Founders’ summit interpreting

The brief

The organizers wanted every keynote and panel available in both languages, with no session left to subtitles after the fact.

Approach

I worked in a two-person booth with a colleague, switching every thirty minutes. Speakers sent slides in advance, and I built a term sheet for each panel: product names, funding vocabulary and the name of every speaker and company.

For the two fireside chats, we agreed a hand signal with the moderators so quick exchanges could slow down without stopping the conversation.

Outcome

Attendance at the French-language sessions doubled compared with the previous year, and the association has booked the same booth team for its next edition.