Sesame Summit 2026 – application open

The Marketplace Conference

The Marketplace Conference (MPC) is a one-of-a kind event where founders, VCs and experts come together to share knowledge.  How does the event help startups in the marketplace industry?

The MPC provides founders with three things:

  • Deep insights and experience on the latest trends in marketplaces, being administered by seasoned experts who have built and/or funded companies from inception to scale. This enables participants to stay at the forefront of the latest developments in marketplaces
  • Masterclasses on different parts of the startup value chain whether it is on product, growth hacking, culture or even fundraising. This practical advice turns what is usually just theory into practical, actionable insights that founders can apply in their ventures
  • Exposure to potential investors who could support them with capital, knowledge and networks
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Is it possible to network directly with VCs at this global conference? Are there any other networking opportunities in the works before/during this year’s event?  

Yes it is – we have earmarked a portion of the program that will be dedicated to meeting with VCs. Attendees are also welcome to reach out to other participants during the event and connect directly either via chat or video call. We are also introducing an “unconference” session where the audience will be driving conversations around marketplace related topics that are important to them. This creates a great avenue for VCs (and others) to also learn from others beyond their usual networks. Outside of this while we have not formally organised any networking opportunities before the event, we encourage people who are in the same locale to meet up IRL post-conference.

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Who are some notable speakers attending and what can attendees expect from their presentations?

We are so excited about our catalogue of amazing speakers – probably our best lineup on record – and are extremely grateful to them for accepting our invitation to share their insights.

We now have over 30 of them confirmed, including:

  • Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, ex Stubhub / Tripadvisor
  • Jeff Kolovson, COO Faire ($7B+)
  • Talia Goldberg, Bessemer Venture Partners
  • Eric Demuth, CEO Bitpanda ($4B+)
  • Ann Brodetsky, NEA
  • Elmar Broscheit, CFO Gorillas ($3B)
  • Michelle Kwon, AirAngels
  • Georgie Smallwood, CPO TIER ($2B+)
  • Roger Lee, Battery Ventures
  • Laura Wu Behrens, CEO Shippo ($1B+)
  • Alex Taussig, Lightspeed Venture Partners
  • David Thacker, Greylock
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Last year’s profits were donated to support the COVID relief effort which we think was a great and much-appreciated move. Do you have any similar plans for the profits from this year’s event?

While we currently have not planned on donating MPC proceeds to charity yet, we have not ruled it out. In any case we do plan on investing into the wider marketplace ecosystem and support founders who are building startups and scale-ups in the category. One of the things we have already initiated is “sponsoring” specific overlooked founders who would like to attend and benefit from the MPC (e.g. female founders, those from ethnic backgrounds, etc.), and have allocated 100 tickets for this. We also plan on using the profits to build a hub to support marketplace founders beyond just our annual conference. We hope that these efforts will give founders from all backgrounds the confidence, knowledge and tools necessary to build and scale their own ventures.


Interested in attending this year’s virtual Marketplace Conference?

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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

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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. 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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. 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