Every startup needs to meet the right people in the right place and at the right time to get traction.
How to do this?
- Decide on the type of event in which you want to participate (demo day, hackathon, accelerator, summit, and much, much more).
- Search on Google for those on your initial list.
- Sift and winnow through myriad events.
- Refine the results based on your preferences.
- Rinse. Repeat.
Or, do this: Check out our recommendations for the best places to be to meet, greet, speak, and be noticed.
IT Craft has chosen the most significant, cannot-miss startup events for the rest of 2019 and current listings for the 2020 events.
Clear spaces on your calendar and get ready to rock and, perhaps, even skyrocket to success!
Web Summit
Web SummitNovember 4–7, 2019
Date: November 4–7, 2019
Destination city: Lisbon (Portugal)
Ticket price: €800–€24,850
This is a must-visit event for any startup seeking idea exposure, following industry trends or having fun in the community of like-minded (the latter especially suits for the Night Summit).
Web Summit is the place where people gather to discuss one big question: where to go next? And share their vision of how tech improves the future.
For more impressions from Web Summit, check our post ‘Top Five Things that Wowed us at Web Summit 2018’.
Slush
SlushNovember 21–22, 2019
Date: November 21–22, 2019
Destination city: Helsinki (Finland)
Ticket price: €295–€895
This startup event has rapidly grown to a global community aimed at growing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
During the Slush event, startups have several opportunities to present their ideas. The day before Slush starts, startups can participate in Founders. This makes it possible for startups to meet each other in quiet and learn from their more-experienced peers during discussions, workshops, and round tables.
Startups can use special Demo booths placed in the Startup District, right in the center of the venue. Also, early-stage startups participate in Slush 100 Pitching Competition where the learn to present their solutions in front of large audiences.
4YFN: Connecting Startups at Mobile World Congress
4YFN: Connecting Startups
at Mobile World Congress February 24–27, 2020
Date: February 24–27, 2020
Destination city: Barcelona (Spain)
Ticket price: €799–€5,000
Barcelona holds one of the biggest mobile conferences worldwide, gathering leading experts in the industry (59% of attendees hold senior positions).
4YFN initiative is an essential part of MWC’s helping startups get traction and support from investors, peers, and big companies.
Options depend on how startups plan to participate. They include exhibiting through discovery area, networking opportunities, talent corner, side events, and more – all to help startups adapt to the challenges they face trying to get noticed in a crowded field.
Hannover Fair (ex-CeBIT )
Hannover Fair (ex-CeBIT )April 20–24, 2020
Date: April 20–24, 2020
Destination city: Hanover (Germany)
Ticket price: not yet available
Barcelona holds one of the biggest mobile conferences worldwide, gathering leading experts in the industry (59% of attendees hold senior positions).
4YFN initiative is an essential part of MWC’s helping startups get traction and support from investors, peers, and big companies.
Options depend on how startups plan to participate. They include exhibiting through discovery area, networking opportunities, talent corner, side events, and more – all to help startups adapt to the challenges they face trying to get noticed in a crowded field.
Dublin Technical Summit
Dublin Technical SummitApril 22–23, 2020
Date: April 22–23, 2020
Destination city: Dublin (Ireland)
Ticket price: €188 (super early bird);
Dublin Technical Summit (DTS) has grown rapidly to be Ireland’s largest technical scene. This year, DTS hosted 10,000 attendees, over 200 speakers, and 300 media representatives from all over the world to effectively unite global and Irish local startup scenes.
DTS tackles different aspects of technical, business, and social challenges including equal opportunities, diversity, emerging technologies, and more.
Among other options, such as networking, knowledge sharing, etc., DTS offers startups a special Scale X Program to scale up to a global level.
Digital Enterprise Show
Digital Enterprise ShowMay 19–21, 2020
Date: May 19–21, 2020
Destination city: Madrid (Spain)
Ticket price: not yet available
Every year, Digital Enterprise Show (DES) gathers 450+ of the world’s best experts and over 21,000 visitors in one of Madrid’s biggest venues. By 2020,it plans to grow to 26,000 attendees.
This event comprises all possible digital sectors: drones, AR/VR, industrial IoT, cyber security, DevOps, and mobile development. DES offers three participation models: partner, exhibitor, and newcomer. DES wants to keep an even playing field to ensure businesses of all sizes have relevant exhibiting opportunities to present their ideas and solutions.
Pioneers Festival
Pioneers Festivaldismounted
Date: Canceled
Destination city: Vienna (Austria)
Ticket price: –
A sad announcement came from Austria’s leading innovation hub, Pioneer: Pioneer’19 was their last festival. They were forced to cancel their flagship event due to economic reasons. The freed-up resources will help the hub focus on development in other directions.
Probably, there is hope things will change back with time.
We’ll keep you posted.
Infosecurity Europe
Infosecurity EuropeJune 2–4, 2020
Date: June 2–4, 2020
Destination city: Vienna (Austria)
Ticket price: not yet available
Infosecurity Europe is a major European event for everyone interested in cyber security and digital safety issues. It gathers a large cyber security community: 19,500+ visitors and 400+ diverse suppliers.
Startups are also welcome: Infosecurity Event provides opportunities for startups through competitions and stands inside exhibition zones.
The Next Web Conference
The Next Web ConferenceJune 18–19, 2020
Date: June 18–19, 2020
Destination city: Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Ticket price: €99–€429 (ex. VAT)
The Next Web has stuck firmly to its traditions of running conferences that combine cutting-edge technologies with fun in one place.
This conference enjoys partnering with AWS, Google, Kickstarter, Booking and other leading tech companies. But even more, it enjoys a large and growing community of tech enthusiasts who warmly welcome every speaker and every newcomer.
The Next Web is especially proud of being a safe, no-bullying zone.
London Tech Week
London Tech WeekJune 2020
Date: June 2020 (exact dates to be confirmed; click here to register interest)
Destination city: London (United Kingdom)
Ticket price: not yet available
As a global fintech hub, London cannot help but host a range of startup events. London Tech Week is probably the most significant one being supported by various companies, media partners, and the British government.
Organizers expect 55,000+ visitors with 300+ free and paid events categorized in several streams, including, but not limited to digital transformation, innovation, cyber security, and more.
TOA
TOAJune 2020
Date: June 2020 (exact dates to be confirmed)
Destination city: Berlin (Germany)
Ticket price: €399–€1,750
Tech Open Air (TOA) starte d as a crowdfunded festival and grew to a 4-day-long Berlin flagship event. The main conference provides a platform for leading entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, and government representatives to share their thoughts and concerns on the future and the challenges they present.
Also, the Haus of Tech provides an arena for startup exhibitions, numerous workshops, and more. The festival also provides satellite events and the Open Circle program to help participants get ‘behind the scene’.
And, yes, IT Craft participated in the TOA 2019 helping Texas-based startup Virtuix Omni present their VR motion platform.
Wolves Summit
Wolves SummitOctober 23–24, 2020
Date: October 23–24, 2020
Destination city: Warsaw (Poland)
Ticket price: €170–€665
Wolves Summit is renown as a precise matchmaking tool to let startups and their future investors spend time in the most efficient way possible. The conference organizers help participants establish one-on-one meetings. Using special software, organizers analyze participants’ profiles and preferences and offer dozens of pre-summit meeting opportunities.
Also, Wolves Summit provides free tickets for the pre-selected best projects ensuring innovative startups do not get lost in the crowd.
And for those who always need more information. Here are two popular calendars extensive lists of startup events:
Startup Events List –the team of this website strives to aggregate all startup events from all around the globe: festivals, accelerators, competitions, hackathons and more into one comprehensive calendar.
Startup Calendar – a made-in-Germany platform created by magazines Berlin Valley and The Hundert addresses keeps startups informed. Apart from collecting information from different channels, it makes it possible to get the hottest news about both local and global scenes via newsletters and to even add its own events.
If you would like to be kept updated about the must-attend events, just click here:
Startups need backers. They also need a reliable development team. When presenting your idea, it is crucial for your confidence to know you have a working MVP or a team capable to make it happen—delivered on time and within budget.
IT Craft has extensive experience in successfully launching MVPs of varying complexity for innovative startups from a wide-range of industries, including logistics, navigation, healthcare, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and many, many more.