Sesame Summit 2026 – application open

Selected Events: November 2023

PUZZLE X 2023

November 7-9 – Spain

From the bleeding-edge of physics, food, 5G, genomics to fashion, energy, mobility, brain interfaces, IoT, infrastructure and more, PUZZLE X brings the world’s biggest visionaries, industry leaders, innovators, forward-looking governments and civil societies from all different domains to showcase, discuss and chart the future of citizens, cities, industries and societies enabled by Frontier Tech.

Wolves Summit Vienna 2023

November 8-9 – Austria

The Vienna Wolves Summit is a global innovation platform that connects startups with investors, corporations, and accelerators. Located in the heart of Europe, it offers customized matchmaking for meaningful partnerships. With a diverse range of industries represented, the summit fosters collaboration and innovation across various sectors, making it a pivotal event for global business development and entrepreneurship.

Frontiers Health 2023

November 8-10 – Italy

Frontiers Health, a leading global digital health innovation event, gathers thought leaders, policymakers, and innovative companies to address the healthcare challenges and opportunities. The conference focuses on digital therapies, breakthrough technologies, healthcare transformation, investments, and ecosystem development. Attendees can explore the latest digital health developments, attend thought-provoking presentations and workshops, and connect with venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and digital health firms. This event offers valuable insights into how innovation is shaping healthcare and provides opportunities for investment, startup development, and corporate collaborations.

COMEUP 2023

November 8-10 – South Korea

Discover the excitement at COMEUP 2023, the standout startup event in Seoul, organized by the Korea Startup Forum. Bringing together an exclusive lineup of top-tier venture capital firms and accelerators, COMEUP 2023 signals its growing prominence within the global startup ecosystem. This event underscores the pivotal role of the Korea Startup Forum as a major player in South Korea’s thriving startup scene, offering an array of startup-focused programs, from high-stakes pitching competitions to invaluable networking opportunities, sure to ignite innovation and entrepreneurship.

Startup Guide Summit 2023

November 11 – Portugal

The Startup Guide Summit unites startups, investors, public sector representatives, community builders, and key stakeholders from 60+ distinct startup ecosystems. Amidst the vibrant city of Lisbon, the Summit is driven by the central mission of cultivating exchange and collaboration among these multifaceted participants. With a core aim of identifying and aligning innovative solutions with the globe’s most significant challenges, this event not only encourages idea exchange but also hosts a Pitch Competition in collaboration with Impact Shakers.

MEDICA 2023

November 13-16 – Germany

MEDICA stands as one of the world’s largest medical B2B trade fairs. The event is a veritable showcase of innovative products and services in medical imaging, laboratory technology, diagnostics, health IT, mobile health, and more. Attendees can participate in a rich program of top-tier forums, conferences, and special shows, facilitating meaningful discussions with experts and policymakers, and featuring product pitches and award ceremonies. MEDICA 2023 is a must-see for everyone who wants to see the healthcare industry of the future in action.

Web Summit 2023

November 13-16 – Portugal

Over the years, Web Summit events have brought together an impressive number of attendees, totalling half a million individuals across various locations. The core mission of Web Summit centers around developing software that facilitates meaningful connections among a diverse range of individuals: CEOs, founders, investors, media professionals, politicians, and influential figures in the cultural sphere. This gathering of visionaries is collectively driving the transformation of our world.

ai-PULSE 2023

November 17 – France

ai-PULSE, Europe’s premier AI Conference by Scaleway, gathers 1000 attendees, 50 speakers, and features 3 stages. The event focuses on the latest AI trends, the future of machine learning, and the impact of Large Language Models on technology and business. Attendees gain insights into AI technology, products, and business cases. They are connect with experts to shape their 2024 AI strategies, whether for hiring, fundraising, or product development. The conference also offers hands-on support for engineers, code exploration, and cloud architecture insights to advance AI projects.

GreenTech Forum 2023

November 21-22 – France

The GreenTech Forum stands as a pivotal professional gathering at the forefront of the digital and environmental intersection. In the context of the growing significance of digital greenhouse gas emissions, this event is a vital platform for those committed to GreenIT and IT for Green. GreenTech Forum offers a unique space for stakeholders in the digital and environmental domains to convene, discuss critical issues, share their expertise, and shape the future of sustainable technology in Europe. The event features a rich program of conferences, workshops, and an expansive exhibition and networking space, making it an essential occasion for professionals across various functions within both private and public organizations.

Immersive Tech Week 2023

November 28- December 1 – Netherlands

Immersive Tech Week, hosted by the VRDays Europe Foundation, unites 150+ XR experts for discussions and networking in the metaverse and immersive tech space. It covers vital topics such as VR, AR, XR, AI, Web3, Web4, and haptics. Each day spotlights the practical implementation of immersive technology across various industries, including healthcare, education, life sciences, creative sectors, and media. This event stands as a key hub for those shaping the future of immersive tech.

Slush 2023

November 30- December 1 – Finland

The upcoming Slush 2023 event offers an action-packed schedule spanning two days, packed with captivating stage programs. Alongside these main programs, attendees can also participate in a range of side events, engaging talks at networking sessions, interactive roundtable discussions, and facilitated workshops. The speaker line-up is nothing short of exceptional, featuring accomplished founders, renowned investors, and influential figures from the startup and tech community.

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crowds throng the avenue before the Blue Stage at VivaTech 2025
Events 2 days ago

At Sesamers, we’re always looking to be the first to learn about the latest trends in the startup and tech events space. That’s why it feels like a privilege that Sesamers was invited by Olivia Hervy, chief ecosystem officer of VivaTech, to the exclusive kick-off VivaTech 2026, alongside key partners.  As Europe’s largest startup and tech event prepares for its 10th anniversary, scheduled for June 17-20, 2026 in Paris, being part of this circle of industry professionals gives us early insight into what promises to be VivaTech’s most ambitious edition yet, with significant expansions and new experiences that reflect a decade of growth and evolution. Major infrastructure expansions After calling Hall 1 and 2 at Porte de Versailles home for a decade, VivaTech 2026 is relocating to Hall 7, a new three-floor building that the event will occupy fully. The venue now features 30% more exhibition space across three floors; upgraded infrastructure; excellent internet connectivity, and a much larger business center. The building has 12 dedicated restaurant areas, providing ample dining options to better accommodate the growing crowds. The centerpiece is a brand new, 2,200-seat main stage where the event’s most significant announcements and keynotes will be held. Greater business focus Building on 2025’s  success (180,000 attendees, 14,000 startups), VivaTech 2026 introduces several business-focused improvements: Doubled innovation showcase The “Garden of Innovators” concept has been expanded upon, with organizers promising to double startup participation, product announcements, and exhibition surface area compared to previous editions.  Located on the first floor, the welcome area will showcase exemplars of innovation through the centuries to remind attendees of humanity’s continuous drive to invent and create. Germany takes center stage For 2026, Germany has been selected as the “Country of the Year,” and VivaTech will highlight the nation’s contributions to the European tech ecosystem with an eye towards strengthening Franco-German technological cooperation. Thematic villages  VivaTech 2026 introduces a new organizational approach: We have four dedicated thematic arenas, each of which features its own startup village and specialized programming: Each thematic village will feature startups building in those sectors, creating focused ecosystems where attendees can explore innovations that cross-pollinate within a concentrated area. Every theme features its own dedicated stage, which will host talks, panels, and presentations tailored to that sector. An additional Executive Arena will cater specifically to marketing and tech leaders, providing a hub for C-level discussions and strategic content. “Revolutions in Progress” VivaTech2026’s theme emphasizes ongoing technological revolutions, with particular focus on: Special anniversary experiences To mark the event’s 10th anniversary, VivaTech 2026 will feature several special events: Looking forward With its tagline, “VIVA LA REVOLUTION,” VivaTech 2026 positions itself not just as a retrospective celebration, but as the launch pad for the next decade of European tech innovation. The expanded format and new experiences point to how the event is evolving from a showcase into an increasingly sophisticated business platform for the global tech community. VivaTech 2026 builds on last year’s impressive satisfaction metrics (92% of exhibitors satisfied, 82% of attendees planning to return) while substantially expanding capacity and capabilities to serve the growing European tech ecosystem.

a wall of amplifiers
Events 2 days ago

Europe recorded €108 billion from exhibitions and events in 2024, according to UFI’s latest data. The continent welcomed 102 million visitors to over 2,000 certified exhibitions across 17 countries; Web Summit Lisbon set a record with 71,528 attendees in November 2024, making it the largest edition to date; and Stockholm’s Techarena secured just over €1 million from VC firm BackingMinds to expand internationally. By any reasonable measure, Europe’s events space has absolutely crushed the events game. End of story. Fin. However, from where I’m sitting, the elephant is still lurking quite comfortably in the room. At the risk of being ostracized, I’ll go ahead and ask the question: Why are some of the most innovative companies on the planet still schlepping to Austin for SXSW to make their biggest announcements (Salt Lick and Stubbs BBQ’s aside)? The room vs. the world Looking at the numbers: Europe’s events spark more meaningful connections per square meter than anywhere else on Earth. In 2025, VivaTech set records with 180,000 visitors, a 10% increase from a year earlier. MWC Barcelona authoritatively anchors a circuit stretching from Kigali to Las Vegas. The continent plays host to an estimated 32,000 exhibitions annually, generating 4.3 million full-time equivalent jobs. These are numbers you cannot take lightly. But walk into any European tech conference and you’ll witness something that should make every one of us reach for the Advil: major announcements received by something akin to a boisterous golf clap from 500 or so people. And that’s it. Those announcements then usually disintegrate into the digital ether, seemingly never to be heard of again. Meanwhile, across the pond, a throwaway tweet about the same topic has the potential to garner upwards of 50,000 shares and three podcast invitations faster than you can drink your morning coffee. But data and numbers don’t lie, and when it comes to events, they’re frankly embarrassing. Europe’s events sector processes roughly €108 billion, and is  extraordinarily efficient in bringing decision makers together in the same space.  European startups consistently struggle with what should be the easier bit: translating those promising conversations into sustained media coverage, investor attention and market validation. The great muppet caper Picture this scene playing out roughly 847 times per week across Europe: Monday: A Finnish startup leveraging AI presents a true breakthrough in supply chain management/optimization/operations to 200 logistics executives at a specialized track. The demo is genuinely impressive. The potential is genuinely massive. The audience is the very definition of target market. All the right pieces are in all the right places. Tuesday: Three tech publications publish brief summaries, perhaps even covering the entire conference, and not just the logistics breakthrough. The fledgling company’s LinkedIn post gets 47 likes (including the founders’ mothers, university mates, and the intern). A single podcast interview is scheduled for three weeks later. It may or may not happen. Wednesday: The story is now less alive than disco was on July 13, 1979. Look that one up, kids. Now let’s compare the same actions to the American playbook, which, if I’m honest, makes me simultaneously impressed and nauseous. The same company makes the announcement at a Bay Area-based event (yep, you know it as well as I do). It generates immediate response across a variety of channels from some  truly influential voices and some noise makers, but enough to garner the attention of major media (print, podcast, and pulp) outlets within 48 hours. It then spawns derivative content, and creates a sustained conversation that drives real, true, business development for the startup for weeks. The difference here isn’t the quality of the innovation; it’s how the messaging was amplified. Folks, you can hate me for saying this, but this is where Europe is getting schooled. There is no stopping in the Red Zone Take one look at today’s media landscape, and you’ll leave with a rather morbid impression. The problem isn’t structural fragmentation; it’s an endemic contraction. Leon may be growing, but European tech media is shrinking,  at precisely the wrong moment. A brief reminder: TechCrunch, long the go-to outlet for European startup coverage, quietly shut down its entire European operation in 2025 when private equity firm Regent LP acquired the publication.  Digital Frontier, the London-based tech publication that launched in early 2024 with a team of 20, “paused” operations just a few months ago, making all 16 staff members redundant.  Business Insider cut 21% of its staff in 2025, citing “extreme traffic drops” and AI disruption. Just days ago, we all found out that The Next Web, once one of Europe’s flagship tech conferences and media brands, was shutting down its events and media operations after nearly 20 years. The Financial Times, which bought TNW in 2019, confirmed it was winding down the business by the end of September following a “strategic review.” Conference attendance had dropped to 4,500 in 2025, less than half of pre-pandemic levels. The failure to capture content The folks at Black Unicorn PR earlier this year put together a guide that reveals something anyone working in European tech media already knows but pretends isn’t true: “Unlike the U.S., which has a few dominant tech media outlets and an emerging class of star indie writers, Europe hasn’t yet consolidated its practitioners’ knowledge in one place.” Stop and think about what that really means for a second. Sure, we’ve got strong regional players, and I salute Sifted, EU-Startups, and Tech.eu doing the do. But the lack of a unified amplification machinery, by definition, puts Europe at a disadvantage over Silicon Valley stories that are destined to be heard in Phuket faster than you can finish reading this sentence. To put it bluntly, European tech events suffer from content capture failure. The most valuable insights surface within conversations, at roundtable discussions, and networking sessions that generate no permanent content.  Unlike American events, which increasingly operate as content factories designed for social media amplification, European conferences optimize to create value in the room rather than post-event content distribution. All that

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New Materials 3 days ago

Winning the JEC Startup Booster's 2025 Sustainability Award transformed Strong by Form from a 'promising startup' into a serious player with industrial credibility.

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