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Top Venture Capital Conferences & Events in 2024

Looking to attend a top venture capital conferences, summit or forum this year? Read more to find the perfect event for you.

January – Venture Capital Conferences

CES 2024

January 9-12, Las Vegas, USA

CES is one of the most powerful tech event in the world — the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where brands get business done, meet new partners and where the industry’s sharpest minds take the stage to unveil their latest releases and boldest breakthroughs.

sTARTUp Day 2024

January 24-26, Tartu, Estonia

sTARTUp Day is not just an event; it’s a dynamic entrepreneurial experience waiting to unfold. Immerse yourself in a stage program brimming with inspiration, where talented speakers ignite the entrepreneurial spark within you. Sharpen your skills with specialized workshops led by world-class experts, ranging from basics to industry-specific insights.

February – Venture Capital Conferences

Step Conference 2024

February 21-22, Dubai, UAE

Step started out as a series of workshops and small gatherings , and over 11 years has grown to become the largest tech festival in Dubai. Furthermore, with 6 main tracks, more than 400 global startups showcasing, hundreds of global investors, and 8000+ global attendees over two days, Step brings the tech world to Dubai.

4YFN 2024

February 26-29, Barcelona, Spain

In its 10th anniversary year, 4YFN is amplifying its impact on startups. Halls, stages, and speakers are multiplied, programs are enhanced for more interaction and hands-on experience. Themes like Growth, The Age of AI, and Startup Funding are expanded, offering attendees the chance to multiply their insights and investments.

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Source: 4YFN

SAVCA 2024 Private Equity Conference

February 27-28, Cap Town, South Africa

SAVCA hosts its annual Private Equity in Southern Africa Industry Conference, a fixture since 2008 and a significant contribution to the private equity ecosystem. Its core objectives include creating a compelling business case to highlight the socio-economic value that private equity brings to the Southern African region and contributing to the capacity building of industry players through engaging sessions and impactful content.

The Future Investor: Navigating a Complex, Data-Driven World

February 27, Chicago, USA

In an era dominated by AI and advanced analytics, the 2024 Future Investor series explores the pivotal role of data in financial landscapes. It shapes behaviors for fast-growing companies, influences holistic investment strategies, and democratizes investing. The series delves into the balance between algorithms and human intelligence for ethical and transparent financial decision-making, charting a course for a future where data drives innovative enterprises.

Emergence 2024

February 28-29, Sydney, Australia (Hybrid)

The innovation space is about to go through its most rapid transformation since the birth of the internet. AI, Web3/blockchain, Software, Robotics, Energy Storage, Advanced Manufacturing, Platforms, Life Science / Genomics, Food, and Agriculture are all going through rapid transformations and adoptions at Emergence.

March – Venture Capital Conferences

LEAP 2024

March 4-7, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

LEAP is a cutting-edge event uniting leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors to address global challenges and propel us into a digital future. Leaders focus on key issues, professionals gain insights from futurists, entrepreneurs connect with innovators, and investors discover new tech talent. LEAP is where the future happens, fostering collaboration, innovation, and business opportunities.

AVCJ Private Equity Forum Australia & New Zealand

March 5-7, Sydney, Australia (Hybrid)

Over 280 LPs are expected to join AVCJ in March, engaging in discussions about strategies employed in navigating challenges and identifying opportunities in the current environment. The forum, featuring interactive panels, debates, presentations, and educational case studies, aims to offer timely insights to guide participants in navigating the regional and global dealmaking, fundraising, and exits landscape.

SXSW Conference 2024

March 8-16, Austin, USA

An essential destination for global professionals, the annual March event features sessions, music and comedy showcases, film and television screenings, world-class exhibitions, professional development and networking opportunities, tech competitions, awards ceremonies, and much more. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together.

South Summit Brazil 2024

March 20-22, Porto Alegre, Brazil

South Summit Brazil is a unique blend of global exposure and meaningful connections. As a bridge uniting continents and fostering collaboration, it brings together top investors, entrepreneurs, and startups. As such, this event is more than networking; it’s a catalyst for business opportunities and partnerships that transcend borders. In Brazil, South Summit plays a pivotal role in driving entrepreneurial growth and innovation, making it a vital force in shaping the business landscape.

Hello Tomorrow Global Summit 2024

March 21-22, Paris, France

Hello Tomorrow Global Summit stands at the forefront of innovation, annually uniting visionaries, entrepreneurs, and industry pioneers to explore the future of deep tech and scientific advancements. Through a dynamic blend of keynote presentations, panel discussions, and startup showcases, the summit fosters collaboration and sparks meaningful conversations, making it a premier platform for those driving transformative change across various fields.

ChangeNOW 2024

March 25-27, Paris, France

During 3 days, ChangeNOW brings together some of the most innovative solutions and impactful changemakers tackling our planet’s biggest challenges, to take action, together. ChangeNOW builds bridges and creates opportunities for thousands of key actors of change, in an inspiring and action-oriented event.

Scale Up with Wolves and European CVC Awards

March 26, Berlin, Germany (Hybrid)

Scale Up with Wolves – connects growing companies with their next stage of Investors (those that are funding post-Seed or Series A rounds). Therefore, this event is for growing companies that already have a proven business-model, initial clients, growing revenues, and have moved into expansion mode.

Emergence 2024

March TBD, Singapore

The innovation space is about to go through its most rapid transformation since the birth of the internet. AI, Web3/blockchain, Software, Robotics, Energy Storage, Advanced Manufacturing, Platforms, Life Science / Genomics, Food, and Agriculture are all going through rapid transformations and adoptions at Emergence.

April – Top VC Conference

SuperReturn US West

April 9-10, Los Angeles, USA

Facilitating connections between West Coast LPs and global GPs, SuperReturn offers a networking opportunity with 350+ private market leaders, including 100+ LPs and 150+ GPs from the US and beyond. Attendees can gain insights into the latest trends in fundraising, LP allocations, capital deployment, private credit, secondaries, AI, and more.

Sesame Summit 2024

April 11-12, Biarritz, France

Sesame Summit, an exclusive gathering in Biarritz, France, is the pinnacle of tech event innovation. Dive into an exclusive environment curated for meaningful connections, expert insights, and unmatched networking. Join us in this transformative experience to redefine your impact in the tech event sphere, connect with influential leaders, and secure your spot for a factual, impactful, and unforgettable journey.

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VALENCIA, SPAIN – 5 April 2019: Startup Sesame Summit 2019. (Photo by Dan Taylor – ©Dan Taylor).

TechChill Riga 2024

April 17-19, Riga, Latvia

TechChill, one of the largest Baltic Tech events, is bringing international, local investors, founders and ecosystem players for 3 days in Riga. Explore game-changing technologies set to redefine industries, gain startup foundations with essential skills, and learn to thrive in a changing world through adaptability and innovation.

Startup Grind Global Conference 2024

April 22-25, San Fransisco, USA

Startup Grind Global Conference serves as a dynamic gathering point for startups, investors, and industry leaders. With a focus on fostering collaboration and innovation, the conference provides a platform for participants to connect, share insights, and explore opportunities in the ever-evolving startup ecosystem.

World Summit AI Americas

April 24-25, Montreal, Canada

One of the world’s leading AI summit for the Americas brings together the  global AI ecosystem. World Summit AI is the only AI summit in the world that matters, and we showcase the world’s brightest AI brains on our stages with innovative, cutting-edge, topical content, tackling the most burning AI issues right now. 

May – Top VC Conferences

Wolves Summit CEE

May 8-9, Warsaw, Poland (Hybrid)

Wolves Summit CEE serves as the nexus of Central and Eastern European innovation, providing a comprehensive platform for startups to pitch their ideas to potential investors. Through a series of insightful panel discussions and networking sessions, the event facilitates meaningful connections between entrepreneurs and industry leaders, contributing to the ongoing evolution of the tech landscape in the region.

EU-Startups Summit 2024

May 9-10, Malta

With over 2,000 attendees, including founders, investors, corporates, and media, EU-Startups Summit offers prime networking opportunities through a dedicated app. It serves as a meeting point for those aspiring to build international tech companies, featuring fireside chats, keynotes, and a thrilling pitch competition showcasing some of Europe’s most promising startups selected from over 1,300 applicants.

ACA 2024 – The Summit of Angel Investing

May 13-15, Columbus, USA

Explore hot industries, build ecosystem partnerships, and gain new perspectives. As the flagship event of the angel investing industry, ACA Summit brings together over 15,000 angels and represents 250+ organizations worldwide. It’s the must-attend platform for the latest industry findings, best practices, and diverse networking to make informed investment decisions.

PODIM 2024

May 13-15, Maribor, Slovenia

PODIM is a dynamic conference designed for startups, investors, executives, and entrepreneurial enthusiasts, where innovation converges with opportunity. The event boasts over 1,300 one-on-one meetings in two days, bringing together 400+ investors and corporate representatives, along with 150+ top handpicked startups. With insights from 70+ international speakers across three stages.

SaaStock USA

May 13-15, Austin, USA

The conference, designed for startups, investors, and industry professionals, breaks down barriers, offering funding opportunities and a chance to meet global SaaS decision-makers. With structured agendas and specialized bootcamps, SaaStock USA provides a tailored experience for achieving business goals and fostering meaningful connections.

Qatar Economic Forum

May 14-16, Doha, Qatar

The Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg, is the Middle East’s leading news-driven event dedicated to global business and investment. The Forum’s three day program, curated by the Bloomberg Newsroom, spotlights the Heads of State, notable Ministers and international CEOs who are providing fresh and unique perspectives on the issues driving global boardroom conversations and money markets.

Tech.eu Summit 2024

May 16-17, London, UK

Tech.eu Summit London 2024 brings together 2,000 forward-thinkers to shape the future of global tech innovation. Network with industry leaders, contribute to sustainable growth, and define responsible paths for startup ecosystems. Taking place on May 16-17, 2024, in London, this summit offers a collective exploration of the evolving technology landscape.

EBAN Congress 2024

May 20-22, Tallinn, Estonia

The 2024 EBAN Annual Congress in Tallinn, Estonia will bring together 500+ angel investors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts from around the globe to explore the latest trends, opportunities, and challenges in the startup ecosystem. From insightful sessions and workshops to engaging keynotes and cultural activities! Stay tuned!

MedCity INVEST 2024

May 21-22, Chicago, USA

For well over a decade, INVEST has united active investors with promising start-ups  — be they in biopharma, diagnostics, medical devices or health tech. The conference content has highlighted the opportunities and challenges as the industry tries to navigate the winds of change – a greater need for consumer convenience, the shift to value-based care, the desire for seamless care coordination and last, but not least, a more equitable and affordable healthcare for all.

Capital Camp 2024

May 21-23, Columbia, USA

Embark on 3 days and 3 nights of serious investing conversations in a relaxed setting, where shorts and sandals set the tone. Enjoy interactive programming, outdoor activities, and an endless supply of food, drink, and entertainment. Capital Camp is tailored for curious, kind, and thoughtful individuals, including investors, capital providers, entrepreneurs, and executives pushing the frontiers and breaking new ground.

Infoshare 2024

May 22-23, Gdansk, Poland (Hybrid)

Software developers, business leaders, startuppers, investors, marketers, and enthusiast of technology gather in Gdańsk to learn and get inspired at this celebration of the digital world. Every year InfoShare bring together thousands of people looking for a platform to connect and evolve, which makes this conference one of the biggest tech and startup event in CEE.

Latitude59 2024

May 22-24, Tallinn, Estonia

Latitude59 is a startup and tech event offering a platform for startups to showcase to 3,000 visitors and meet 500+ investors. Investors can connect with 800+ vetted startups during the Investor Day, while partners have opportunities to present their brands. The event also features the L59 Pitch Competition, with a €1M prize fund in 2023.

VivaTech 2024

May 22-25, Paris, France

VivaTech is not just an event; it’s a global phenomenon and a highlight on the calendar for tech enthusiasts worldwide. As one of the largest tech events globally, it attracts some of the most prestigious speakers and attendees, making it a beacon of innovation and collaboration. With its highly anticipated date each year, VivaTech is a dynamic platform where the brightest minds, influential speakers, and industry leaders converge to explore cutting-edge technologies, share insights, and shape the future of the tech landscape.

Invest Canada ’24

May 28-30, Montreal, Canada

Invest Canada is an opportunity to network and engage with all of your peers and contacts in the industry. Connect with top industry influencers, including international venture capital and private equity investors, debt providers, institutional funds, government entities, corporations and service providers who are all accelerating Canada’s innovation and growth ecosystem.

Dublin Tech Summit 2024

May 29-30, Dublin, Ireland

The Dublin Tech Summit is distinguished by its diverse, international audience, comprehensive agenda covering emerging technologies, and engaging format that facilitates networking. Set in the vibrant city of Dublin, the event uniquely combines a dynamic tech ecosystem with cultural experiences, making it a distinctive and valuable gathering for professionals, entrepreneurs, and innovators.

startup days 2024

May 30, Kursaal, Switzerland

startup days (SUD) are the nationwide business and networking platform for startups, investors, enablers, SMEs and corporates in Switzerland. Every year, the Swiss startup ecosystem meets to network, exchange know-how and discuss relevant topics of the startup ecosystem. It’s a vibrant family reunion, where you’ll meet all key players in one day.

AI World Congress 2024

MAy 30-31, London, UK

The AI World Congress is an annual event that brings together professionals, experts, and thought leaders in the field of AI. It serves as a platform for discussions, presentations, and workshops on the advancements, challenges, and applications of AI across various industries.

Emergence 2024

May TBD, London, UK

The innovation space is about to go through its most rapid transformation since the birth of the internet. AI, Web3/blockchain, Software, Robotics, Energy Storage, Advanced Manufacturing, Platforms, Life Science / Genomics, Food, and Agriculture are all going through rapid transformations and adoptions at Emergence.

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Source: Emergence

June – Venture Capital Conferences

Money20/20 Europe 2024

June 4-6, Amsterdam, Netherlands

At Money20/20 Europe, the transformative influence of ideas, inspiration, and impactful conversations is well understood. Previous speakers have dynamically reshaped the industry from its stages, and the call is out for unique individuals to become part of this influential cohort. The official search is underway, with a mission to discover the most brilliant and diverse minds spanning the global financial landscape.

South Summit Madrid 2024

June 5-7, Madrid, Spain

South Summit Madrid is a global gateway to influential conversations, heightened brand impact, and expanded international reach. Beyond a mere event, it’s a dynamic platform where voices resonate across continents, linking entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, and startups. Join a vibrant community where networking cultivates dreams and builds legacies, setting the stage for growth through innovation.

Hinterland 2024

June 13, Bielefeld, Germany

As Bielefeld becomes the epicenter where startups ignite, investors envision, and corporates pioneer, Hinterland of Things 2024 invites you to go beyond the conventional. It’s more than just a gathering; it’s a confluence of inspiration and innovation.

Collision 2024

June 17-20, Toronto, Canada

Collision is a globally acclaimed tech conference hosted in Toronto. It gathers industry leaders and companies shaping the future of technology. Recognized as one of the world’s largest tech conferences, Collision is renowned for its significance and as a prime networking and knowledge-sharing platform.

TNW Conference 2024

June 20-21, Amsterdam, Netherlands

At the TNW Conference, technology stands as the beating heart of their mission. The event is dedicated to informing and connecting the tech community with both present and future challenges. TNW Conference invites individuals to join forces with international industry leaders, policy makers, startups, and investors. Together, they collaborate to build a more sustainable, equitable, and inclusive future.

July – Venture Capital Conferences

Turing Fest 2024

July 9-10, Edinburgh, Scotland

One of Europe’s leading tech event at the intersection of product, growth, capital, and people. Turing Fest is a uniquely multi-disciplinary event with extremely high value content, connections, and conversations for people building and scaling technology businesses.

Bloomberg Green Festival

July 10-13, Seattle, USA

Operating at the crossroads of sustainability, design, culture, food, tech, data, science, policy, and entertainment, the Bloomberg Green Festival will immerse attendees in solutions-driven experiences with world-renowned experts to inspire climate action. 

Bloomberg Sustainable Business Summit

July 31, Singapore

The Bloomberg Sustainable Business Summits bring together business leaders and investors globally to drive innovation and scale best practices in sustainable business and finance. Amid economic uncertainty, geopolitical challenges and ever-changing regulations, companies are under pressure to drive business value and meet their ambitious ESG goals.

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Source: Bloomberg

September – Venture Capital Conference

TechBBQ 2024

September 11-12, Copenhagen, Denmark

TechBBQ has become the heartbeat of the startup and innovation ecosystem in Scandinavia. It began as a humble BBQ gathering for tech enthusiasts and entrepreneurs in 2013, but has since evolved into a large, scale summit that draws attendees from around the world for two days of inspiration, networking, and growth.

France Digitale Day

September 18, Paris, France

From across France and Europe, over 4000 founders, investors and innovation leaders gather for the whole day (and night !) to get inspired, discuss last trends in business, tech and society, close (big) deals with new partners, network, and meet with your peers in a village-like venue in the heart of the French capital for France Digitale Day.

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Source: France Digitale Day

Wolves Summit SEE

September TBD, Sofia, Bulgaria (Hybrid)

The event focuses on fostering cross-border collaborations and facilitating strategic discussions between startups and investors. With a keen emphasis on the region’s technological advancements, Wolves Summit SEE plays a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of Southeast European entrepreneurship.

The OurCrowd Global Investor Summit 2024

September TBD, Jerusalem, Israel

For one week in Israel, the startup world gathers for the OurCrowd Gloabl Investor Summit, one of the premier events in the tech industry, and the largest investor event in the Middle East.  The 2024 Summit will take place in September at the Internation Convention Center (Binyanei Hauma) in Jerusalem, with events across Israel during Summit week.

Bits & Pretzels 2024

September 29-October 01, Munich, Germany

From humble beginnings with 80 attendees and grand aspirations, Bits & Pretzels has grown into a gathering of 5,000 founders, investors, and industry leaders. This three-day event is dedicated to learning, networking, and doing business. Hundreds of startups, investors, and corporates recognize the value of being part of Bits & Pretzels each year.

October – Venture Capital Conferences

Sifted Summit 2024

October 02-03, London UK

Sifted Summit is an annual event that brings together founders, operators, investors, and partners for challenge-focused discussions, lively debates, and high-level networking sessions. The summit aims to cut through the noise and provide valuable insights for industry professionals.

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Source: Sifted Summit

World Summit AI 2024

October 09-10, Amsterdam, Netherlands

World Summit AI will once again gather the global AI ecosystem of Enterprise, Big Tech, Startups, Investors and Science and the brightest brains to tackle head-on the most burning AI issues and set the global AI agenda.

SaaStock Dublin

October 14-16, Dublin, Ireland

With 6,000 attendees, 200 partners, and 600 investors, SaaStock Dublin serves as a vital networking hub in the SaaS ecosystem. The conference is known for its practical insights, featuring expert speakers like Nathan Latka. SaaStock provides a platform for startups to showcase solutions to key decision-makers in the SaaS industry.

Future Investment Initiative 8th Edition

October 29-31, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Established in 2017, FII Institute initially began as an annual event focused on fostering investment in promising solutions. Recognizing the need for continuous, impactful action beyond a yearly gathering, it has evolved into a comprehensive global non-profit foundation with an investment arm. The core mission of the FII Institute is singular and compelling: to drive positive impact on humanity. This transformation reflects a commitment to sustained efforts in catalyzing ideas into actions for the betterment of the world.

November – Venture Capital Conferences

Web Summit 2024

November 11-14, Lisbon, Portugal

Web Summit is a massive technology conference that gathers professionals, startups, investors, and industry leaders for networking and knowledge-sharing. With its global reach, the event features keynote speakers, panel discussions, and exhibitions, covering diverse topics in technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

Slush 2024

November 20-21, Helsinki, Finland

Slush is a premier not-for-profit startup event, focusing on founders and company building. Known for its welcoming atmosphere and stellar reputation, Slush is a must-attend conference for ambitious founders globally. The unique Slush Matchmaking Tool enhances networking with extensive startup data. Slush Week includes 300+ side events for diverse connections and inspiration.

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Source: Slush

Wolves Summit Europe

November TBD, Vienna, Austria (Hybrid)

Through a series of panel discussions and networking opportunities, Wolves Summit Europe plays a crucial role in driving collaborative initiatives that transcend geographical boundaries, contributing to the advancement of business and technology across the European landscape.

Not seeing your favorite Venture Capital Conferences / event(s) here? smrs/link.add-event

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la fabrique a nuage la barbe a papa sans sucre qui revolutionne le snacking 1726502154
Startups 2 days ago

The founders behind NUAGE, the sugar-free cotton candy rated Nutri-Score A, share their playbook for event strategy, budget, and pipeline ROI. If you’ve walked the aisles of a French food trade show recently, chances are you’ve seen — or tasted — a small cloud of the impossible: cotton candy with zero sugar and a Nutri-Score A. Behind it is Re.Snack, a startup founded in 2023 near Dijon by Vanessa and Florian, on a mission to reinvent confectionery. Their first product, NUAGE, is built on Sucr’A, a proprietary sugar substitute developed with AgroSup Dijon that uses plant fibres (isomalt and inulin) to recreate cotton candy’s signature melt-in-the-mouth texture — without sugar, allergens, colourants, or preservatives. The traction speaks for itself: revenue up from €200K to €7M in two years, distribution from 100 to 5,000 points of sale, more than 15,000 online orders, national TV exposure on M6 — and a reported acquisition offer from Lindt that the founders turned down. They’d rather build a brand than become a subcontractor. A sugar-free, fat-free popcorn is next. But what caught our attention is how they grew. For Re.Snack, trade shows aren’t a marketing expense — they’re the core of the sales machine, with a dedicated budget, pipeline targets, and hard ROI thresholds. So we sat down with the team and asked the five questions every founder should be able to answer about their event strategy. Sesamers: Let’s start with the basics. What role do events play in your sales motion — sourcing net-new pipeline, accelerating open deals, or closing? Re.Snack: Events are our number one growth channel. They generate new business, strengthen relationships with existing customers, and accelerate ongoing opportunities. In the food industry, people buy products, but they also buy the team behind them. Face-to-face interactions build trust much faster than emails or calls. That’s a big claim — number one channel. Does the budget reflect it? What share of your sales & marketing spend goes to events, and what target does it carry? Around 25% of our sales and marketing budget is dedicated to events. We consider them a strategic investment rather than a communication expense. Our objective is that every euro invested generates multiple times its value in qualified commercial opportunities over the following 12 months. Twelve months is a patient window. When you look across the whole portfolio of events, what does the blended pipeline ROI actually come out to? On average, we generate between 8x and 12x pipeline ROI across our major trade shows. Some flagship events, such as SIAL or ISM, can significantly outperform that because they concentrate the world’s key retail buyers in one place. Meetings are easy to count, revenue less so. Which events actually convert — not just into conversations, but into business? The events that convert best are those attended by decision-makers with active buying projects. For us, SIAL Paris, ISM, Snack Show, and major retail buying conventions consistently generate tangible business. Success isn’t measured by the number of meetings, but by the quality of follow-up and execution afterwards. Last one on the numbers: at what point do you decide an event has earned a bigger budget? What’s your threshold for scaling up? We increase investment once an event consistently delivers at least a 5x pipeline ROI and proves it can generate repeatable business over multiple editions. We look at long-term customer value rather than immediate sales, because retail cycles can take several months. Before we let you go — for the food founders reading this, what would be your top 5 events? My top five would be: What founders should take from this Beneath the answers sits a playbook any startup can copy, whatever the industry. Events have a job description. Re.Snack doesn’t attend trade shows to “be visible” — events source new business, deepen existing relationships, and accelerate open deals. If you can’t name the job an event does in your sales motion, you have travel expenses, not a strategy. The budget is an envelope with a target attached. A quarter of sales & marketing spend, set deliberately and measured against a pipeline expectation over 12 months. No target, no budget. ROI is measured blended, on a realistic clock. Individual events fluctuate; the portfolio number — 8–12x pipeline-to-cost in Re.Snack’s case — is what tells you whether the channel works. And the attribution window matches the sales cycle: judging a trade show by orders signed on the show floor would kill investments that pay off two quarters later. Conversion beats meetings, and follow-up is where ROI is made. The filter is decision-makers with active buying projects — not badge scans. The event budget implicitly includes the week after the show, not just the days of it. Budget growth follows proven return. A 5x floor, plus repeatability across multiple editions, before a single extra euro flows. One great year doesn’t unlock more spend; a pattern does. Run this way, events stop being a cost centre with nice catering — and become a growth channel with receipts. Company background via nuage.resnack.fr, France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, and Traces Écrites News.

Sesame Summit 2026 Workshop
Events 1 week ago

This week I read about a hackathon claiming 6,000 attendees over a single weekend. The venues hosting it can’t accommodate more than 1,000 people. Nobody in the comments asked how the math worked. That gap between the claim and the room is what this article is about. For most event organizers, event metrics are marketing, not measurement. Once you understand how attendance numbers are built, why ROI stays a black box, and why matchmaking is often bad on purpose, you’ll read every post-event press release differently. Here’s a decoder. The vocabulary nobody explains to you The event industry has precise definitions. It just doesn’t advertise them. UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, publishes calculation standards and auditing rules for all of them. Independent bodies like ABC audit against them. Here’s the short version. Visitor. One human being who came to the event. If I attend all three days, I’m one visitor. Visit. One entry through the doors. My three days now count as three visits. UFI accepts both figures in its audits, defines visits as visitors plus repeat visits, and requires the term used to be clearly indicated on the audit certificate. Guess which number ends up on the homepage. Attendee / participant. No standard definition. These are the marketing words. They can mean visitors, visits, registrants, exhibitor staff, speakers, press, students or the organizer’s own team, in any combination. When you read “50,000 participants,” you’re reading a number with no agreed method behind it. Registrant. Someone who signed up. Free registration events love this one, because no-show rates of 30 to 50 percent are common and registrations cost nothing to inflate. Exhibitor. Elastic too. UFI distinguishes direct exhibitors, who contract with the organizer, from co-exhibitors, who are part of a shared stand (think country pavilions). Both count. Daily exhibitor. A company present for a single day, typical in startup zones and rotating programs. A startup using a shared booth on day 2 only counts as one exhibitor, exactly like the anchor brand that paid for 400 sqm across the full show. Pavilion / delegation. A block of space booked by one entity, usually a national export agency, a region or a corporate, then filled with smaller companies. One contract, one invoice, 25 logos. Pavilions are how organizers cluster small booths into themed areas, and how “1,200 exhibitors” can describe wildly different realities. Net vs. gross exhibition space. Net is the square meters actually rented. Gross includes aisles, catering areas and that giant entrance arch. As a rule of thumb: net space is 50% of gross space at an average show.  The prosumer padding One more layer on the attendance side. Many events count audiences that are professional on paper only. Student groups bused in for the afternoon. Employees of a corporate partner who run one workshop on day 3. Startup founders’ plus-ones. Locals with a discounted badge. I’m not saying these people have no place at events. Some of the best energy on a show floor comes from them. But if you’re an exhibitor paying for access to buyers, a headline number that mixes procurement directors with second-year students is not relevant. Ask for the audience breakdown by profile. If the organizer can’t produce one, that tells you something too. The ROI black box Here’s the uncomfortable part: almost nobody wants to know if an event actually performs. CEIR, the research arm of the U.S. industry association IAEE, paused its exhibitor spend research for years and only resumed it in late 2025. Its 2026 Marketing Spend Decision Report finds that management evaluates exhibition ROI mainly on lead volume and post-show closed deals, and documents a gap between what practitioners track and what leadership actually cares about. The industry’s reference dataset on exhibitor spending had not been refreshed since 2017. Read that again: the largest B2B marketing channel went eight years without updated benchmarks. The exhibitor side confirms the fog. Vendelux’s 2026 B2B Events Survey of 120+ marketing and events leaders found that 86 percent can’t accurately attribute ROI to events, and 98 percent struggle to justify event spend to leadership. Yet 80 percent are maintaining or growing their sponsorships anyway.  Organizers benefit from this fog. Some only release their data points after the event is over, when your booking decision for next year is already locked in early-bird pricing. Others share nothing beyond the headline number. Try asking for the seniority breakdown of last edition’s visitors, or the ratio of buyers to service providers walking the aisles. I wrote before that founders systematically underestimate what events cost them, hence my 2:1 preparation rule. The other side of that equation is just as broken: they can’t estimate what events return, because the data to do so is withheld. The GDPR excuse When pushed, some organizers invoke GDPR as the reason they can’t share more. Let’s be precise. GDPR restricts sharing personal data: names, emails, badge scans tied to individuals. It says nothing about aggregated, anonymized statistics. “42 percent of our visitors have purchasing authority” contains zero personal data. An organizer who can’t tell you that either doesn’t know it or doesn’t want you to know it. Neither answer is reassuring. If startups are solving it, ask why organizers aren’t A whole category of companies now exists to answer a question organizers could answer themselves: was this event worth it? Full disclosure: at Sesamers we’re building mytradeshow.ai on this exact gap, so I have a horse in this race. Here are five others working the same seam: Sit with the logic for a second. Organizers gather and process the registration data, the badge scans, the floor plans, the exhibitor contracts. They are the best-placed actors in the world to measure event performance. If third parties have to reconstruct that picture from the outside, it’s because the people holding the data have decided that transparency isn’t always in their interest. Bad matchmaking is a feature One last thing, and it’s my favorite. Whenever an event’s matchmaking is mediocre, don’t

Slush Helsinki from Unsplash
Events 3 weeks ago

The second half of 2026 is packed. Between July and December, there are more than 30 confirmed events worth your time across Europe, the US, and the Middle East, covering everything from AI infrastructure to retail tech, cybersecurity, developer tools, and the full founder-investor circuit. This is not a list of every conference. It’s a selection built around a single filter: does this event put you in a room with people who can move your company forward? Use it as a planning tool, not a bucket list. A mediocre event on the right date still costs you more than three days OOO. GITEX AI Europe 2026 📍 Berlin, Germany  |  🗓 30 Jun–1 Jul 2026 GITEX AI Europe returns to Messe Berlin for its second edition, bringing together 25,000+ tech and business leaders, 1,400+ global enterprises and startups, and 600+ investors from over 100 countries. The event runs four co-located programs: AI Everything Europe for real-world AI applications, North Star Europe for startups with a €50,000 equity-free pitch prize, GISEC Europe for cybersecurity, and GITEX Quantum Expo for quantum commercialisation. The first edition in 2025 drew 21,650 attendees and 755 startups.gitexeurope.com RAISE Summit 2026 📍 Paris, France  |  🗓 8–9 Jul 2026 RAISE Summit 2026 brings together 9,000+ AI leaders, founders, investors and policymakers at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, with 350 speakers, enterprise AI discussions, a startup competition with a €10M+ prize pool, and an AI hackathon drawing 7,000 developers. The 2026 edition adds an invitation-only CxO Summit for Fortune 1000 executives, with closed-door sessions featuring executives from Mercedes, AXA, and Capgemini. Speaker lineup includes Yann LeCun, Mark Cuban, and representatives from OpenAI, Anthropic, and NVIDIA. raisesummit.com Love Tomorrow Summit 2026 📍 Boom, Belgium  |  🗓 23 Jul 2026 The fifth edition of Love Tomorrow Summit takes place on 23 July 2026 at De Schorre in Boom, Belgium, the same site as Tomorrowland, on the Thursday between its two festival weekends. The 2026 theme is the future of intelligence: exploring how AI, leadership, and human resilience interact as technological systems accelerate. The Summit brings together 7,000+ attendees across six programming pillars: Impact Entrepreneurship, Natural Intelligence, Science & Technology, Socio-Economic Perspectives, Health & Mindfulness, and Entertainment. There is no equivalent format anywhere on the calendar: a serious impact investing roundtable that ends with a festival. lovetomorrow.com LEAP 2026 📍 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  |  🗓 31 Aug–3 Sep 2026 LEAP 2026 takes place at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham, bringing together global technology leaders, startups, investors, entrepreneurs, and government organizations from around the world. The 2025 edition hosted 201,000 visitors, 1,800+ exhibitors, and 1,900+ investors with a combined AUM exceeding $22 trillion. LEAP has grown into one of the few places outside Silicon Valley and Europe where you access truly deep pools of sovereign and institutional capital. Not a startup networking event in the typical sense. Worth the trip if MENA or Gulf markets are on your roadmap. onegiantleap.com TechBBQ 2026 📍 Copenhagen, Denmark  |  🗓 26–27 Aug 2026 TechBBQ 2026 takes place at the Bella Center Copenhagen on August 26–27, bringing together 10,000+ founders, investors, and innovators from across Europe and beyond. Forbes named TechBBQ one of the hottest startup events in Europe for 2026. The event features dedicated matchmaking, pitch competitions, and a strong life sciences program, particularly valuable given Denmark’s outsized position in European biotech and pharma. The format is known for its deliberately warm, hygge-infused atmosphere: the kind of event where meaningful conversations actually happen rather than badge-scan exchanges. Side events run across Copenhagen throughout the week. techbbq.dk IFA Berlin 2026 📍 Berlin, Germany  |  🗓 4–8 Sep 2026 IFA 2026 takes place at Messe Berlin from 4 to 8 September. In its 102nd year, one of the most established consumer electronics and home appliances trade shows globally draws 215,000+ visitors from 140 countries and 1,800+ exhibitors. IFA Next is the dedicated startup zone connecting early-stage companies with investors, global retailers, and tech media. For hardware founders, consumer tech builders, and anyone touching smart home, AI devices, or connected mobility, this is a commercial platform rather than a networking conference. The distinction matters: you come here to sell and to be discovered, not to collect business cards. ifa-berlin.com Infobip Shift 2026 📍 Zadar, Croatia  |  🗓 13–15 Sep 2026 Infobip Shift 2026 takes place September 13–15 in Zadar, bringing together developers and engineers from around the world. The 2026 edition welcomes confirmed speakers from NVIDIA and Apple, with central themes covering cutting-edge technology platforms, career growth in tech, and practical AI tools. The 2025 edition gathered 5,500 attendees from 40 countries. The format rewards founders building technical products who need direct access to engineering talent and developer community: the conference where a junior developer can have a casual coffee with a Netflix senior engineer. Relaxed Mediterranean setting, serious technical content. shift.infobip.com Big Data & AI Paris 2026 📍 Paris, France  |  🗓 15–16 Sep 2026 Big Data & AI Paris 2026 takes place 15–16 September at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, held under the High Patronage of the President of the French Republic. The event describes itself as the meeting place for IT and data decision-makers industrialising AI. The 2026 Advisory Board includes Chief Data & AI Officers from AXA France, Suez, and L’Oréal, alongside the CEO of Hub France IA. The program covers enterprise AI deployment, data infrastructure, and an Advanced Computing Village focused on quantum and HPC. Practical, enterprise-first, and with direct access to the senior buyer community in French tech: if you’re selling data or AI solutions into large organizations, the room here is more relevant than most. bigdataparis.com NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show Europe 📍 Paris, France  |  🗓 15–17 Sep 2026 NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show Europe returns to Paris Expo Porte de Versailles with more than 12,000 attendees from over 60 countries, 4,200 brands, 525 exhibitors, and 200 speakers across three days. The event includes a Startup Hub spotlighting the newest retail tech companies and a

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