The top 5 tech conferences to consider in the second half of 2024
Do you have all your conference plans mapped out and sorted? You can find millions of conferences, summits, and other small and large events, so you won’t want to waste your time on nonsense. Even though 2024 is almost halfway through, there are still a lot of events to consider. We collected the cream of the crop among global tech conferences for VCs, startup founders, and serial entrepreneurs.
Want to become a pro-level event attendee? You can read about the top 5 events in this article and download our guide to the most valuable conferences for the second half of 2024. Please stay tuned! In future blog posts, we’ll also share preparation tips and tricks and ways to take the most out of every conference depending on your goals.
Our guide to the most significant conferences until the end of 2024 is available here
Tech BBQ
When: 11–12 September
Where: Copenhagen
Tech BBQ became one of the key tech and innovation events in Scandinavia. In 2013, it started out as a small-scale BBQ event for tech enthusiasts and business owners. Since then, it has grown into a global summit that attracts people from all over the world. Beyond the yearly summit, TechBBQ is dedicated to promoting cooperation through programmes including the Life Science Project, Impact Series, Hero Academy, and Social Impact.
The summit offers great networking opportunities. Users can create a profile with their intents, goals, and preferences on the event platform. Their matchmaking algorithms will review other participants’ profiles and suggest people they should meet based on this data.
More info: https://techbbq.dk/techbbq2024/
WORLD SUMMIT AI
Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
When: 9th to 10th October 2024
The World Summit AI is considered to be the epicentre of AI innovation and offers a large startup showcase calling all the disruptive businesses and AI innovators. World Summit AI covers a wide range of topics, including in-depth discussions on beneficial uses for businesses and strategic roadmaps, as well as intense debates on cutting-edge AI policies, innovation, legislation, and ethics. 2024’s programme includes discussion panels, workshops, presentations, meetings, and networking sessions.
World AI Summit is part of World AI Week, a series of 50+ business, science, tech and networking events in Amsterdam (7–11 October 2024), showcasing how AI is transforming business and society. World AI Week offers a forum for decision-makers, business executives, academics, and entrepreneurs to test new concepts, discuss innovations, and establish new partnerships.
More information: https://worldsummit.ai/tickets/
VALENCIA DIGITAL SUMMIT
Where: Valencia, Spain
When: 23–24 October 2024
It is one of the most front-page tech events on a European and global level, bringing together business leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech-enthusiasts. Every year, Startup Valencia hosts VDS, an event that brings together the most important investors and corporations from around the globe at the incomparable City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.
More than 2,500 companies are anticipated to be there in 2024, along with over 12,000 attendees from more than 100 countries. Additionally, it is expected to act as a bridge between global organisations and over 700 investors, managing assets worth over €30 billion. Besides, startups with a strong social impact and an ambition to create solutions that act as catalysts for sustainable change can apply for the VDS Startup Competition.
The main topics of the Valencia Digital Summit 2024 will include the following: AI, sustainability, health, the future of work, etc. Previously, huge IT companies like Google and Microsoft, as well as journalists from sites like TechCrunch and IT.eu, have all spoken at the event. Speakers have included the largest startups, scaleups, and VCs in Spain and globally.
More info: https://valenciadigitalsummit.com/
WEB SUMMIT
Where: Lisbon, Portugal
When: November 11–14, 2024
The Web Summit is considered an event “where the future goes to be born” and “a grand conclave of the tech industry’s high priests.” More than 70,000 attendees from 150+ countries are anticipated in Portugal’s capital, and during the event days, Lisbon transforms into a real startup festival. Web Summit provides unparalleled opportunities to network with people you might not have met otherwise.
It unites the key industry players, policymakers, investors, and founders to answer the question, “Where to next?” Led by the famous Paddy Cosgrove, the organisation behind Web Summit also arranges other massive startup events, including Web Summit Rio in Brazil or Collision in Toronto. It has gained so much experience that it sells its software to major conferences like CES and institutions like the UN.
This year, the summit has different content tracks: AI Summit, Commerce, Corporate Innovation, Fintech, New Energy, Developer, Marketing, and others. Besides, the Web Summit provides unparalleled opportunities to network with people you might not have met otherwise. The last talk of the day does not mark the end of the event. The participants take over the streets of Lisbon and its many neighbourhoods every night. With the famous networking opportunities of Web Summit, underground jazz clubs, bars, and rooftop pubs come together.
More info: https://websummit.com/
SLUSH
Where: Helsinki, Finland
When: November 20–21, 2024
Slush is the year’s last major event on the calendar, with the largest collection of venture capital in the world and the best startup founders. Slush anticipates 5,500 business operators and founders joining in 2024, along with 3,300 investors ranging from pre-seed to growth stage. Media representatives prioritise Slush as well, and around 250 journalists from prestigious media are expected.
The event is great for networking (with 300+ networking tables planned this year), workshops, and several stages and tracks. Additionally, you can find all the best founders in one place: Slush hosts what is arguably the largest startup pitch competition, with top European investors awarding a remarkable €1 million in cash awards. Slush has 300+ side events: from Q&As with industry leaders and traditional bar-hopping to intimate gatherings with your peers from around the globe and ice swimming.
More info: https://www.slush.org/events/helsinki/
Our guide to the most significant conferences until the end of 2024 is available here
Subscribe to our blog, as we will be sharing the major conferences for 2025 and tips on how to make the most out of large events in the coming articles. In the upcoming post, we will talk about the perks of joining specific events and how to get ready for conferences so that you can take advantage of all the opportunities they provide.
