Conference management software for research organizations

Conference management software is the platform academic and scientific events use to run the whole event in one place: collecting abstract submissions, managing peer review, building the program, opening registration and payments, and publishing an event website. It replaces the patchwork of spreadsheets, forms, and email that organizers otherwise stitch together.

Fourwaves is conference management software built specifically for research events, so the submission, review, registration, and website pieces are connected from the start rather than bolted on afterward.

Good conference management software should cover the full event lifecycle: a call for papers and abstract submission, peer review, a program and session builder, registration with online payments, and an event website. Academic and scientific events should also look for capabilities that generic event tools skip: double-blind peer review, conflict of interest detection, a book of abstracts, and virtual poster sessions.

Fourwaves brings all of these together in one connected platform built specifically for research events.

Fourwaves is a leading conference management software platform designed specifically for academic and scientific communities. It streamlines the whole lifecycle of conferences with integrated abstract management, customizable peer review workflows (double-blind or open), and registration with payments. It’s focused on facilitating exchange for in-person events and also supports virtual formats including engaging virtual poster sessions to ensure global research accessibility. Trusted by thousands of events every year, it also partners with universities in Canada and the US, and the list keeps growing.

Most platforms are outdated or built for business conferences.

Fourwaves is purpose-built for research: abstract management, peer review, posters, programs, scientific sessions, and engagement tools tailored to academic workflows.

The Event Assistant is Fourwaves’ AI-powered review tool, included free on every plan, that checks your event before you publish it. It combines artificial intelligence with built-in rules to scan your event website, settings, payments, and registration and abstract submission forms, then flags misconfigurations, missing translations, inconsistencies, and typos. Results are grouped by severity (critical issues, warnings, and suggestions) so you can fix what matters first. It runs automatically every time you publish your event and keeps improving over time.

Fourwaves offers flexible annual plans designed to scale with your organization. You can start for free with unlimited events (a service fee applies only to credit card transactions). Our paid annual tiers include the Essential Plan ($899 USD) for up to 100 abstracts, the Advanced Plan ($1,799 USD) for 200 abstracts and a full event website, and the Pro Plan ($5,000 USD) for complex, multi-track events with custom domains. For PCOs, university departments, or institutions managing a high volume of events, we provide customized pricing and tailored packages to meet specific structural needs. All plans include unlimited registrations.

Yes. Submissions, peer review, registrations, payments, website, program builder, virtual platform, and analytics, all under one roof.

Absolutely. Fourwaves is known for its clean, intuitive interface. Reviewers, students, presenters, and admins can use it instantly with minimal training.

Yes. Fourwaves follows strict data protection standards and complies with GDPR, FERPA-aligned practices, and major North American privacy laws. Payment data is processed through PCI-certified providers like Stripe.

Yes. Fourwaves supports multi-track events, multiple committees, hundreds of reviewers, and thousands of submissions — with robust workflows and role-based permissions.

Our median response time is under 10mins. Organizers consistently highlight our fast, knowledgeable support team in their testimonials.

Not at all. Fourwaves includes a drag-and-drop website builder, automated workflows, and templates suited for non-technical scientific organizers.