Sesame Summit 2026 – application open

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Sam Eshrati

Highlights:

Weathering the Storm: Navigating Event Challenges in 2020 and Beyond

One of the standout aspects of our conversation was how TechBBQ successfully navigated the turbulent waters of 2020, a year that saw the event industry severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sam’s insights into this journey were enlightening.

TechBBQ, despite the odds, managed to not only survive but thrive during the pandemic. A testament to their resilience, Sam shared that they received invaluable support from partners and government assistance. This allowed them to retain their core team, ensuring they were ready to bounce back when the time was right.

The lesson here is clear: in the ever-changing landscape of the events industry, adaptability and a strong support network are crucial for event organizers to endure the toughest of times. While every event’s situation may be unique, TechBBQ’s ability to pivot and persevere offers valuable inspiration for those seeking to weather similar storms.

Beyond the Event: TechBBQ’s Holistic Approach to Fostering Innovation

TechBBQ isn’t just another tech event; it’s an organization with a holistic approach to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Sam shed light on TechBBQ’s role as a non-profit entity engaged in a variety of projects throughout the year, each designed to create connections and engagement within the tech ecosystem.

Their multi-project approach is both impressive and instructive. By extending their impact beyond the flagship event, TechBBQ ensures continuous engagement with their audience and partners. This strategy not only enhances their visibility but also aligns them more closely with the broader goals of their community.

Event organizers can take a page from TechBBQ’s playbook by diversifying their initiatives, focusing on community-building year-round, and embracing their role as more than just a one-time gathering. In doing so, they can foster deeper relationships and provide ongoing value to their stakeholders.

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TechBBQ

The Power of Personal Engagement: A COO Who Walks the Talk

One of the most striking aspects of our conversation was Sam’s personal approach to event management. As the COO and Chief Engagement Officer, he actively seeks to establish personal connections with attendees, partners, and speakers, creating a warm and memorable atmosphere at TechBBQ.

This personal touch extends beyond the event itself. Sam places a high value on giving back to those who dedicate their time to TechBBQ, be it through speaking engagements or attendance. He exemplifies the principle of reciprocity, ensuring that every participant feels appreciated and valued.

Sam’s dedication to personal engagement serves as a powerful reminder to event organizers that the human element is at the heart of every successful event. Fostering connections, expressing gratitude, and creating a welcoming atmosphere are invaluable strategies for building a loyal and engaged community.

Scaling Sustainably: The Challenge of Venue Selection and Growth

The conversation with Sam also touched on the challenges of scaling an event like TechBBQ. As the organization grows, it must consider its venue options carefully. TechBBQ has reached a point where its current venue may no longer accommodate its expanding audience.

Sam discussed the possibility of moving to a larger venue, but not without thoughtfulness. He emphasized the importance of retaining the unique, grassroots feel of TechBBQ, even as it potentially moves to a larger space. Maintaining the essence of what makes the event special is a priority.

Event organizers facing similar dilemmas can learn from TechBBQ’s approach. Scaling is often essential for growth, but it should be done with a keen eye on preserving the event’s core identity. Sam’s insights underscore the importance of strategic venue selection and thoughtful planning to ensure that an event continues to resonate with its community.

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TechBBQ

TechBBQ’s Journey Offers Inspiration and Insights

This conversation with Sam Eshrati provided a captivating glimpse into the inner workings of TechBBQ, a force to be reckoned with in the tech event space. Their ability to adapt and thrive during challenging times, embrace a holistic approach to innovation, prioritize personal engagement, and tackle the challenges of scaling sustainably holds valuable lessons for event organizers everywhere.

As the events industry continues to evolve, TechBBQ’s journey offers inspiration and insights that can help shape the future of event management. By staying true to their mission of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, TechBBQ demonstrates the power of community-driven events and the enduring value they bring to the world of tech. Keep an eye on TechBBQ, because their journey is far from over, and their impact is sure to resonate for years to come.

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TechBBQ

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crowds throng the avenue before the Blue Stage at VivaTech 2025

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.

Events
Events
a wall of amplifiers

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

Events
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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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