Looking for the top startup events in Europe for 2026? This guide covers 50 of the continent’s most relevant startup conferences, technology exhibitions, founder gatherings, innovation festivals, venture capital events, and specialized industry summits.
Europe has one of the world’s largest and most diverse startup-event calendars. Across 28 countries, events in cities including London, Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Helsinki, Lisbon, Tallinn, Reykjavík, Istanbul, Brussels, Malmö, Gdańsk, Bucharest, Dublin, and Vilnius bring founders together with investors, corporations, policymakers, researchers, and startup ecosystem organizations.
The selection is based on more than attendance alone. Each event offers meaningful value to founders, investors, corporate innovation teams, or startup ecosystem organizations. The guide includes large global flagships, influential national and regional conferences, curated investor gatherings, city-wide festivals, and specialist events in AI, deep tech, climate, fintech, Web3, B2B software, and industrial technology.
Event visibility is one of the signals StartupBlink tracks when ranking ecosystems in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index. Cities that host recurring international events tend to score higher on global connectedness, and many of the ecosystems below appear in our ranking of the best cities for startups.
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Top Startup Events in Europe for 2026
| Event | Month | Date | City | Country | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sTARTUp Day | Jan | Jan. 26–28, 2027 | Tartu | Estonia | Early-Stage Founders |
| TechArena | Feb | Feb. 11–12, 2026 | Stockholm | Sweden | Startup Conferences |
| MWC Barcelona and 4YFN | Mar | Mar. 2–5, 2026 | Barcelona | Spain | Biggest Events |
| START Summit | Mar | Mar. 19–20, 2026 | St. Gallen | Switzerland | Early-Stage Founders |
| TechChill | Mar | Mar. 25–27, 2026 | Riga | Latvia | Early-Stage Founders |
| ChangeNOW | Mar | Mar. 30–Apr. 1, 2026 | Paris | France | Climate, Fintech & Web3 |
| Mashup | Apr | Apr. 15–16, 2026 | Malmö | Sweden | Investors & Fundraising |
| Paris Blockchain Week | Apr | Apr. 15–16, 2026 | Paris | France | Climate, Fintech & Web3 |
| Tech.eu Summit | Apr | Apr. 21–22, 2026 | London | United Kingdom | Investors & Fundraising |
| Iceland Innovation Week | Apr | Apr. 27–28, 2027 | Reykjavík | Iceland | Festivals & Innovation Weeks |
| EU-Startups Summit | May | May 7–8, 2026 | Valletta | Malta | Early-Stage Founders |
| Deep Tech Momentum | May | May 12–13, 2027 | Berlin | Germany | AI & Deep Tech |
| Podim | May | May 17–19, 2027 | Maribor | Slovenia | Early-Stage Founders |
| ViennaUP | May | May 18–22, 2026 | Vienna | Austria | Festivals & Innovation Weeks |
| Upstream Festival | May | May 20, 2027 | Rotterdam | Netherlands | Festivals & Innovation Weeks |
| Latitude59 | May | May 20–22, 2026 | Tallinn | Estonia | Startup Conferences |
| Infoshare | May | May 20–21, 2026 | Gdańsk | Poland | Startup Conferences |
| Dublin Tech Summit | May | May 27–28, 2026 | Dublin | Ireland | Startup Conferences |
| Panathēnea | May | May 27–29, 2026 | Athens | Greece | Festivals & Innovation Weeks |
| EBAN Congress | Jun | Jun. 1–2, 2026 | Vilnius | Lithuania | Investors & Fundraising |
| Money20/20 Europe | Jun | Jun. 2–4, 2026 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Climate, Fintech & Web3 |
| EIC Summit | Jun | Jun. 3–4, 2026 | Brussels | Belgium | Investors & Fundraising |
| South Summit | Jun | Jun. 3–5, 2026 | Madrid | Spain | Startup Conferences |
| London Tech Week | Jun | Jun. 8–12, 2026 | London | United Kingdom | Biggest Events |
| Hinterland of Things | Jun | Jun. 10, 2027 | Bielefeld | Germany | Climate, Fintech & Web3 |
| Hello Tomorrow Global Summit | Jun | Jun. 11–12, 2026 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | AI & Deep Tech |
| Arctic15 | Jun | Jun. 11–12, 2026 | Helsinki | Finland | Investors & Fundraising |
| Viva Technology | Jun | Jun. 17–20, 2026 | Paris | France | Biggest Events |
| Techsylvania | Jun | Jun. 24–25, 2026 | Cluj-Napoca | Romania | Startup Conferences |
| GITEX AI Europe | Jun | Jun. 30–Jul. 1, 2026 | Berlin | Germany | Biggest Events |
| RAISE Summit | Jul | Jul. 8–9, 2026 | Paris | France | AI & Deep Tech |
| TechBBQ | Aug | Aug. 26–27, 2026 | Copenhagen | Denmark | Startup Conferences |
| GITEX AI Türkiye | Sep | Sep. 9–10, 2026 | Istanbul | Türkiye | AI & Deep Tech |
| Infobip Shift | Sep | Sep. 13–15, 2026 | Zadar | Croatia | AI & Deep Tech |
| The Drop | Sep | Sep. 15–16, 2026 | Malmö | Sweden | Climate, Fintech & Web3 |
| NORDEEP Summit | Sep | Sep. 16–17, 2026 | Espoo | Finland | AI & Deep Tech |
| Startup Fair | Sep | Sep. 17, 2026 | Vilnius | Lithuania | Startup Conferences |
| IT Arena | Sep | Sep. 25–27, 2026 | Lviv | Ukraine | Startup Conferences |
| Bits & Pretzels | Sep | Sep. 28–30, 2026 | Munich | Germany | Biggest Events |
| Sifted Summit | Sep | Sep. 30–Oct. 1, 2026 | London | United Kingdom | Investors & Fundraising |
| How to Web Conference | Oct | Oct. 6–8, 2026 | Bucharest | Romania | Startup Conferences |
| World Summit AI | Oct | Oct. 7–8, 2026 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | AI & Deep Tech |
| Wave by Vento | Oct | Oct. 7–9, 2026 | Turin | Italy | Festivals & Innovation Weeks |
| Shift Europe | Oct | Oct. 13–14, 2026 | Barcelona | Spain | Investors & Fundraising |
| European Angel Investment Summit | Oct | Oct. 14–15, 2026 | Luxembourg City | Luxembourg | Investors & Fundraising |
| Wolves Summit | Oct | Oct. 14–15, 2026 | Kraków | Poland | Investors & Fundraising |
| Oslo Innovation Week | Oct | Oct. 19–23, 2026 | Oslo | Norway | Festivals & Innovation Weeks |
| Valencia Digital Summit | Oct | Oct. 21–22, 2026 | Valencia | Spain | Startup Conferences |
| Web Summit | Nov | Nov. 9–12, 2026 | Lisbon | Portugal | Biggest Events |
| Slush | Nov | Nov. 18–19, 2026 | Helsinki | Finland | Biggest Events |
| Take Off Istanbul | TBA | Dates to be announced | Istanbul | Türkiye | Startup Conferences |
Biggest Startup Events in Europe in 2026
The biggest startup events in Europe draw international founders, investors, corporations, policymakers, and media organizations. These large-scale gatherings provide the broadest exposure, the largest startup exhibitions, and some of the continent’s most extensive investor and side-event networks.
MWC Barcelona and 4YFN
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Date: March 2–5, 2026
MWC Barcelona is one of the world’s largest gatherings for mobile technology, connectivity, telecommunications, devices, and digital infrastructure. It connects international technology companies, operators, governments, investors, and enterprise buyers.
4YFN runs alongside MWC as its dedicated startup and investment platform. Its startup exhibition, pitch competitions, investor activities, and access to the wider MWC audience make it especially relevant to startups working in connectivity, enterprise technology, hardware, AI, digital services, and infrastructure.
London Tech Week
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date: June 8–12, 2026
London Tech Week is a city-wide gathering for founders, investors, corporations, policymakers, and international technology delegations.
Its program combines flagship conferences with partner and community events across London, covering AI, climate technology, fintech, enterprise software, investment, digital transformation, and startup growth. Much of its value comes from the specialized side events, investor meetings, and ecosystem activities taking place throughout the city.
Viva Technology in Paris
Location: Paris, France
Date: June 17–20, 2026
Viva Technology is one of Europe’s largest technology and innovation events, connecting startups with corporations, investors, policymakers, and international technology companies.
Corporate innovation pavilions sit at the heart of the format, alongside startup exhibitions, technology demonstrations, pitch activities, and conference stages. Founders come here to find enterprise customers, corporate partnerships, investment, media visibility, or a route into the French and wider European markets.
GITEX AI Europe in Berlin
Location: Berlin, Germany
Date: June 30–July 1, 2026
GITEX AI Europe brings the international GITEX technology-event platform to Berlin with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and enterprise technology.
The event connects AI companies, startups, corporations, investors, government representatives, and enterprise buyers. Its program covers AI infrastructure, applications, cloud technology, cybersecurity, regulation, digital transformation, and large-scale business adoption.
Bits & Pretzels in Munich
Location: Munich, Germany
Date: September 28–30, 2026
Bits & Pretzels is a technology festival built around founders, combining conference programming, startup participation, investor networking, workshops, and Munich’s Oktoberfest atmosphere.
The event attracts founders, investors, operators, and corporate participants from Germany and across Europe. Its informal networking formats distinguish it from conventional business conferences, while its scale gives founders access to a broad international startup and venture capital audience.
Web Summit in Lisbon
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Date: November 9–12, 2026
Web Summit brings startups, investors, technology companies, media organizations, policymakers, and corporate leaders to Lisbon for one of the world’s largest technology gatherings.
Its extensive program covers AI, fintech, climate technology, software, consumer products, venture capital, media, digital policy, and the wider technology economy. Startups seeking international visibility, media exposure, customer relationships, and connections across several markets get the most out of it.
Slush in Helsinki
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Date: November 18–19, 2026
Slush is one of the world’s most influential founder and investor gatherings. Despite its international scale, its programming and networking remain focused on meaningful meetings between startups, venture capital firms, limited partners, and other potential partners.
Investor matchmaking, curated programming, startup showcases, side events, and a major pitch competition make Slush especially valuable to founders raising capital or seeking access to Nordic and wider European venture markets.
Best Startup Festivals and Innovation Weeks in Europe
Europe’s best startup festivals and innovation weeks extend beyond a conventional conference venue. Their programs include partner gatherings, side events, workshops, cultural activities, investor meetings, and networking sessions distributed across their host cities, often across a full week.
Iceland Innovation Week in Reykjavík
Location: Reykjavík, Iceland
Date: April 27–28, 2027
Iceland Innovation Week brings founders, investors, corporations, policymakers, researchers, creative professionals, and international guests together across Reykjavík.
The festival combines its central stage program with a dedicated investor day, founder workshops, startup-investor meetings, a pitch competition, and side events throughout the city. Its coverage reflects several areas of strength in Iceland’s innovation economy, including climate technology, ocean technology, software, food systems, sustainability, and the creative industries.
ViennaUP in Vienna
Location: Vienna, Austria
Date: May 18–22, 2026
ViennaUP is a decentralized startup festival made up of events organized by different members of Vienna’s innovation community.
Rather than concentrating activity in one convention center, it brings visitors into startup hubs, corporate innovation spaces, universities, cultural venues, and community locations across the city. Its format provides direct exposure to Vienna’s startup ecosystem and its connections across Central and Eastern Europe.
Upstream Festival in Rotterdam
Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Date: May 20, 2027
Upstream Festival is a startup festival designed around access to capital, customers, partners, talent, and peer networks.
The program pairs a central festival day with side events, investor dinners, startup pitches, workshops, and curated speed meetings across Rotterdam. Climate, energy, maritime innovation, health, software, and industrial technology are its strongest tracks.
Panathēnea in Athens
Location: Athens, Greece
Date: May 27–29, 2026
Panathēnea is an international city-wide festival bringing technology, startups, business, art, and culture together across Athens.
Its program includes conference stages, startup competitions, investor programming, exhibitions, masterclasses, curated meetings, cultural activities, and dozens of side events. Although still a young event, its scope and dedicated founder-investor programming give it a credible role in the European startup calendar.
Wave by Vento in Turin
Location: Turin, Italy
Date: October 7–9, 2026
Wave by Vento, formerly known as Italian Tech Week, brings founders, investors, corporate leaders, technology professionals, and startup ecosystem organizations together across Turin.
Conference programming, startup participation, investment discussions, networking, and city-wide activities run in parallel. The festival opens up Italy’s technology and venture community to international visitors while showcasing the startups, investors, industrial businesses, and innovation organizations shaping the country’s ecosystem.
Oslo Innovation Week
Location: Oslo, Norway
Date: October 19–23, 2026
Oslo Innovation Week connects Norway’s startup and innovation ecosystem with international founders, investors, corporations, researchers, and policymakers.
Its distributed program is created with participation from local ecosystem organizations and takes place across venues throughout Oslo. Areas of focus include climate technology, energy, health, ocean innovation, industrial technology, AI, investment, and entrepreneurship.
Best Startup Conferences in Europe
The best startup conferences in Europe serve as annual meeting points for individual countries or wider European regions. Their value comes from combining international participation with concentrated access to a particular startup ecosystem, its investors, its technical talent, and its corporate buyers.
TechArena in Stockholm
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Date: February 11–12, 2026
TechArena brings founders, investors, business leaders, policymakers, and international speakers together in Stockholm.
Its program spans entrepreneurship, investment, AI, sustainability, leadership, and global technology trends. The scale of the event and the strength of the participating Nordic founder and investor community make it one of Northern Europe’s most important technology gatherings.
Latitude59 in Tallinn
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Date: May 20–22, 2026
Latitude59 is Estonia’s main international startup and technology event, connecting founders from the Baltic and Nordic regions with international investors, corporations, policymakers, and startup ecosystem organizations.
Startup pitches, investor meetings, conference stages, workshops, exhibitions, and community activities run across three days, with international delegations making up a large share of attendance.
Infoshare in Gdańsk
Location: Gdańsk, Poland
Date: May 20–21, 2026
Infoshare is one of Central and Eastern Europe’s largest technology conferences.
Its program covers software development, AI, data, cybersecurity, product development, startups, investment, and business growth. The event connects founders and technical professionals with investors, established technology companies, and potential customers from Poland and other European markets.
Dublin Tech Summit
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Date: May 27–28, 2026
Dublin Tech Summit is one of Ireland’s leading international technology gatherings, covering AI, enterprise software, fintech, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and startup growth.
Founders meet investors, technology companies, corporate buyers, and the multinationals that run their European operations from Dublin. That corporate density is the main draw for startups targeting the Irish market.
South Summit in Madrid
Location: Madrid, Spain
Date: June 3–5, 2026
South Summit is one of Southern Europe’s leading startup and investment events.
It brings startups together with venture capital firms, corporations, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem organizations through its conference, startup competition, exhibition, and networking program. The event also serves as an important bridge between European and Latin American startup ecosystems.
Techsylvania in Cluj-Napoca
Location: Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Date: June 24–25, 2026
Techsylvania combines technology, product development, engineering, entrepreneurship, and investment in one of Romania’s strongest technology centers.
International speakers and investors meet Romanian and wider Central and Eastern European founders. Software businesses, technical founders, product teams, and startups hiring from Romania’s engineering pool get the clearest value.
TechBBQ in Copenhagen
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Date: August 26–27, 2026
TechBBQ is one of the Nordic region’s largest startup gatherings, connecting founders, investors, technology companies, corporations, and ecosystem leaders in Copenhagen.
Startup pitches, conference stages, exhibitions, matchmaking, and community activities fill two days at the Bella Center. Its relatively informal atmosphere supports direct conversations while still attracting a substantial international investor audience.
Startup Fair in Vilnius
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
Date: September 16-17, 2026
Startup Fair is Lithuania’s largest international founder and startup event, bringing startups together with investors, corporations, ecosystem organizations, and international guests.
The single-day format packs in the country’s largest startup pitch competition, an exhibition, conference stages, a networking platform, and investor matchmaking. A dedicated Investor Camp on the preceding day gives venture capital firms, angel investors, family offices, and ecosystem leaders extra time for curated meetings.
IT Arena in Lviv
Location: Lviv, Ukraine
Date: September 25–27, 2026
IT Arena is one of Ukraine’s largest technology and startup gatherings, bringing founders, engineers, product leaders, investors, and international technology companies to Lviv.
Its program spans software development, product management, AI, cybersecurity, business growth, investment, and startup competitions. The event provides international exposure for Ukrainian technology companies and reflects the continued resilience and global connections of the country’s startup ecosystem.
How to Web Conference in Bucharest
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Date: October 6–8, 2026
How to Web Conference is one of Central and Eastern Europe’s leading conferences for startup founders, product builders, operators, and investors.
Its program focuses on building technology products, scaling companies, raising investment, and learning from experienced founders and operators. It connects Romania’s startup and product community with international investors and technology leaders.
Valencia Digital Summit
Location: Valencia, Spain
Date: October 21–22, 2026
Valencia Digital Summit is one of Southern Europe’s leading technology and startup gatherings.
It brings founders, investors, corporations, technology companies, and government representatives together across areas including AI, digital transformation, mobility, climate technology, fintech, and emerging technologies. The event provides international visibility for Valencia’s growing startup ecosystem.
Take Off Istanbul
Location: Istanbul, Türkiye
Date: To be announced.
Take Off Istanbul is Türkiye’s main international startup summit, bringing startups together with investors, corporations, universities, public institutions, and technology ecosystem organizations.
The event is structured around startup exhibitions, pitching, one-to-one investor meetings, founder programming, and international ecosystem participation. Its scale and focus on startups make it a strong representation of Türkiye’s ecosystem. The organizer has confirmed a 2026 edition but has not yet published its dates.
Best Startup Events in Europe for Early-Stage Founders
The best startup events in Europe for early-stage founders are rarely the largest. These gatherings prioritize direct founder access, startup pitching, practical company-building support, matchmaking, and peer networks over exhibition scale, and are often the most accessible entry points into a new market.
sTARTUp Day in Tartu
Location: Tartu, Estonia
Date: January 26–28, 2027
sTARTUp Day is an established Baltic business festival, bringing startups, investors, researchers, students, established companies, and ecosystem organizations together in Tartu.
Conference stages, startup pitches, matchmaking, workshops, technology demonstrations, and community activities run across three winter days. Early-stage entrepreneurship, university-linked startups, and science-based innovation shape most of the programming.
START Summit in St. Gallen
Location: St. Gallen, Switzerland
Date: March 19–20, 2026
START Summit is a student-led founder and investor conference connecting entrepreneurs, venture capital firms, corporate leaders, researchers, and emerging talent.
Its links to the University of St. Gallen and Switzerland’s wider business community give participants access to investors, students, operators, founders, and corporate decision-makers. The program includes conference sessions, startup activities, meetings, and networking.
TechChill in Riga
Location: Riga, Latvia
Date: March 25–27, 2026
TechChill is a community-led startup conference connecting founders, investors, operators, and ecosystem leaders in Riga.
Its focused scale supports direct interaction between participants, while the program covers fundraising, company building, product development, technology, and startup growth. It is an important meeting point for Latvia and the wider Baltic startup region.
EU-Startups Summit in Valletta
Location: Valletta, Malta
Date: May 7–8, 2026
EU-Startups Summit is a pan-European gathering for founders, investors, corporations, media organizations, and startup ecosystem participants.
Startup pitches, investor discussions, founder stories, workshops, networking, and an exhibition area fill two days. Its accessible format and concentrated European audience suit early-stage businesses seeking investment, partnerships, and international visibility.
Podim in Maribor
Location: Maribor, Slovenia
Date: May 11–13, 2026
Date: May 17–19, 2027
Podim is one of the most established startup and investment gatherings in the Alps-Adriatic and Western Balkans region.
Structured matchmaking, investor meetings, startup selection, pitching, and corporate participation are central to the format, with participating startups selected in advance rather than admitted openly.
Best Startup Events in Europe for Investors and Fundraising
The best startup events in Europe for investors and fundraising place deal flow, pitching, and structured founder-investor meetings at the center of the experience. They range from large European investment summits to curated gatherings built around one-to-one meetings and selected startup participation.
Mashup in Malmö
Location: Malmö, Sweden
Date: April 15–16, 2026
Mashup is a curated, invitation-based gathering for venture-backed founders, venture capital firms, limited partners, angel investors, and startup ecosystem leaders.
Attendance is deliberately limited, with the format emphasizing roundtables, structured conversations, networking, and direct interaction rather than a large exhibition or conventional stage program. It is especially relevant to founders actively raising capital and investors seeking curated Nordic and European deal flow.
Tech.eu Summit in London
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date: April 21–22, 2026
Tech.eu Summit connects founders, investors, policymakers, corporate leaders, and other stakeholders shaping Europe’s technology economy.
Its program addresses investment, startup growth, regulation, innovation policy, emerging technologies, and Europe’s global competitiveness. It is particularly relevant to participants seeking a continent-wide perspective on European technology and venture capital.
EBAN Congress in Vilnius
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
Date: June 1–2, 2026
EBAN Congress is the flagship annual gathering of the European Business Angel Network, held in Lithuania for the first time in 2026.
Angel investors, venture capital firms, family offices, founders, policymakers, and angel-network managers meet to discuss early-stage investment across Europe. Startup pitches and investor-focused programming give selected founders access to active early-stage capital.
EIC Summit in Brussels
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Date: June 3–4, 2026
The EIC Summit is the flagship event of the European Innovation Council.
It connects startups, scaleups, scientists, investors, corporations, policymakers, and European innovation organizations through workshops, scheduled meetings, policy discussions, an exhibition of EIC-backed companies, and investment-readiness programming. Founders navigating European funding, research commercialization, deep tech, and public-private innovation get the most from it.
Arctic15 in Helsinki
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Date: June 11–12, 2026
Arctic15 is a founder and investor event organized around structured meetings, deal flow, and practical business connections.
It places more emphasis on matchmaking and one-to-one conversations than on large exhibition halls or celebrity speakers. The event is especially relevant to founders actively fundraising and investors seeking Nordic, Baltic, and wider European opportunities.
Sifted Summit in London
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date: September 30–October 1, 2026
Sifted Summit brings founders, operators, investors, and other leaders from Europe’s startup and scaleup community together in London.
Its programming concentrates on the realities of scaling technology companies, including fundraising, leadership, operations, commercial growth, regulation, and strategic decision-making. It is particularly relevant to Series A and later-stage founders and senior operators.
Shift Europe in Barcelona
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Date: October 13–14, 2026
Shift Europe, which replaces SaaStock Europe, brings founders, senior operators, investors, and buyers from the AI and B2B software market together in Barcelona. The event moved from Dublin for its 2026 edition.
Meetings, business development, fundraising, and the changing economics of software companies drive the agenda. Sessions cover AI adoption, recurring revenue, enterprise sales, growth, and how software-as-a-service business models are evolving.
European Angel Investment Summit in Luxembourg
Location: Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Date: October 14–15, 2026
European Angel Investment Summit brings angel investors, early-stage funds, family offices, startup organizations, and policymakers together to discuss Europe’s early-stage capital market.
The 2026 edition takes place in partnership with Lux Venture Days. It is especially relevant to investors, angel networks, and ecosystem organizations, although selected founders can also use the event to meet investors and understand how European pre-seed, seed, and cross-border investment are evolving.
Wolves Summit in Kraków
Location: Kraków, Poland
Date: October 14–15, 2026
Wolves Summit is a founder-investor matchmaking event focused on European startup deal flow and corporate venture capital.
The Kraków edition is built around selected founders, active investors, one-to-one meetings, startup pitching, corporate deal flow, and the European CVC Awards. It gives startups direct access to investors while strengthening connections across Central and Eastern Europe.
Best AI and Deep Tech Events in Europe
Europe’s best AI and deep tech events connect science-based founders, researchers, investors, corporate buyers, and policymakers. Their programs cover artificial intelligence, research commercialization, advanced engineering, software infrastructure, enterprise adoption, and technologies that require specialist funding or long development cycles.
Deep Tech Momentum in Berlin
Location: Berlin, Germany
Date: May 20–21, 2026
Deep Tech Momentum is a European marketplace for deep-tech startups, investors, corporate buyers, policymakers, and research-driven innovation.
The event is built around commercial outcomes, including investment, corporate partnerships, proofs of concept, startup-customer matching, and technology deployment. The agenda covers quantum, energy storage, defence technology, space systems, robotics, advanced materials, and high-performance computing.
Hello Tomorrow Global Summit in Amsterdam
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Date: June 11–12, 2026
Hello Tomorrow Global Summit is a major gathering for deep-technology startups commercializing scientific and engineering breakthroughs.
The event connects founders with investors, corporations, researchers, and partners capable of supporting technologies with long development cycles. Its coverage includes biotechnology, advanced materials, energy, quantum technology, healthcare, industrial innovation, and other science-based sectors.
RAISE Summit in Paris
Location: Paris, France
Date: July 8–9, 2026
RAISE Summit brings AI founders, corporate leaders, investors, researchers, policymakers, and technology companies together in Paris.
Its program focuses on AI leadership, enterprise adoption, investment, infrastructure, research, governance, and measurable business applications. A substantial startup competition and curated investor participation make it relevant to emerging AI companies seeking capital, customers, and visibility.
GITEX AI Türkiye in Istanbul
Location: Istanbul, Türkiye
Date: September 9–10, 2026
GITEX AI Türkiye brings the international GITEX technology platform to Istanbul for its first Türkiye edition, connecting startups and scale-ups with investors, technology companies, corporate buyers, and policymakers.
The event focuses on AI and intelligent infrastructure alongside cybersecurity, fintech, cloud, data centers, Industry 4.0, and other emerging technologies. Its dedicated North Star Türkiye startup program includes investor matchmaking, startup showcases, and the Supernova pitch competition, making it particularly relevant to founders seeking investment, partnerships, and access to Türkiye and wider Eurasian markets.
Infobip Shift in Zadar
Location: Zadar, Croatia
Date: September 13–15, 2026
Infobip Shift brings developers, engineers, startup founders, technology leaders, and software companies together on Croatia’s Adriatic coast.
Its program covers AI systems, developer tools, cloud infrastructure, software engineering, product development, and emerging technologies. A dedicated startup program, investor matchmaking, startup exhibition, and venture capital activities make it relevant beyond its core developer audience.
NORDEEP Summit in Espoo
Location: Espoo (Helsinki metropolitan area), Finland
Date: September 16–17, 2026
NORDEEP Summit is a Nordic deep-tech business gathering focused on commercializing scientific research and connecting science-based startups with investors, corporate customers, universities, research institutions, and public organizations. The 2026 event is its fifth edition.
The program covers deep-tech fundraising, research commercialization, pilot opportunities, sales, talent, and key enabling technologies. Matchmaking and one-to-one meetings are central to the format, giving startups and research teams opportunities to find investors, clients, collaborators, and commercialization support.
World Summit AI in Amsterdam
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Date: October 7–8, 2026
World Summit AI brings AI developers, researchers, founders, investors, corporate executives, and policymakers together in Amsterdam. According to the organizers, the 2026 event marks its tenth edition.
The conference anchors World AI Week, a wider program of affiliated events across the city. Its main program covers AI development, commercialization, implementation, infrastructure, safety, governance, and social impact.
Best Climate, Fintech and Web3 Events in Europe
Europe’s best climate, fintech and Web3 events give startups direct access to sector-specific investors, financial institutions, regulators, corporate buyers, and infrastructure providers. These specialist conferences also cover B2B software and industrial innovation, and are often the fastest route to customers in a single vertical.
ChangeNOW in Paris
Location: Paris, France
Date: March 30–April 1, 2026
ChangeNOW is one of the world’s largest gatherings for climate, sustainability, and impact-focused solutions.
It connects startups and project leaders with investors, corporations, policymakers, nonprofit organizations, and other partners. The program covers climate technology, energy, the circular economy, food systems, mobility, biodiversity, sustainable cities, and other environmental and social challenges.
Paris Blockchain Week
Location: Paris, France
Date: April 15–16, 2026
Paris Blockchain Week connects blockchain and digital-asset startups with investors, financial institutions, regulators, corporations, infrastructure providers, and technology companies.
Its program covers digital assets, institutional adoption, blockchain infrastructure, tokenization, regulation, investment, decentralized finance, and Web3 business models. Startup competitions and investor participation make it relevant to founders seeking capital, partnerships, and international visibility.
Money20/20 Europe in Amsterdam
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Date: June 2–4, 2026
Money20/20 Europe is one of the continent’s most prominent fintech and financial-services events.
Banks, payment companies, fintech startups, regulators, technology providers, investors, and corporate buyers attend to explore payments, banking, financial infrastructure, embedded finance, digital assets, and financial technology. It is especially useful to startups seeking partnerships with established financial institutions.
Hinterland of Things in Bielefeld
Location: Bielefeld, Germany
Date: June 10, 2027
Hinterland of Things connects selected B2B technology startups with investors, corporate innovation leaders, and decision-makers from Germany’s Mittelstand and larger industrial businesses.
The event emphasizes practical commercial outcomes, including enterprise sales, pilots, venture clienting, corporate partnerships, fundraising, and market access. Its focused B2B and industrial-technology positioning gives founders access to potential customers and implementation partners beyond the usual startup conference audience.
The Drop in Malmö
Location: Malmö, Sweden
Date: September 15–16, 2026
The Drop is a curated climate and frontier-technology gathering for founders, investors, corporate venture capital teams, and other stakeholders financing the industrial transition.
The invitation-based format emphasizes focused roundtables and high-quality interaction rather than a large public exhibition. Its subject areas include energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, climate adaptation, circularity, robotics, biotechnology, computing, and the commercial scaling of climate solutions.
Who Should Attend Startup Events in Europe?
Startup founders can use these events to meet investors, identify customers, explore new markets, and develop relationships with corporate and ecosystem partners. Many offer startup exhibitions, pitch competitions, investor matchmaking, discounted founder tickets, or dedicated startup programs.
Investors and venture capital firms attend to discover European deal flow, meet founders, compare regional markets, and develop relationships with other investors, angel networks, corporations, and startup ecosystem organizations. Our ranking of the best countries for startups is a useful companion when deciding which markets to prioritize.
Corporations can use the events for technology scouting, startup partnerships, procurement, corporate venturing, market research, and direct engagement with founders. Specialist fintech, AI, deep-tech, climate, Web3, B2B software, and industrial-technology events also provide access to sector-specific technology providers and decision-makers.
Startup ecosystem organizations and government agencies can organize delegations, promote their ecosystems, attract founders and investors, develop international partnerships, and study how other cities and countries support entrepreneurship.
Startup Events in Europe FAQ
What is the biggest startup event in Europe?
Web Summit in Lisbon is the largest by attendance, drawing tens of thousands of participants each November. MWC Barcelona, Viva Technology in Paris, and GITEX AI Europe in Berlin are the other events at that scale, though each has a different centre of gravity: mobile and connectivity at MWC, corporate innovation at Viva Technology, and artificial intelligence at GITEX.
Which startup events in Europe are best for raising investment?
Slush, Arctic15, Mashup, Wolves Summit, EBAN Congress, and the European Angel Investment Summit all build their formats around structured founder-investor meetings rather than stage programming. Curated and invitation-based events tend to produce a higher meeting-to-attendee ratio than the large flagships.
Which European startup events suit early-stage founders?
sTARTUp Day in Tartu, TechChill in Riga, START Summit in St. Gallen, Podim in Maribor, and the EU-Startups Summit in Valletta are smaller gatherings built around pitching, practical company-building, and direct access to investors. Ticket prices and travel costs are generally lower than at the flagship events.
When do most startup events in Europe take place?
The calendar has two clear seasons. The first runs from February to early July and peaks in May and June. The second runs from late August to November and peaks in September and October. July and August are the quietest months, which makes them the best window for planning travel and submitting applications for autumn events.
Which European cities host the most startup events?
Paris hosts the most events in this guide with four, followed by London and Amsterdam with three each. Barcelona, Berlin, Helsinki, Malmö, and Vilnius each host two. These cities also rank among Europe’s strongest startup ecosystems in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index.
Do European startup events offer discounted or free founder tickets?
Many do. Startup exhibitions, pitch competitions, and dedicated startup programs usually come with reduced or complimentary passes, and most events open applications several months in advance. Subscribe to our newsletter for discount codes on selected events.
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