Link8 min read

Link Up: Networking Spaces, Tables, and Speed Rounds

Set up networking spaces, run table-booking sessions for one-on-ones, and host live speed networking rounds that pair everyone automatically.

1

What Link Up Is

Link Up is the in-person side of Link. On top of profiles and AI matches, it gives your attendees real ways to actually meet: a place to sit, a booked table for a one-on-one, and fast-paced speed networking that pairs the whole room round by round.

You set it up from the Link module on your dashboard, under "Grow the Event." Attendees experience it inside Gythr Here, in the Networking area of your event.

Pro tip

Everything here is opt-in for attendees and privacy-safe for you. You manage the where and the when. You never see who met whom.

2

Networking Spaces

Open Link → Networking Spaces to build the list of places people can meet: tables, booths, lounges, and stage areas. Each space has a name, a type, a capacity (how many seats), and an optional location note like "North wall."

Add spaces one at a time, or use Bulk add to paste a whole list (one per line) and set a shared type and capacity for the batch. Use the order field to arrange them, and the Active toggle to take a space out of rotation without deleting it. Spaces are the reusable building block that sessions and speed rounds draw from.

Screenshot: Link Networking Spaces page with a list of tables, booths, and a lounge
3

Table-Booking Sessions

Open Link → Networking Sessions and create a session with the Table booking format. Give it a name, a window it is open (start and end time), how long each slot lasts, and which spaces it uses. Set its status to open when you are ready for attendees to book.

Now when an attendee accepts a one-on-one meeting, they are asked where they want to meet. They can pick a networking meeting space, which shows the available table-and-time options and books one for them, or choose somewhere else and type their own spot, or accept with no location for now. A booked table is held just for them, lands on their event schedule, and shows up in their calendar export and reminder. If plans change, they can release the table so the slot opens back up.

Pro tip

Two people can never grab the same table at the same time. The booking is locked the moment it is claimed, so there are no double-bookings.

4

Speed Networking Rounds

Create a session with the Speed rounds format instead. Set how long each round runs (for example, five minutes), an optional target number of rounds, and the spaces the round will use. Set the session to open so attendees can join the lobby.

When you are ready, open the session's Run console (the "Run" link on the session). Press Start round and Gythr pairs everyone in the room: it avoids repeat pairings across the session, rotates everyone fairly, seats each pair at a space when one is free, and gives the odd person out a short break that round. Press Next round to advance whenever you like, and End session when you are done. The console shows you a live participant count and a countdown, and nothing more.

Screenshot: Run console with participant count, round number, and countdown
5

What Attendees See in a Speed Round

An attendee opens Networking → Speed networking in Gythr Here and taps Join. Once you start a round, their screen updates on its own to show exactly who to meet and where: "Round 2 of 5, meet Jordan at Table 4," with the time left ticking down.

If they draw the break that round, they see a friendly "you are on a break this round" message and get priority to be paired next. Between rounds they see a short "waiting for the next round" state until you advance. There is nothing to refresh and nothing to manage. They just follow the screen.

6

Privacy by Design

Link Up is built so you get what you need to run a great event without ever seeing your attendees' private connections. Your run console and recaps show counts only: how many people joined, how many rounds ran, how many connections were made.

The actual pairings, who sat with whom, are visible only to the two people involved, and they are cleared out shortly after the session ends. The lasting value goes to the attendee, on their own profile, when they choose to save someone. See the "Saving Connections and Session Recaps" article for that side.

Important

Live screens update by checking in every few seconds, so a partner or countdown can take a moment to appear after you start or advance a round. That is normal.