logic. If Rule 1 connects VIP Ticket with Gold Ticket and Rule 2 connects Student with Recruiter, people who belong to those segment combinations can be matched across the corresponding intersections. (Build and test the segment logic before the session goes live.)

USE CASES

Design the networking moment around the outcome

Use segment rules to make the most important introductions more likely while keeping the wider room active.

Actual Product Screenshots

Step-by-step process

Before you start, have your segment strategy mapped out. Rules cannot be changed once the session goes live, so it pays to think through the logic before you touch the dashboard.

Step 1. Go to Your Event Dashboard

Path: Events Dashboard > Sessions Tab > Sessions List > Add Schedule Item

Step 2. Select Serendipity Session as the Session Type

When it asks for a session type, pick Serendipity Session. Name the session and fill in the date, timing, and how long each attendee conversation should run.

Step 3. Open the Matching Rules Panel

Path: Session Setup > Change Rules

Click Change Rules. Two settings come up:

Anyone can match anyone: The default. Everyone gets matched randomly with no constraints
Rule-based matching: This is where you set the actual constraints, who should meet and who should not

Select Rule-based matching to move forward.

Step 4. Choose Your Rule Category

You can only build rules within one category, so pick whichever one already reflects how your attendees are segmented:

– User type: Match or exclude by role, host, speaker, or attendee
– Custom registration form fields: Use mandatory single-select or multi-select fields already on your registration form
– Ticket tiers: Match or exclude by ticket type such as VIP, Gold, or Premium

Step 5. Set Up Your Rules

Pick your two segments, then decide whether you want them to meet or specifically not meet. That is your rule. If you need more than one rule, add them one by one. Multiple rules follow AND logic, so participants who qualify across segment combinations get matched accordingly.

Step 6. Save and Check Everything Before the Session

Hit Save when you are done. Then go back through the whole setup before the session date. Once it starts, nothing can be changed.

A few things to keep in mind:

Matching rules only work on paid Airmeet plans
Everything has to stay within one category. Mixing user type with ticket tiers in the same rule set is not supported
Once you put a segment in a positive rule, it cannot also go in a negative rule. Pick one direction per segment
Anyone outside your rules just gets matched randomly, which is fine and keeps the broader room active
If you have not added custom registration fields to your event yet, you cannot use them for rules. Set those up first

WHY CHOOSE AIRMEET

Why choose Airmeet for custom speed networking

The matching rule is not an isolated trick. It connects registration choices, ticket strategy, session design, attendee experience, and post-event follow-up.

One connected event journey
Use registration data, ticket tiers, scheduled networking, conversation timers, and the broader Airmeet experience without sending attendees to a separate matchmaking tool.
Organizer-controlled relevance
Positive and negative rules turn a networking block into an intentional part of the event strategy while preserving serendipity for everyone outside the rules.
Built for scalable segmentation
Apply rules through user type, mandatory single- or multi-select registration fields, or ticket tiers, the practical attributes event teams already manage.
Better conditions for pipeline conversations
More relevant introductions can create richer questions, peer proof, partner connections, and follow-up context for marketing and sales teams.

help Center

Relevant Help Articles

Explore guides and tutorials to help you create, customize, and host exceptional events on Airmeet.

How to Set Up Matching Rules for a Serendipity Session

What Is a Serendipity Session and How Does It Work

How to Add a Serendipity Session in Airmeet

Set Up and Customize the Registration Form and Attendee Card

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Speed Networking with Custom Rules?

It is Airmeet’s rule-based matching option for a Serendipity Session. Organizers can create positive rules to encourage matches between specified segments or negative rules to prevent specified segments from meeting.

How is it different from standard speed networking?

The default experience allows participants to match randomly. Custom rules add organizer-defined constraints so selected segments are more likely to follow the intended matching pattern while people outside the rules can continue to match randomly.

What is a positive matching rule?

A positive rule is a constraint intended to ensure matches between two specified segments, such as VIP Ticket and Gold Ticket.

What is a negative matching rule?

A negative rule is a constraint intended to prevent matches between two specified segments.

Which participant attributes can be used to build rules?

Rules can be built using three categories: user type, mandatory custom registration form fields using single- or multi-select inputs, and ticket tiers.

Can I combine rules from different categories?

No. Cross-category rules are not supported. Build the entire rule set within one category, such as ticket tier or custom registration fields.

Can positive and negative rules be applied to the same segment?

No. A segment cannot have both positive and negative rules applied to it. Choose one rule direction for each segment.

How do multiple positive rules work?

Multiple rules follow AND logic. A participant who belongs to more than one segment can be matched with people who satisfy the corresponding combinations, as illustrated by the VIP and Gold example combined with the Student and Recruiter example.

What happens to attendees who do not match any rule?

They can match randomly among themselves, so the networking session still includes the broader audience.

Can matching rules be changed after the session starts?

No. Matching rules cannot be changed once the session is live. Validate segments and constraints before the session begins.

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