Sesame Summit 2026 – application open

Back2Back @ B2B Rocks

Let’s start with a brief overview of B2B Rocks for those who might not be familiar with your annual event; what’s the story?

B2B Rocks’ is a SaaS centric B2B networking event. During Covid, the event
went purely digital. To celebrate B2B Rocks’ 10th anniversary last year, we
reimagined the entire event; holding it in Montpellier on a country estate. With well-over 2, 000 attendees from 30+ countries it was a smashing success encouraging us to continue building our community and holding events.

The irony is that in an era where digitization dominates almost every aspect of our
lives, from how we work and socialize, there is a real thirst for events and
human interaction.

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B2B Rocks

B2B Rocks has a reputation for focusing on actionable insights and practical knowledge. How does the conference ensure attendees walk away with valuable takeaways they can implement in their own ventures?

B2B Rocks is a platform. We want a world where anybody anywhere can
create a startup. Our raison d’être is to allow the different actors of the B2B
SaaS ecosystem to shine and inspire. If B2B rocks, then the different actors
are the rock stars and why people come to these events.

The event is human sized fomenting interaction between the speakers and
attendees. It is hard to scale personal human interaction.

Finally our platform helps attendees identify interests and interesting people
to optimize the opportunity–never go to an event without a detailed plan.

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B2B Rocks

The event features a diverse lineup of speakers and topics. Can you highlight a few of the key speakers or sessions that attendees should be especially excited about?

All our speakers are passionate and actual thought leaders. They’re
international, have been in leadership positions for years and/or are
co-founders and CEOs.

Given the importance of cloud computing, networking and working remotely
three speakers stand out. Particularly:

  • Xavier Perret, Managing Director Azure Cloud France at Microsoft
    France
  • Lisa Gunnarsson, VP LSS EMEAL at LinkedIn
  • Marcelo Lebre, Co-Founder & COO at Remote
  • See all other speakers here

As for topics a key focal point is sharing growth opportunities based on
successful companies’ and leaders’ experience. We want to inspire our
audience, but also give them actionable insights and practical knowledge as
mentioned before.

A few examples of topics addressed:

  • Revolutionizing SaaS Models with Generative AI  Daniela Burbano, Aive + Itxaso Araque Barriuso, AWS + Anais Monlong, IRIS + Philippe Guillaud, MatchTune
  • Lessons from $1 Billion in SaaS Acquisitions – Valuation and Process
    Insights Thomas Smale, FE International
  • Creating a Culture of Alignment: Operation’s Role in Fostering
    Sales-Marketing Unity Lorna Miller, Scaleway
  • How to Build AI Products that are More Than Just Wrappers ⚡ Aaron
    Goldsmid, Deel
  • Successful Funding Strategies for SaaSes in 2023 Matthieu
    Vaxelaire, Hexa + Adrien Chaltiel, Eldorado + Augustin Sayer, OVNI
    Capital + Chloe Allan, Octopus Ventures

Networking is a crucial aspect of any conference. How does B2B Rocks 2023 facilitate networking opportunities for attendees? Are there any unique networking formats or activities that participants can look forward to?

The B2B Rocks platform allows attendees to target networking opportunities
by interest, subject, job type, type of company (startup, scale up, VC, etc..) and verticals. Networking spaces at Station F specifically designed for these opportunities will also be available.

La French Tech put in place their “Je Choisis French Tech” matching system to put different SaaS and strategic corporate actors together. Finally, there is a closing social event allowing everybody a final opportunity to network in a fun, informal setting.

The startup and Tech events landscape can be quite competitive. What sets B2B Rocks apart from other conferences, and what value does it bring to both startups and established tech companies?

We prefer to believe these events are more complimentary than competitive. B2B Rocks while international with many American and international is
currently centered on France and southern Europe.

Startup culture is “same-same but different.” You cannot attend an event in
Scandinavia and expect to understand what is happening in France and
southern Europe.

Local startups get airtime and see what is happening internationally. Big companies get to spend quality time with the next generation of thought leaders. It is a perfect synergistic opportunity for both parties.

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B2B Rocks

B2B Rocks 2023 is set to take place in a unique venue. How will Station F complement the conference’s atmosphere and goals?

Internally-recognized Station F is the biggest startup campus in the world. It is also served by an international airport and Paris isn’t half bad as a city. Most importantly the facilities are excellent and varied allowing our speakers
to share there ideas and network with attendees in a setting designed for
those endeavors.

Startup founders, tech enthusiasts, and professionals attend conferences for various reasons. How does B2B Rocks cater to this diverse audience and ensure that each participant finds value in attending?

Mostly by getting out of the way and letting the attendees do their thing–We
live in a digital world. Ironically increasing thirst for authentic human
experiences.

Our job is to facilitate these opportunities and a great experience. We all win
when there is a minimum of disturbances and lots of attendees.

Last year after the show I had the opportunity to speak with founders who told
me they had a great show and added substantially to their networks.

Lastly, for those considering attending B2B Rocks 2023, what would be your key message to convey why this conference is a must-attend event on their calendars?

Saas and entrepreneurial culture continue to grow. Expanding from the
Silicon Valley to the four corners of the globe in just a few short decades. The
ecosystems continues to expand, enrich & diversify.

More specifically:

  • The French and southern Europe tech scene continues to boom
    supported by education and startup friendly ecosystems.
  • Investment in French startups bucked the downward trend in 2022
    and lead Europe.
  • Many companies from the French Tech two categories French tech
    next 40 and French Tech 120 will be there not to mention
    representatives from startups from Spain, Italy, Germany, and Austria
    to name just a few

Last year we had people from over 25 countries. If you are looking for investment opportunities or next-gen growth strategies then come be a part of B2B Rocks.


But wait, there’s more! Here’s our special code to get 20% off your pass to B2B Rocks 2023 so you can join us at Station F in Paris on September 19th PBKMF5Y

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Events 5 days ago

AI is reshaping how people discover information. Search traffic, once the lifeblood of websites, is plummeting as AI tools provide answers and context immediately, eliminating the need to browse to websites for answers at all.  Understandably, companies are responding by going down avenues they can control: newsletters, podcasts, memberships and events. This reality is true for startups as well. You simply can’t rely on Google traffic or algorithms to build trust anymore. You need direct channels, and there are few ways to build trust more powerful than  meeting people face-to-face. Welcome to the ‘post-click’ era Startups have long played by the ever-changing rules set by Google and social media platforms, which are more often than not prone to changing their algorithms and leaving everyone scrambling to adapt overnight.  AI is not only accelerating this instability, it’s almost making Google referral traffic obsolete. Companies need to adapt to this new reality with strategies that let them talk directly to their prospective customers. The media industry, one of the most vulnerable to the changes, is proving to be one of the quickest to adapt. Morning Brew, for example, blends its newsletters franchises with events. In a recent interview, Sam Jacobs, TIME’s editor-in-chief, highlighted how the company went from organizing two to three events per year, to holding the same number of events monthly. Even digital-first players are embracing events. Podcasts like Acquired and All-In now host live events to bring their listeners together. Finimize has built grassroots meetups around its newsletter. The new defense tech media title, Resilience Media, born on Substack, is planning events to connect experts in its niche. Alex Konrad’s new Upstarts ecosystem includes live interviews, an upcoming podcast and curated events. These aren’t just extensions of the content; they’re ways to nurture communities. Startups should copy this strategy. They must consider where their credibility and relationships will be built in this new landscape, especially as visibility is no longer about simply appearing on top of search results or burning money with ads; it’s about building lasting trust in the spaces that matter. Events are singularly effective at doing that. Lessons from after the pandemic If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that being present online is insufficient. Platforms like Hopin promised a future of global, scalable, online events. Even experiments in VR conferences were the subject of occasional hype.  All of that fell short, however. What founders, investors and marketers learned was simple: There is no substitute for shaking someone’s hand, catching their eye, and sharing time in the same space. When the pandemic ended, events came back with a bang. Companies large and small continue to invest in gatherings. Events still carry symbolic weight: just look at Apple’s meticulously choreographed product launches, or how scaleups like Helsing showcase new technologies.  For startups, events can also serve as tools for strengthening internal communications and bonds with their employees and their community. Here’s a great example: Italian travel scaleup WeRoad holds an annual, two-day global gathering of its travel coordinators and staff that strengthens culture and commitment in ways a Zoom call never could. Why startups need to show up Startups live and die on the strength of their relationships. Securing investors, signing first customers, and finding the right partners are all processes that depend completely on trust. These early relationships are crucial. In an AI-driven world where digital discovery is fragmented, saturated and noisy, events cut through the noise. They offer something AI and algorithms never will: human presence. Startups should think of events as essential investments in visibility and credibility. Whether it’s speaking on stage, hosting a breakfast or simply showing up to the right conference — being in the room matters. It’s OK to be selective. It’s OK to pass on events when priorities point elsewhere. And don’t take this to mean the digital realm and AI should be ignored. But in this era where we’re putting AI on a pedestal, founders should not underestimate the power of a physical meeting for establishing contact with investors, talent, or any other important stakeholder.

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New Materials 6 days ago

After a successful first edition, JEC Investor Day 2026 is now returning for its second year with expanded ambitions.

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Events 1 week ago

TechCrunch Disrupt? Overrated. Web Summit? A $4,700 mistake I’ll never make again. I’ve burned $18K learning which startup events actually matter for B2B SaaS founders trying to close deals—not just collect business cards. Here’s what nobody tells you: the biggest events aren’t where B2B deals happen. Why “Best Startup Event” Lists Are Useless for B2B Founders Every January, tech blogs publish the same recycled garbage: “50 Must-Attend Startup Events!” They rank by size and buzz. What they don’t rank by: where your buyers actually show up with budgets. I learned this after exhibiting at a 70,000-person mega-conference. Spent $4,700 on booth space, flights, and hotel. Had exactly zero conversations with our target market. The attendees? Mostly consumer startups and the press are looking for the next Uber. According to Cvent, 81% of trade show attendees have buying authority—but only at industry-specific events. Generic “startup” conferences are networking theater. If you’re serious about finding the right startup event strategy, you need to think differently. The 5 Best Startup Events Where I’ve Actually Closed B2B Deals SaaStr Annual – Where SaaS Deals Actually Happen 13,000 SaaS professionals in San Mateo every March. APIDays – The Technical Depth You Need If you’re building APIs, this is your room. 2,000-3,000 API architects who can actually read your docs. Paris is the flagship, but they run 10+ cities globally. What makes APIDays different: it’s deeply technical. No marketing fluff. €3,000 gets you in, and European buyers are way less saturated than US markets. Big Data & AI Paris – Enterprise Buyers With Actual Budgets 15,000 enterprise CTOs and data engineers. I closed two partnerships here worth €400K combined—with French banks and telecom companies that had active Q4 budgets. The French government subsidizes AI adoption, so budgets are real. But your networking tactics need to adapt. Less aggressive, more relationship-focused. €800 for a pass and 3,200€ to exhibit as a startup, totally worth it if you’re targeting European enterprises. Track it on Sesamers so you don’t miss early bird pricing. MicroConf – Where Bootstrapped Founders Share Real Numbers 200-300 attendees max. Everyone’s profitable or trying to be. Zero VC hypergrowth bullshit. I’ve learned more in hallway conversations here than at conferences 50x the size. The attendees are other founders who share actual numbers—not vanity metrics. Churn rates, CAC, payback periods. This is how you measure real ROI from events. Worth every cent if you’re bootstrapped. Industry-Specific Trade Shows – The Secret Weapon Here’s the move nobody talks about: skip tech conferences entirely. Go where your buyers congregate. Healthcare SaaS? Hit HIMSS. Fintech? Money20/20. HR tech? HR Tech Conference. I watched a founder close a $400K deal at a healthcare event while competitors were posting selfies at Web Summit. These cost $3,000 avg, but attendee quality is 100x better. According to Statista, B2B trade shows hit $15.78B in 2024. This strategy works because you’re fishing where the fish actually are. The 3-Filter System I Use to Pick Events Filter 1: Who’s actually attending? Can you name 20 people who match your ICP? If not, wrong event. Use Sesamers to check historical attendee data before buying tickets. Filter 2: What’s your actual goal? Raising money? Go to investor-heavy events. Closing customers? Industry trade shows. Different goals need different event selection criteria. Filter 3: What’s the all-in cost? Ticket + flights + hotel + meals. If it’s over $3K, you need $30K in pipeline to break even. Most events don’t hit that unless you’re strategic. Events I Skip (And Why You Should Too) Web Summit: 70,000 people is networking hell. Consumer-focused despite the B2B claims. Pass unless you need Series A+ PR. CES: Consumer electronics show. Your B2B SaaS buyers aren’t here. I see founders at CES every year wondering why they’re not closing deals. Now you know. TechCrunch Disrupt: Great for press and VCs. Terrible for enterprise buyers. Worth it for launch PR, not pipeline. How I Track Everything Without Losing My Mind I track every event in a spreadsheet: cost, conversations, pipeline generated, deals closed. After three years of data, the pattern is crystal clear. Niche beats broad. Quality beats quantity—industry-specific crushes general tech. The best startup events for B2B SaaS are never on TechCrunch’s homepage. For API companies: APIDays and API World are superior to generic conferences. For AI/ML: Big Data & AI Paris provides European enterprise access that’s nearly impossible to achieve otherwise. Geography matters—European buyers at European events are way less saturated than US markets. Stop Wasting Money on the Wrong Events You have limited time and budget. Most founders can hit 3-5 events per year max. Choose wrong and you’ve burned $15K and 15 days for zero ROI. Choose right and one event generates $500K+ in pipeline. Use Sesamers to find events filtered by your industry and target attendees. See which ones similar founders recommend. Track ROI data. Set reminders for early bird pricing. Never waste another $4K on an event where your buyers don’t show up. Because the smartest way to pick events is learning from founders who’ve already tested them—and can tell you which ones actually matter. Ready to find your next high-ROI event? Start tracking on Sesamers and build your calendar based on data, not FOMO.

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