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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MPC

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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Walking through the sprawling halls of IFA Berlin 2025, it’s immediately clear that this isn’t just another trade show. This year’s edition solidified IFA Next as Europe’s premier showcase of consumer technology startups, an event where innovation meets practical applications in a comprehensive hardware-focused startup environment. The heart of European consumer tech innovation IFA Next has evolved into Europe’s hub for the latest on consumer tech. It’s where the continent’s most promising hardware startups converge with global visionaries and industry pioneers. This isn’t just marketing speak — Hall H25, dedicated entirely to consumer-focused hardware, was in many ways the largest and most influential gathering of consumer technology startups in Europe. The centerpiece was the Dream Stage, where bold ideas are shared through keynotes, panels, and highly anticipated pitch battles. Unlike other tech conferences, IFA Next maintains laser focus on technologies that will directly impact how people live, work, and interact with their environments. The Dream Stage is also where Europe’s next consumer tech unicorns are spotted far before they take flight. The finale of this year’s IFA Next Pitch Battle 2025: Breakthrough Battle saw founders presenting concepts to investors, media, and industry experts, competing for visibility, investment, and growth opportunities. Complementing the Dream Stage was the IFA Lab, an interactive testing ground where exhibitors, investors and industry  professionals collaborate to bring innovations from prototype to store shelves. The Lab is where Europe’s startups refined their ideas, engaged with industry experts, and pushed new technologies from concept to market reality. Hall H25: Europe’s consumer tech capital Hall H25 was home to what has become Europe’s largest dedicated consumer technology startup space. Beyond the sheer numbers, the hall is an indicator of how mature Europe’s hardware ecosystem has become. IFA Next specifically champions hardware solutions that people can touch, use and integrate into their daily lives. The diversity and ambition on display were remarkable. Both European and international startups presented solutions spanning healthcare, sustainable products, and cutting-edge tech for everyday use.  What stood out Addressing a critical gap in healthcare technology that affects families across the world, Coro, which won an IFA Innovation Award, accurately measures milk supply in real-time during breastfeeding. This is exactly the kind of practical, user-oriented innovation that defines IFA Next’s positioning. LeydenJar Technologies‘ groundbreaking battery technology deserves special mention for fundamentally rethinking energy storage for everyday devices. This startup is tackling what will arguably be one of the biggest challenges for consumer electronics as AI-powered devices become ubiquitous in European homes: more energy storage while keeping the dimensions small. Dtablet’s medication management solutions address  healthcare challenges that affect millions of European families. Their focus on reducing dosing uncertainty represents the practical, user-centered approach that characterizes Europe’s tech startups. Paptic’s bio-based, recyclable packaging materials are made from renewable wood fibers, a distinctly European approach to sustainable products. The startup won multiple awards, demonstrating how European startups are leading global sustainability trends. Unframe showcased immersive applications combining virtual reality and artificial intelligence, a bellwether of  next-generation digital experiences. The startup’s user-centric approach to VR and AI reflects its emphasis on practical applications over pure technological spectacle. Broadcasting innovation: IFA’s Twitch strategy One of the most forward-thinking aspects of IFA 2025 was the creation of dedicated Twitch live rooms for presenting products and news in real-time. Modern users expect interactive, accessible content about the products that will impact their lives, so this integration of live streaming represents a crucial evolution in how innovations reach their intended audiences. Sessions like “Retro Tech Rewind” with IFA CEO Leif Lindner were specifically designed for Twitch, demonstrating IFA Next’s commitment to making innovation accessible beyond the convention floor. This approach to content delivery could set new standards for how European startups engage with their markets. Europe’s consumer tech ecosystem at scale What makes IFA Next compelling is its comprehensive approach to nurturing consumer-focused innovation. It’s not just about displaying finished products; the focus here is on creating an environment where startups can connect with VCs, retail partners, buyers, and over 4,500 journalists. This ecosystem brings together everything from AI-powered home devices, smartphones, laptops and sustainable products to smart health solutions and wearable technology. With dedicated spaces for both demonstrations and retail networking, IFA Next bridged the gap between cutting-edge research and retail opportunities, a critical pathway for European hardware startups. While cities like London, Berlin, and Amsterdam host numerous tech conferences, none of those events match IFA Next’s specific focus on hardware innovation or its ability to connect startups directly with the global consumer electronics retail ecosystem. Samsung’s strong AI focus Samsung has put in a lot of time and effort into comprehensively integrating AI across its consumer product ecosystem. Take for example Its AI-enabled refrigerator: besides keeping your groceries fresh, it can propose recipes, and even identify missing ingredients — it’s a masterclass in how established brands are setting the bar for startups to reach and surpass. Samsung also showcased its expansion beyond traditional consumer electronics into B2B applications. Its IoT systems and 3D building visualization software demonstrated how consumer tech innovations can scale into commercial applications — a pathway many European startups at IFA Next are actively pursuing. The future of European consumer tech IFA 2025 has demonstrated that Europe’s technology startup ecosystem isn’t just thriving — it’s defining global trends. From sustainable packaging solutions to revolutionary healthcare devices, European startups at IFA Next are solving real problems with practical, scalable solutions. The combination of established electronics giants setting innovation benchmarks, ambitious startups developing market-ready solutions, and innovative presentation formats showed that IFA Next has become more than Europe’s largest consumer tech startup showcase: It’s evolved into an essential preview of European technology leadership. For anyone interested in understanding where European consumer technology innovation is heading, IFA Next represents the definitive annual checkpoint. The innovations showcased here by European and international startups will likely be the everyday products of tomorrow, and Europe’s leadership in making that transformation happen is becoming undeniably clear. As Europe’s premier consumer tech startup showcase, IFA Next

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