15 Startup Conferences Worth Your Time (and Budget) in 2025

Big-name expos and star-studded keynotes may grab headlines, but in 2025, it’s the smaller, more focused conferences that are gaining traction with founders. These events may not have the flashiest lineups or the biggest stages – but they consistently bring the right people into the room. According to Mauricio Palacio, CEO of Eventtia, many founders come to realize that participating in huge events like WebSummit, while exciting, often turns out to be “vanity shows with limited ROI.” In contrast, he argues, there’s far more to gain from speaking or engaging at smaller, industry‑focused gatherings, where relevant conversations happen, real connections drive business, and “that live exchange of ideas creates an impact far beyond what written or video content can achieve.” Mauricio Palacio Eventtia The global conference industry may be headed to exceed $1.5 trillion by 2028, but scale is being redefined. The smartest organizers are leaning into depth over dazzle, and prioritizing matchmaking over mass appeal. These are the places where founders land first checks, policymakers test real solutions, and investors find the next markets to shape.With that in mind, here’s The Sociable’s pick of the up-and-coming conferences that are doing things differently – and doing them well. $1.5 trillion The Sociable Europe Europe Startup Olé Startup Olé Startup Olé October 15–17, 2025, Salamanca, Spain October 15–17, 2025, Salamanca, Spain The Spanish startup scene is more than just Madrid and Barcelona, and no event proves that better than Startup Olé. Every October, the historic university city of Salamanca transforms into a meeting ground for founders, investors, and ecosystem builders determined to make deals instead of just headlines. What sets Startup Olé apart is its focus. Much smaller and more intimate than Spain’s splashier South Summit, this is where matchmaking is an art instead of an algorithm. Over several concentrated days, startups pitch live, investors workshop term sheets over coffee, and government-backed accelerators from Spain and Latin America plan cross-continental collaboration. The vibe is less main-stage spectacle, more working-room hustle. Startup Olé is also fiercely international, with deep ties to Latin America that go beyond token partnerships. Its programming actively recruits key players from Chile, Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia, turning Salamanca into a transatlantic bridge where emerging markets meet European capital and know-how. It’s a platform that understands shared language and culture aren’t barriers, but multipliers for impact. Behind the scenes, the organizers push the event’s role as an ecosystem catalyst: securing media partners, forging university alliances, and building local-global networks designed to keep momentum going long after the last badge is scanned. In an era where startup events risk becoming echo chambers for the already-successful, Startup Olé delivers something rarer: access. For early-stage founders looking to land their first check or their first international partner, Salamanca in October is where ambition meets opportunity. Wolves Summit Wolves Summit Wolves Summit October 29–30, 2025, Krakow, Poland October 29–30, 2025, Krakow, Poland In a region where flashy expos often dominate the tech calendar, Wolves Summit keeps it refreshingly focused on what really matters: deals. With around 1,000 attendees, it’s deliberately smaller and more B2B than many of Europe’s headline events. But that’s the point. This is matchmaking at its most intentional, where the value is measured in signed term sheets and new partnerships instead of Instagrammable stages. Over two packed days in Krakow, investors, corporates, and startups meet in rapid-fire 1:1 sessions designed to quickly turn introductions into agreements. What makes Wolves Summit stand out is its commitment to real business outcomes across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and beyond. It’s not just about gathering founders and VCs in the same room, but about carefully curated connections that serve both sides. The event’s DNA is built around dealflow, with thousands of meetings facilitated over its history and a strong reputation among investors who come to find their next portfolio company. Even the pitch competitions are structured with investor needs in mind, drawing sharp, scale-ready startups from the CEE and DACH regions. Beyond the deal tables, Wolves Summit is open to deeper collaborations: from corporate innovation challenges to media partnerships and the high-profile European AI Awards it hosts in parallel. For companies serious about entering or expanding in the CEE market, Wolves Summit is the place where Europe’s emerging tech corridors are actively built, one handshake at a time. Valencia Digital Summit Valencia Digital Summit Valencia Digital Summit October 22-23, 2025, Valencia October 22-23, 2025, Valencia Where other tech conferences are built for prestige, Valencia Digital Summit is built for participation. Situated in the stunning City of Arts and Sciences, VDS offers more than a scenic backdrop: it offers one of Europe’s most dynamic platforms for founders, investors, and corporates to come together, match, and make it happen. Each year, over 12,000 attendees, 800 investors, and 3,000 startups converge in Valencia for two days of programming that leans into action. In 2024 alone, the summit helped spark more than $20 million in startup-investor connections, a number that continues to rise as Spain positions itself as a southern European tech hub. VDS is structured like a growth engine: startup competitions, curated 1:1 meetings, private lounges, and industry tracks spanning everything from deeptech to digital health. It’s a conference that understands scale isn’t just about numbers but about creating the right collisions between people who can actually build together. In a global calendar full of noise and name-dropping, Valencia Digital Summit cuts through with something rare: clarity. An event focused less on spectacle, more on sustained results. Italian tech week Italian tech week Italian tech week October 1–3, 2025, Turin, Italy October 1–3, 2025, Turin, Italy Italian Tech Week brings together Italy’s most ambitious founders, investors and industry partners in the heart of Turin. The conference is tightly organized, content-focused and internationally charged: with more than 180 speakers, dozens of master classes, 70+ side events and thousands of meetings in the matchmaking zone. Not a show for show’s sake, but a working session at scale. What sets the event apart is the combination of local energy and international clout. Permanent participants include leading VCs such as Sequoia, Index and General Catalyst, in addition to a growing group of Southern European scale-ups preparing their next round of capital here. Beyond the main program, it’s all about access: to knowledge, to funds, to the right tables. Turin offers just the right setting for that-quiet enough for content, big enough for impact. In a European calendar full of branding and buzz, Italian Tech Week opts for depth and deals. For founders, LPs and policymakers who come not to build together. Oslo Innovation Week Oslo Innovation Week Oslo Innovation Week October 20-24, 2025, Oslo, Norway October 20-24, 2025, Oslo, Norway Oslo Innovation Week is not about branding or promises, but about workable solutions. The focus is on themes the Norwegian startup scene is strong in: circular economy, ocean technology, energy, health and impact-driven innovation. No endless panels or slick shows, but a week where founders, policymakers and investors engage in a conversation about what really works, and what needs to get better. The conference takes place at multiple locations across the city, with Mesh as the central meeting point. From that core spread dozens of sessions, Couch Conversations, networking meetings and presentations, often small-scale, always sharp. The tone is open and direct, without jargon or hierarchy. Startups are not put on a stage to impress, but to build solutions together that are scalable and inclusive. Oslo Innovation Week doesn’t need a big marketing machine-the content speaks. In an ecosystem of 3,000 startups, it is not the biggest name that counts, but the question: what have you built, and who does it help? For investors and innovators who really want to work on sustainable change, Oslo in October is the place to be. unDavos at World Economic Forum unDavos at World Economic Forum unDavos at World Economic Forum January 19-23, 2026, Davos, Switzerland January 19-23, 2026, Davos, Switzerland While the official World Economic Forum (WEF) unfolds behind closed doors, all invite-only panels, power breakfasts, and billion-dollar handshakes, unDavos is happening just outside. Decentralized, participant-led, and radically open, this counter-summit invites thinkers, founders, creatives, and activists to co-create solutions without stage lights, media handlers, or security perimeters. What began as a handful of side events and informal meetups, has quietly grown into a global movement. In recent years, unDavos has drawn over 2,000 independent participants, with dozens of pop-up gatherings hosted across chalets, cafés, co-working spaces, and even mountaintops. There’s no formal agenda and that is exactly the point. The magic is in the self-organization: workshops on digital rights next to founder therapy circles; AI ethicists debating with climate activists; venture partners brainstorming with public artists. The economics of it are modest, but the influence is real. Deals get done, collaborations are born and ideas that don’t fit neatly into WEF’s frameworks find room to grow. unDavos doesn’t claim to replace the main stage, it reclaims the edges. If Davos is about power, unDavos is about possibility and in 2025, possibility feels more urgent than ever. Startup Fair Startup Fair Startup Fair October 9, 2025, Vilnius, Lithuania October 9, 2025, Vilnius, Lithuania Startup Fair has been the fixture of the Baltic startup scene for thirteen years, but now its reach is much broader. More than 2,000 participants gather annually in Vilnius, including 450+ startups and over 400 investors from over 65 countries. The strength lies in the format: approachable, international, and focused on scaling up rather than profiling. The program combines pitch battles, investor camps and networking zones with substantive sessions on growth strategy, internationalization and venture capital in emerging markets. Vilnius offers a strategic advantage in this regard: a small market with quick access to pan-European infrastructure, talent and funds. Startup Fair has thus become a launching point for founders from Central and Eastern Europe who want to break through internationally. What characterizes the atmosphere is a healthy mix of ambition and down-to-earthness. No prestige for prestige’s sake, but clear opportunities for those who come to build. Startup Fair is but an active link in an ecosystem that is becoming increasingly visible on the European innovation radar. Shift Conference Shift Conference Shift Conference September 14-16, 2025, Zadar, Croatia September 14-16, 2025, Zadar, Croatia Shift Conference is Southeast Europe’s largest developer event, attracting thousands of software engineers, product managers, founders and tech professionals to the Croatian coast every year. The conference combines deeply technical content with a festival-like format: six stages, five halls, international speakers, and full programming that goes beyond code. What sets Shift apart is its community-oriented approach. From front-end nerds to AI specialists, the entire stack is represented-but the emphasis is on meeting. Panels, workshops, networking zones and afterparties flow seamlessly together, with plenty of room for spontaneous exchange. For startups, it means access to technical knowledge as well as investors. For developers: hands-on sessions with meaningful tools and trends. The setting in Zadar finishes it off: a compact city with Mediterranean energy and room to really connect. While many tech conferences focus on corporate shows, Shift opts for engagement. Whether you’re a freelance developer or CTO at a scale-up, Shift provides a place where the European dev community comes together annually to learn, exchange and build. ImpactFest ImpactFest ImpactFest November 2025, The Hague, Netherlands November 2025, The Hague, Netherlands In a world where “impact” risks becoming just another buzzword, ImpactFest in The Hague stands out for keeping it honest. Every November, over 1,500 founders, investors, NGOs, and policymakers gather in the international city of peace and justice for something refreshingly unflashy: conversations about building businesses that change the world without selling out. It’s Europe’s leading impact-startup gathering for a reason: not for hype, but for the tough, necessary work of aligning capital with purpose. What sets ImpactFest apart is its radically inclusive approach. This isn’t a stage-managed pitch show or a sponsor-heavy expo. Instead, it’s built for genuine exchange: hundreds of sessions where early-stage founders connect directly with impact investors, where corporate leaders debate policymakers on climate goals, and where social entrepreneurs find partners willing to bet on systems change over quick wins. The atmosphere is clear-eyed and mission-driven, with matchmaking that prioritizes values as much as valuations. ImpactFest also prides itself on being open beyond the event itself. Organizers actively seek media partners, content collaborators, and ecosystem alliances that can amplify these stories year-round. For anyone serious about covering, investing in, or helping grow Europe’s impact economy, The Hague in November is the annual checkpoint for a movement determined to prove business can be a genuine force for good. Ingeniøren Digital Tech Summit Ingeniøren Digital Tech Summit Ingeniøren Digital Tech Summit November 5-6, 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark November 5-6, 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark Ingeniøren Digital Tech Summit is Denmark’s largest deep tech event and the annual intersection between universities and industry. Organized by Ingeniøren and Danish universities, it offers two days of strong content that brings together scientific knowledge, industrial applications and public innovation agendas. With more than 100 seminars, 15 keynotes and 70 exhibitors, the summit attracts more than 5,000 participants from sectors such as AI, quantum, robotics, digitization and sustainable technology. It is not an investor show or startup competition, but a working conference where engineers, researchers and companies concretely collaborate on new solutions-with impact at scale and timeline. The focus is on technology deepening and interdisciplinary collaboration. For participants building infrastructure, industry and science, this is not an afterthought on the innovation calendar, but a permanent anchor. In Copenhagen, the lines are set for technology that is not focused on sustainability instead of hype. How to Web How to Web How to Web October 1-2, 2025, Bucharest, Romania October 1-2, 2025, Bucharest, Romania How to Web is the hub of tech and innovation in Eastern Europe. For more than a decade, this conference has brought together founders, product teams, investors and engineers for two days of talks, startup showcases and dealmaking. The venue-the Face Convention Center in Bucharest-is not only practical, but also symbolic: an emerging tech city in a region that increasingly appears on the European innovation radar. The program is spread across four well-programmed stages, with keynotes from international names such as April Dunford, Ryan Singer and Hristo Borisov, interspersed with more intimate sessions for real interaction. From positioning to scaling, from product development to early-stage funding-the content is practical and tailored to the realities of European tech builders. There is also plenty of room for matchmaking via a dedicated networking app and a VIP zone for investors and founders. With more than 3,000 attendees, 500 startups and a solid representation of VCs, corporates and angels, How to Web offers a compact but powerful ecosystem. Not set up as a prestige event, but as a working venue for everyone who wants to use technology to build sustainable growth-in Eastern Europe and beyond. South America South America TECH SPHERE 2025 TECH SPHERE 2025 TECH SPHERE 2025 September 27, 2025, Medellín, Colombia September 27, 2025, Medellín, Colombia TECH SPHERE is Latin America’s emerging hub for artificial intelligence and applied technology, hosted in Medellín—recently recognized as a Special District of Science, Technology, and Innovation. The event brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore how AI can move from theory to practical solutions with real social and economic impact. Unlike traditional tech summits, TECH SPHERE blends academia and industry. Expect hands-on technical workshops, high-level panels on ethics and policy, and open labs where students, startups, and corporations collaborate side by side. The program spans multiple tracks—from healthcare and mobility to creative industries—showing how AI is reshaping every field. What makes TECH SPHERE unique is its accessibility: it’s a fully free event, designed to democratize knowledge and participation. Beyond the formal agenda, the atmosphere reflects Medellín’s identity as an innovative, people-centered city. Networking plazas, cultural showcases, and community meetups ensure that dialogue extends far past the sessions. For global tech leaders, it’s a window into Latin America’s growing AI ecosystem. For local innovators, it’s a chance to connect with international experts without leaving their city. And for everyone attending, TECH SPHERE 2025 is a space to understand, build, and share the future of artificial intelligence. GoFest GoFest GoFest August 26–30, 2025, Bogotá, Colombia August 26–30, 2025, Bogotá, Colombia Bogotá might not be the first city that comes to mind when you think of global startup hubs and that’s exactly what GoFest is here to change. Over five days, Colombia’s capital transforms into a launchpad for bold ideas, smart capital, and new connections. Hosted by the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce and backed by the Colombian government, GoFest has rapidly evolved into one of Latin America’s most dynamic entrepreneurship festivals, drawing over 24,000 attendees and generating millions in regional business activity. But it’s not just the scale that sets it apart, it’s the energy. Think pitch stages buzzing with early-stage ambition, expert panels that don’t shy away from the hard questions, and curated spaces for real deals to be made. It’s where tech meets purpose, and where local talent collides with global opportunity. Investors, corporate leaders, and next-gen founders converge here not just to exchange business cards, but to build ecosystems that last. In a region where youth, innovation, and impact are rewriting the rules of growth, GoFest has become more than an event: it’s a movement. A call to action for builders who believe the future isn’t something we inherit, but something we create. Right here. Right now. Future Energy Summit LATAM Future Energy Summit LATAM Future Energy Summit LATAM August 6, 2025, São Paulo, Brazil August 6, 2025, São Paulo, Brazil September 29, 2025, Lima, Peru September 29, 2025, Lima, Peru October 21–22, 2025, Bogotá, Colombia October 21–22, 2025, Bogotá, Colombia November 26–27, 2025, Santiago, Chile November 26–27, 2025, Santiago, Chile For those determined to turn climate commitments into real projects, Future Energy Summit LATAM offers the region’s most focused stage. Across events in cities like São Paulo, Lima, Bogotá, and Santiago, this summit series delivers something rarer than big-stage promises: space for climate-tech founders, government leaders, project developers, and impact investors to sit down and design practical pathways for change. No fireworks: just the concentrated deal-making and debate needed to move the needle. What sets Future Energy Summit apart is its willingness to go deep on the hard questions others skim over. Financing models for distributed solar. Building green hydrogen corridors. Ensuring equitable energy access in rural communities. The audience is just as intentional: a mix of corporate energy players, local innovators, policymakers, and a growing pool of impact investors who see Latin America as the proving ground for scalable, sustainable tech. In a region where climate risks are stark and opportunities vast, FES is where the hype of green investment turns into actual plans. Though still growing and evolving, the Summit is clear about its role as a platform for more than just in-person events. Organizers actively seek media partners and editorial collaborators to help turn closed-door discussions into stories that shift policy, funding priorities, and public buy-in. For anyone serious about covering or contributing to Latin America’s energy future, Future Energy Summit LATAM is the place to help write the next chapter of the region’s transition. Peru VCC Conference Peru VCC Conference Peru VCC Conference October 2, 2025, Peru October 2, 2025, Peru In a world dominated by mega-funds and Silicon Valley headlines the Peru VCC Conference offers a different kind of playbook. As Peru’s leading venture capital summit, PVCC focuses less on blitz-scaling and more on building sustainable, locally-rooted startup ecosystems that can go the distance. Now entering its 10th edition, the conference is organized by PECAP, Peru’s national VC association, and sits at the heart of Lima Tech Week: a growing platform that’s helped position the country as a rising innovation hub in Latin America. Past editions have drawn over 1,200 participants, including fund managers, family offices, government reps, and early-stage founders from across the region. In 2024, PVCC helped catalyze over $30 million in early-stage investments, with deal-making and fund formation continuing well beyond the event. The programming leans into depth over dazzle. Expect real conversations on fund structuring, LP relations, climate finance, and scaling in volatile markets. Pitch stages and private lounges are where founders and funders actually sit down, not just swap cards. In markets where resourcefulness often matters more than runway, Peru VCC has become a blueprint for smart capital and long-term vision. It’s not just a conference, it’s an evolving map of how LatAm VC is finding its own voice. Peru VCC Congreso Internacional de Startups Iberoamericano Congreso Internacional de Startups Iberoamericano Congreso Internacional de Startups Iberoamericano October 21, 2025, Medellin October 21, 2025, Medellin Medellín has quietly become one of Latin America’s most vibrant startup cities and this summit is its loudest proof. Held at the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, the Congreso Internacional de Startups Iberoamericano brings together over 100 speakers, founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders from across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia for two days of high-level programming, matchmaking, and deal-making. Backed by the Asociación Internacional de Startups and Jaguars Startups, the event is designed for execution. With more than €300 million in investment capacity represented, this is a summit where pitch decks don’t just get applause, but where they get follow-up meetings. Startups engage in investor roundtables, business matchmaking, and fast-paced pitch sessions with VCs who come looking to write checks, not just hear stories. Adding momentum is the unveiling of the Top 100 LatAm Startups, a regional ranking that boosts visibility and opens doors to capital, mentorship, and media exposure. More than just a badge of honor, it functions as a launchpad, connecting rising ventures with the people and platforms that can take them to the next level. Rosa Heeroma, Journalist, The Sociable Rosa Heeroma, Journalist, The Sociable Rosa Heeroma, Journalist, The Sociable