Malaysian event technology company Evend has been officially recognised by ASEAN Records for introducing a digital event-booking ecosystem designed to strengthen trust, payment security and accountability between event organisers, venues and service providers.
The recognition acknowledges Evend’s approach to addressing persistent challenges within the events industry, including fraudulent bookings, payment disputes, vendor no-shows, last-minute cancellations and limited transparency. By bringing identity verification, protected payments and formal agreements into a single digital ecosystem, the platform seeks to make event transactions safer and more structured.
A Regional Milestone in Event Technology
Evend was officially recognised by ASEAN Records for achieving the milestone:
First Verified Venue-and-Vendor Event Booking Platform with Two-Sided Identity Verification, Legally Binding Smart Contracts and Secured Payment Protection
(15 verified vendors and venues across 7 event categories; launched 2026).
The achievement highlights how technology can address one of the event industry’s most fundamental requirements: trust between customers and service providers.
Rather than operating solely as a venue or vendor directory, Evend has developed a structured booking environment in which both sides of a transaction undergo identity verification before proceeding. The system also incorporates legally binding smart contracts, milestone-based payments, secured payment protection, transparent pricing and standardised workflows.
Building Greater Confidence Into Event Transactions
Planning an event often requires organisers to coordinate multiple independent parties, from venues and caterers to decorators, entertainment providers and other specialised vendors.
This fragmented process can expose both customers and businesses to financial and operational risks.
Evend’s model seeks to reduce these uncertainties by embedding safeguards directly into the booking process. Its milestone-based payment structure provides greater control over the movement of funds, while contractual arrangements establish clearer expectations between customers and service providers.
For vendors, verified customers can provide greater confidence that enquiries and bookings are genuine. For organisers, verification and payment protection can reduce uncertainty when engaging service providers through a digital platform.
Combining AI With Event Industry Experience
Artificial intelligence also forms part of Evend’s technology ecosystem.
The company incorporates AI-powered Vendor Smart Match, supported by an AI agent designed to understand customer requirements and patterns and connect organisers with suitable vendors and venues.
By combining AI-assisted discovery with verification and transaction safeguards, Evend aims to simplify the traditionally time-consuming process of identifying, comparing and engaging event service providers.
The platform was developed by event industry professionals, AI specialists and technology consultants with more than 15 years of combined experience, according to ASEAN Records.
Creating Opportunities for Event Vendors
Beyond customer protection, Evend’s model also provides opportunities for event businesses to compete through service quality, credibility and verified participation.
At the time of its ASEAN Records recognition, the platform had brought together 15 verified vendors and venues across seven event categories.
This approach can be particularly relevant for smaller and emerging event businesses that may not possess the marketing reach of established operators. A transparent digital marketplace can provide greater visibility while verification mechanisms help businesses establish credibility with potential customers.
As Southeast Asia’s digital economy continues to develop, similar trust-based infrastructure could become increasingly important for service industries where transactions involve significant deposits, advance planning and multiple independent providers.
Supporting a More Transparent Event Economy
Evend’s development also reflects the broader digitalisation of Southeast Asia’s service economy.
Consumers increasingly expect the convenience of discovering and purchasing services online, but complex event transactions require more than simple e-commerce functionality. Bookings may involve substantial financial commitments, changing requirements and services delivered months after initial payment.
Integrating identity verification, formal agreements and payment protection into the booking journey therefore represents an effort to bring stronger digital safeguards into an industry traditionally dependent on manual coordination and informal arrangements.
Evend ultimately aims to develop beyond a conventional marketplace and become a trusted infrastructure layer for event transactions, supporting organisers, venues and vendors through a more secure and accountable digital environment.
Recognition Presented at The Estate on Federal Hill
The ASEAN Records certificate was officially presented on 23 July 2026 at The Estate on Federal Hill, marking the formal acknowledgement of Evend’s achievement.
The recognition was received by Sharothvarman Gurumurothy, Founder and CEO of Evend, and Rachel Joe, Co-Founder and COO, representing the leadership behind the company’s development and its vision for a safer event-booking ecosystem.
Reflecting on the achievement, Sharothvarman described the recognition as a milestone not only for Evend but for the wider events industry, emphasising the company’s founding belief that event transactions should be built around trust, transparency and accountability.
Looking Ahead
Evend’s ASEAN Records recognition demonstrates how digital innovation can be applied to practical challenges within the event industry.
As online service marketplaces become increasingly sophisticated, verification, payment protection and accountability are likely to become just as important as convenience and accessibility.
For Evend, the next opportunity lies in expanding this trust-based model beyond its initial Malaysian market and supporting a broader Southeast Asian event ecosystem where organisers can book with greater confidence and service providers can participate through transparent and secure processes.
By combining AI-assisted matching with verified identities, legally binding agreements and protected transactions, Evend is contributing to a more structured approach to digital event commerce — one designed not simply to make booking easier, but to make every stage of the transaction safer, clearer and more dependable.
