Sesame Summit 2026 – application open

Selected Events: September 2023

Nordic Blockchain Conference 2023

September 6-7 – Denmark
Nordic Blockchain Conference (NBC) unites the largest web3 network in the nordics with the global community. They bring together industry experts, thought leaders, educators and professionals to explore the possibilities and opportunities within the web3 space and beyond. NBC creates a container to enable connection and collaboration between professionals and businesses from all over the world.

CogX Summit 2023

September 12-14 – United Kingdom
CogX Summit brings together change makers in business, government, science and academia to understand the biggest transformational opportunities of our time, identify the challenges we must overcome along the way, and address the critical question of how to move forward.

Intelligent Health 2023

September 1314 – Switzerland
Intelligent Health is back to bring together the global AI and health communities to advance discussions on how to apply AI and drive technological collaboration in healthcare.

TechBBQ 2023

September 13-14 – Copenhagen
TechBBQ is for entrepreneurs, investors, journalists and tech enthusiasts looking for an intimate, well-designed and educational experience; the main goal being to support and strengthen the Nordic ecosystem by fostering growth for startups and scaleups. Their annual summit creates an environment where you can encounter pioneering startups within the ecosystem, engage in conversations about the latest trends, network amidst a warm and lively atmosphere, draw inspiration from influential speakers, and indulge in a classic BBQ experience.

Infobip Shift 2023

September 18-19 – Croatia
It’s a 2-day multistage hybrid conference dedicated to people passionate about software, continuing the tradition of delivering interactive, engaging, and exciting content. You can expect multiple tracks, to learn from extraordinary minds, engage in virtual experiences, prospect from an exhibit hall, and expand your network during afterparties.

CRYPTOVSUMMIT 2023

September 18-19 – United Arab Emirates
CRYPTOVSUMMIT brings together the policymakers, leaders, and innovators of the metaverse to discuss a wide range of topics. It’s a premier conference for anyone interested in cryptocurrency and related technologies. Part of what makes it so significant within the context of metaverse events is its convergence of expertise and subject matter. CRYPTOVSUMMIT’s workshops and lectures can teach you everything you need to know about where cryptocurrency is right now. And the expert speakers will also offer panel discussions and presentations to show what new groundbreaking developments are on the horizon.

B2B Rocks 2023

September 19 – France
The B2B Rocks event is the culmination of the SaaS community’s online activities and content bringing together 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors, and executives for a conference giving internationally-focused SaaS leaders access to the people and ideas shaping our industry.

TechCrunch Disrupt 2023

September 19-21 – USA
The original startup conference — stays fresh, relevant and focused on founders, investors, and the future of tech year after year. Whether you’re a startup rookie learning the ropes, a seasoned investor searching for the next big thing, or a founder hell-bent on changing the world – Disrupt delivers the tools, knowledge, and connections to help you make it happen.

France Digitale Day 2023

September 20 – France
The France Digitale Day (#FDDay) is one of the most exciting startup meet-ups in France. The 11th edition will take place on September 20, 2023 in Paris.  Every year, FDDay brings together over 2,500 founders and investors from across France and Europe to discuss the latest trends in business, tech and society in a unique, village-like venue in the heart of the French capital.

Motion by Electronomous 2023

September 20 – Ireland
Meet founders, investors, Mobility Startups, OEM’s, Tier 1s and technologists who are helping shape Future Mobility. Prepare for one action-packed day of hands-on workshops, demos, tours, test drives, deep dive sessions and robust panel debates led by thought leaders & luminaries of the mobility, automotive and aviation industry.

DMEXCO 2023

September 20-21 – Germany
DMEXCO is one of Europe’s leading digital marketing & tech events, with numerous sessions covering a myriad of topics, allowing you to experience the leading minds and groundbreaking topics of digital business live on stage.

Speedinvest Marketplace Conference

September 21 – Germany
Discover the latest trends, explore the newest technologies, and learn from real-world success stories while diving deep into the exciting and ever-changing world of marketplaces. This is your chance to level up your marketplace game and future proof your business.

Metaverse Summit 2023

September 21-22 – France
Metaverse Summit is set to explore and build the future of the metaverse by gathering entrepreneurs, investors and experts from 3D, VFXGaming, VR, AR, Web3 and beyond. They aim to share and transmit knowledge in the most sustainable way possible in order to develop a more decentralized, fertile future for the metaverse.

Bits & Pretzels 2023

September 2426 – Germany
Bits & Pretzels Founders Festival is dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs and supporting their growth by facilitating robust connections with potential investors, customers, and employees. They remain vigilant across various industries, constantly seeking out unique opportunities.With more than ten years of invaluable experience, they have played a pivotal role in fueling the growth and success of numerous businesses.

TechChill Milano 2023

September 2527 – Italy
TechChill Milano 2023 will span Day 0 (pre-events) and 2 main event days. In its second year, the conference is expected to host around 50+ experienced, handpicked speakers, over 1.3k attendees, 100+ international investors, and 200+ diverse startups. They offer a variety of side events, networking opportunities, workshops, and exclusive parties. There will be multiple VIP invitation-only events, including ecosystem overviews, VIP networking, a speakers’ dinner, investors’ dinner, and official parties.

SOSV Climate Tech Summit 2023

September 26-27 – Worldwide
Climate tech startups are playing a vital role in the fight against climate change and this is their forum. The SOSV Climate Tech Summit aims to convene the climate tech startup ecosystem of founders, investors, technologists, corporates, policymakers and media to discuss the extreme challenges ahead. In parallel with the summit, SOSV operates a VC-Founder matchup for qualified investors and founders, which last year generated more than 1500 meetings.

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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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