These days, startups must operate in a challenging landscape impacted by economic headwinds and scarce funding. That’s why emerging companies should leverage every opportunity to pitch their products, develop meaningful connections, and make the most of the startup ecosystem. Startup conferences are a great place to achieve these objectives.
Our team has curated a list of the best startup conferences and tech events that should be on a founder’s agenda in 2025.
January
sTARTUp Day
When: January 29 – 31, 2025
Where: Tartu, Estonia
Price: from €159.00
The year 2025 unfolds with the most startup-minded conference in the city of Tartu. STARTUp Day is a mix of workshops, tours, and networking bashes for 320+ startups, 220+ investors, and 55+ exhibiting companies. From hands-on workshops to pitching contests and the legendary sTARTUp Night, STARTUp Day is not a single event. It’s an entire hub in the city of Tartu with a burst of over 30 side events.
This year, the sTARTUp Day program will focus on mental health, deep tech, marketing, and defense, though the agenda is not limited to these.
February
TechChill
When: February 5 – 7, 2025
Where: Latvia, Riga
Price: from €159.00
Become one of the 310+ startups that will meet 250+ investors from Europe and Silicon Valley at this leading Baltic startup event in 2025. Designed to connect early-stage startups with visionaries, insights, and growth opportunities, TechChill provides a learning and networking platform with the executives of Oura, AWS, LinkedIn, and many other reputable organizations sharing their perspectives on tech-related topics.
And don’t forget about the Fifty Founders Battle – an annual pitch competition where seed and early-stage startups from different fields vie for €300,000 in prizes by putting forth their best business ideas.
LEAP
When: February 9 – 12, 2025
Where: Riyadh Front Expo Center, Saudi Arabia
Price: Free
Billed as the largest tech event in history, the LEAP lives up to its name and brings together 215,000+ visitors joined by 1,000+ speakers and 680+ startups. Held across four days and featuring 17 content tracks, the LEAP program features football legends, astronauts, billionaire venture capital investors, and other A-list personas who are ready to cover the technology at the edge.
Step Dubai
When: February 19 – 20, 2025
Where: Dubai, UAE
Price: AED 483.00
Step started as a series of workshops and small gatherings and, 11 years later, has grown into one of the top tech events in Dubai. With four stages of content, more than 400 global startups showcasing, hundreds of global investors, and 8,000+ global attendees over two days, Step becomes the global tech pulse, offering startups unrivaled networking opportunities. Step also hosts meet-ups across industries, job levels, and interests led by VCs, incubators, and digital agencies.
Techarena
When: February 20 – 21, 2025
Where: Stockholm, Sweden
Price: from €219.00
Join 12,000 business leaders, founders, investors, and decision-makers who will gather at the largest stadium in Scandinavia to participate in Scandinavia's biggest tech and business event. Last year, Techarena assembled over 4,500 corporates and 1,500 investors, proving its title. To make networking easier, Techarena has a matchmaking tool that allows startups to connect with thousands of investors, entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders.
Besides the main stage, startups also get to explore more than 100 curated side events and parties.
Emergence Sydney
When: February 26 – 27, 2025
Where: Sydney, Australia
Price: from A$155.00
With over 1,000 high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional investors from across the ASEAN region, Emergence Sydney creates a breeding funding ground for aspiring companies. The event brings together over 2,000 attendees worldwide to learn about venture investment trends, tech breakthroughs, and corporate finance from international leaders.
During six dedicated networking sessions, attendees can connect with 500-1,000 investors, gain new insights, and find funding opportunities—all in one place.
March
MWC25 Barcelona
When: March 3 – 6, 2025
Where: Barcelona, Spain
Price: from €989.00
This year, MWC Barcelona will shed light on the edgy technologies and innovations currently disrupting industries. This year’s agenda revolves around the "Converge. Connect. Create" topic, offering attendees the chance to spark discussions on 5G, AI+, mobile ecosystem, and other disruptive trends.
Experts from Accenture, HONOR, KPMG, and other industry leaders will provide expert advice and inspirational insights to the audience. Startups can get unrivaled exposure to over 101,000 attendees by exhibiting their business ideas to qualified business leads.
4YFN
When: March 3 – 6, 2025
Where: Barcelona, Spain
Price: Access to 4YFN 2025 is included in MWC Barcelona 2025 tickets
The GSMA’s startup platform, 4YFN (Four Years from Now), takes place at the heart of MWC Barcelona to crown the best 20 digital startups at its 4YFN Awards and support networking for others. Over 100,000 attendees, 1000+ investors, and €50 billion in funding are expected to make an appearance at this year’s edition.
Over 300 speakers from tech unicorns, including Perplexity AI, Papaya Global, and others, will address the topic of AI innovation, with 930 international startups exhibiting their latest products. The 4YFN Discovery Area Pitching Stage will support companies in securing funding from leading funds, VCs, and CVCs.
Hello Tomorrow
When: March 13 – 14, 2025
Where: Paris, France
Price: from €520.00
From decarbonization to clean mobility, Hello Tomorrow bridges the gap between technology and sustainability while giving the stage to promising early-stage startups. Each year, the event gathers over 3,000 applicants from 128+ countries. Eighty finalists from across all industries and technologies get the chance to pitch on stage to 300 investors and get coverage from 200 international media outlets.
START Summit
When: March 20 – 21, 2025
Where: St. Gallen, Switzerland
Price: from CHF 149.00
START Summit is Europe's leading student-run conference for 7,000+ entrepreneurs. The event brings together the next generation of investors who want to promote top projects, recruit talent, and learn about new technological advancements.
In 2024, over 160 speakers, including representatives from world-famous companies such as Weleda, Blueprint, and others, gathered on stage to discuss tech advancements and best practices. This year is expected to bring insights of a similar caliber, featuring well-known experts from established brands.
Tech.eu Summit
When: March 25 – 26, 2025
Where: London, UK
Price: from £360.00
The Tech.eu Summit is a nexus for 1,200 European tech enthusiasts and big-name speakers. Knowledge-sharing is the zest of this conference, as the event revolves around presentations from founders, investors, policymakers, and COOs. The topics vary from tech-related subjects, such as crypto, to business-driven ones, such as the European VC landscape and hiring challenges.
April
EU-Startups Summit
When: April 24 – 25, 2025
Where: Valetta, Malta
Price: from €170.00
In 2025, the European startup community is meeting again to celebrate the most successful European entrepreneurs and Europe's hottest startups. The EU-Startups Summit 2025 will gather over 1,100 founders, startup enthusiasts, corporates, 350 investors, and media from Europe.
A specific part of the event will be dedicated to attendees' getting acquainted with role-model projects in the European market. Early-stage startups can seize the opportunity to gain global recognition, connect with potential investors, and nab substantial prizes.
Startup Grind
When: April 29 – 30, 2025
Where: Silicon Valley, CA, USA
Price: from $199.00
If you have ever dreamed of visiting the heart of innovation, the Startup Grind conference in Silicon Valley is an amazing opportunity to do so. With a dedicated Startup Exhibition Booth, Quickfire pitch slot, and job board promotion for all conference attendees, fledgling businesses will have a unique opportunity to gain more exposure, meet potential partners, and get on investors’ radars.
May
Wolves Summit CEE
When: May 6 – 7, 2025
Where: Online and Warsaw, Poland
Price: from €199.00
An event to change the world is what the organizers of Wolves Summit CEE promise. Over the course of two days, 32,000+ attendees will participate in tech and innovation forums, meet one-on-one with startups and investors, and learn the fundamentals of business development. Startups can also pitch their ideas at the Great Pitch Contest to a large audience and gain exposure to potential investors.
Wolves Summit’s agenda features 47+ speakers, each shedding light on a specific topic related to the startup world.
ViennaUP
When: May 8 – 16, 2025
Where: Vienna, Austria
Price: each event is ticketed separately
ViennaUP is a decentralized community-driven festival in the heart of Europe that hosts tech talks to make our digital future brighter than ever before. Attending startups don't just get the chance to showcase their recent achievements; they also are offered the opportunity to join the European startup community and meet investors.
Further, they can participate in the Startup World Cup, the largest startup competition worldwide, with more than 70 countries taking part every year.
Podim
When: May 12 – 14, 2025
Where: Maribor, Slovenia
Price: from €145.00
As a key CEE platform for learning and networking, Podim attracts dozens of reputable names from the world of venture investments. Along with varied funding opportunities, Podim offers a forum to learn from and exchange experiences with the best serial entrepreneurs, investors, and tech experts from all over the globe.
However, the event is intentionally limited to 1,000 participants so that each startup owner can personally meet speakers and spend quality time with investors and business executives.
Gitex Europe
When: May 21 – 23, 2025
Where: Berlin, Germany
Price: upon request
Convening over 1,500 startups, Gitex Europe is focused on forging technological connections across different sectors such as AI, quantum computing, enterprise network and infrastructure, banking and finance, and others. The conference draws on the global insights and extensive network from GITEX Dubai and attracts key figures from policy, business, academia, and civil society. Gitex Europe also brings together over 1,000 investors managing over $1 trillion in assets.
Latitude59
When: May 21 – 23, 2025
Where: Tallinn, Estonia
Price: from €139.00
Latitude59 is fundraising heaven for startups, as the startup-investor ratio is almost 50-50, making it one of the best places to back your digital product. At Latitude59, emerging companies can put their services and products in front of 3,500 visitors, participate in a pitching competition, and win €1,000,000 in prizes.
Web Summit Vancouver
When: May 27 – 30, 2025
Where: Toronto, Canada
Price: from C$415.00
There can hardly be a better place for an emerging startup to spread the word about its potential than Web Summit Vancouver. Taking the reins from Collision in Toronto, Web Summit Vancouver follows suit, connecting the global technology ecosystem.
At this global gathering, early-stage startups with outstanding potential get the chance to connect with the world's most influential people, investors, media, and cultural figureheads who are making a difference.
Dublin Tech Summit
When: May 28 – 29, 2025
Where: Dublin, Ireland
Price: €275.00
Dublin Tech Summit is an event where top tech lovers and aspiring companies can bump into the CTO of Amazon, Co-founder of Siri, and Chief Advisor of NASA. Along with high-profile 250+ international speakers, the event features an exhibit area with our 50+ partners and networking events.
In 2025, the Dublin Tech Summit is expected to welcome over 8,000 attendees, 200+ global media, and 80+ corporate partners. As for the agenda, it seems like AI will be in the limelight.
Infoshare
When: May 28 – 29, 2025
Where: Gdansk, Poland
Price: to be announced
The Infoshare conference lasts two days and features expert speeches on six stages, as well as matchmaking sessions and side events. At Infoshare, you will find knowledge, inspiration, and cooperation.
Further, you can form meaningful bonds and create a truly innovative technological society. Seed and early-stage startups can take part in the Startup Contest and compete to win €20,000.
June
Arctic15
When: June 4 – 5, 2025
Where: Helsinki, Finland
Price: from €349.00
Arctic15 Helsinki is a matchmaking startup event in Northern Europe that focuses on making deals and quality networking connections. The two-day event brings together an international crowd of startups, investors, corporates, media, and influencers from 60+ countries. The 15 tracks focus on various industries, technologies, and topics, ranging from Digital Health and AI to Social Impact and Scaling.
For pre-seed and series A startups, this event is an excellent opportunity to connect with 400+ angels, VCs, and CVCs.
South Summit Madrid
When: June 4 – 6, 2025
Where: Madrid, Spain
Price: from €231.00
For over 14 years, South Summit Madrid has empowered European entrepreneurs, connecting them with vital investor networks. A handpicked selection of 6,000+ innovative startups and scaleups will gather under one roof to seek unique investment opportunities from 2,000+ investors and pitch on a global platform.
This year, the event will hone in on humanity 2.0, sustainability, and emerging techs, reminding us how important it is to use complex technologies responsibly and put them to good use.
Hinterland of Things Conference
When: June 5, 2025
Where: Bielefeld, Germany
Price: from €350.00
The melting pot of B2B entrepreneurship, the Hinterland of Things Conference, immerses attendees in an atmosphere full of challenge conquerors and technology enthusiasts. The event gathers 1,000 family-owned businesses and SME companies that come to handshake with 400 leading investors and listen to reputable industry leaders share their time-tested knowledge.
The majority of attendees are C-level executives, founders of unicorns or soonicorns, prominent investors, and editors. This year, this deal-making and network platform will also turn into a hub for dialogue, exploring the transformative potential of green technology, edtech, artificial intelligence, and other emerging sectors shaping the future of industries.
London Tech Week
When: June 9 – 13, 2025
Where: London, UK
Price: from £195.00
Dubbed the most influential event in the UK, London Tech Week will host 45,000 innovators, including innovative startups and tech giants. The event spans 5 days full of events, 500 tracks, and 75 hours of exclusive content.
Here, startups can meet top VCs, CVCs, and angels from London and beyond and forge valuable connections with the right people through an app and expanded meeting spaces.
Viva Technology
When: June 11 – 14, 2025
Where: Paris, France
Price: from €160.00
Viva Technology will yet again become one of Europe’s greatest forums for tech giants to forge new partnerships and explore the cutting edge of technological advancement. The leading voices in tech, including Elon Musk, Yann LeCun, Robin Li, and others, regularly attend this event to inspire and educate the audience with their visionary ideas.
Startups can also participate in the Vivatech challenges, where they can showcase their products, collect early feedback, and attract new clients.
TNW Conference
When: June 19 – 20, 2025
Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Price: from €460.00
At TNW Conference 2025, you will learn what's next in tech. From scaling your business to solving impactful challenges – there's content for everyone. If you are actively looking to raise funding, grow your business, build brand awareness, or join TNW for Startups with a global audience of 10,000+ tech enthusiasts, 300+ investors, and 54% decision-makers from 6,000+ companies, then this is the event for you.
Techsylvania
When: June 25 – 26, 2025
Where: Online & Transylvania, Romania
Price: from €89.00
Techsylvania has always been a conference where people come to get inspired, find out what's next in tech, and learn some of the brightest minds' dos and don'ts. At Techsylvania, there is a dedicated place for startups called Startup Alley, where they can showcase their technologies to potential business partners.
Another great reason for startups to attend this event is Startup Avalanche, a competition that connects ambitious early-stage startups with international VCs and investors.
July
Startupfest
When: July 9 – 11, 2025
Where: Montreal, Canada
Price: from CA$302.96
Startupfest is an exciting and highly anticipated annual event that celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation in the vibrant city of Montreal. This three-day festival brings together a diverse community of entrepreneurs, startup enthusiasts, investors, and industry experts from around the world.
The main calls of the Startupfest include Tent Village, AcceleratorFest, the Investor Match-Ups, Startup Demo Zone, and a prize pool of $100,000. As the main benchmark event for start-ups, the Startupfest is a unique opportunity for growing companies to establish their presence in the market.
August
TechBBQ
When: August 27 – 28, 2025
Where: Copenhagen, Denmark
Price: to be announced
TechBBQ is a large-scale event that unites 8,000 attendees, 2,200+ startup representatives, 1,200+ investors, and 400+ speakers. Over the course of two days, attendees learn from visionary speakers from Headspace, CNN, Siri, Clue, and other companies. For startups, TechBBQ is a place to source rockstar talent, pitch on stage, and connect with the most relevant investors.
September
Bits & Pretzels
When: September 29 – 1, 2025
Where: Munich, Germany
Price: to be announced
Taking place in the heart of Munich, Bits & Pretzels provides an engaging and immersive experience featuring a variety of activities, including inspiring keynote speeches, startup pitches, networking sessions, and more. Here, attendees can visit or take part in the Startup Exhibition, expand their networks, and get inspired by other founders. Startups can also showcase their top solutions and compete for the Golden Pretzel Pitch Award.
The number of attendees is limited, so don’t miss your chance to spend three days learning and networking at Bits & Pretzels.
October
Sifted Summit
When: October 8 – 9, 2025
Where: London, UK
Price: to be announced
Sifted Summit brings together 3,000 founders, startup and scaleup operators, and investors under one roof. The summit has something in store for every attendee, from interactive workshops and closed-door roundtables to networking opportunities. There are no random pitches—the event is focused on real talk from real industry experts.
GITEX Global
When: October 13 – 17, 2025
Where: Dubai, UAE
Price: upon request
The global edition of Gitex Global is considered to be the world’s greatest business connector that unites big tech, global governments, innovative startups, expert investors, and corporate buyers under one roof. For 5 days, 6,500 global tech firms will come to Dubai to take part in the world’s largest ICT trade fair, exchange ideas, and build strategic partnerships. AI Everything is the pinnacle of Gitex Global, where the world's brightest minds come to showcase cutting-edge AI innovations in finance, healthcare, sustainable technologies, education, and other critical sectors.
Startup OLÉ
When: October 15 – 17, 2025
Where: Salamanca, Spain
Price: free
With knowledge, discussion, and pitches at every corner, Startup OLÉ, the largest tech event in Europe, provides a one-of-a-kind platform for founders to extend their reach. Last year, this event gathered over 40,000 attendees from 120+ countries and 1,500+ startups and scaleups.
You can also expect to make huge deals at Startup OLÉ, as the portfolio of participating investors exceeds €100,000.
Oslo Innovation Week
When: October 20 – 24, 2025
Where: Oslo, Norway
Price: to be announced
Innovation is the lifeblood of entrepreneurship that requires startups to establish a regular implementation flow of creative ideas, products, services, and processes. With 18,000 attendees from over 40+ countries, Oslo Innovation Week is here to facilitate this innovation.
Here, startups can meet like-minded entrepreneurs, learn more about top tech trends and advancements from tech enthusiasts, connect with investors, and participate in hands-on workshops.
TechCrunch Disrupt
When: October 27 – 29, 2025
Where: San Francisco, CA, USA
Price: to be announced
TechCrunch Disrupt is a must-attend event for founders who are serious about breaking through the noise and forging the kinds of relationships that can take them to the next level. For startup enthusiasts, potential investors, and aspiring tech leaders, it's a ticket into the ecosystem that continues to change the world. With 100+ exhibitors and 10,000+ attendees, there is no better place to make your mark.
November
Web Summit Lisbon
When: November 10 – 13, 2025
Where: Lisbon, Portugal
Price: to be announced
Called “Glastonbury for geeks” by the Guardian and "The world's largest tech conference" by The Financial Times, Web Summit's scale is undeniable. Year after year, the event attracts a global audience, including prominent figures like Reddit's COO, Apple's Senior Vice President, and the Mayor of Lisbon.
At Web Summit, startups can apply for the ALPHA startup program. This program offers the chance to join a global community of startups and gain access to investors, startup meetings, masterclasses, mentor hours, and more.
Slush
When: November 19 – 20, 2025
Where: Helsinki, Finland
Price: to be announced
Slush is all about creating a magical concentration of the world's brightest entrepreneurs, investors, corporate professionals, and policymakers. This founder-centric event is here to help startups attract the attention of 1,700 investors representing nearly $1 trillion in assets under management.
Summing up
Every conference has a distinct character, making it impossible to attend all of them. To make the most of your time and resources, prioritize your goals. Are you looking for public recognition or to participate in fairs? Do you want to land funding? Or are you most interested in pitch contests and matchmaking events?
Once you know the answer, you can market your 2025 calendar and choose events that will maximize your exposure and connect you with the most relevant opportunities for your startup.
