What are the must-attend startup and VC events in 2026? Which of them should I visit? These questions often arise among startup and scaleup teams, founders, and investors. We created a list of more than 80 opportunities for companies, including vertical-specific tech festivals and exhibitions, events for VC, CVC, and PE funds, and major ecosystem conferences that cannot be missed. Choose and mark your calendar!
For more networking opportunities, check out Vetsbee’s Top Startup and VC Events List, updated monthly with the latest additions.
January
sTARTUp Day
2026 dates: 28-30 January
Location: Tartu, Estonia
sTARTUp Day is an annual startup festival held in Tartu, Estonia, bringing together over 3,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators from across Europe and beyond. In 2026, the program puts a strong emphasis on early-stage founders, covering practical founder skills, marketing and sales strategies, deeptech and defence innovation, and real-world founder stories, while maintaining a strong community focus through social events and the signature sTARTUp Night afterparty.
February
Women's Venture Capital Summit
2026 dates: 2-4 February
Location: Half Moon Bay (CA), US
More details: http://events.withintelligence.com/womensventurecapitalsummit
Techarena
2026 dates: 11-12 February
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Techarena is Scandinavia’s largest tech and business event, bringing together over 12,000 founders, leaders, investors, and innovators. The two-day festival features 300+ speakers, multiple stages and tracks focused on AI, innovation, leadership, and emerging technologies, alongside startup exhibitions, curated matchmaking, side events, and a competitive startup pitching program.
0100 DACH 2026
2026 dates: 24-26 February
Location: Vienna, Austria
0100 DACH 2026 is a leading private markets conference for private equity and venture capital professionals, bringing together 400+ senior LPs, GPs, family offices, and decision-makers from 30+ nationalities. The Vienna edition focuses strongly on the DACH region, offering curated discussions on capital allocation, private wealth, venture and growth investing, sector opportunities, and cross-border dealmaking.
March
4YFN
2025 dates: 2-5 March
Location: Barcelona, Spain
4YFN, a Barcelona-based MWC event, brings together over 109,000 innovators, 1,000 investors managing €60 billion in funds, and 2,000 founders. Featuring visionary speakers like Emily Fintaine, Global Head of Venture Capital Finance and Operations and CFO at IBM, it highlights AI's transformative power.
MWC Barcelona 2026
2026 dates: 2-5 March
Location: Barcelona, Spain
More details: https://www.mwcbarcelona.com
Cloud & AI Infrastructure
2026 dates: 4-5 March
Location: London, the UK
More details: https://www.cloudaiinfrastructure.com/
Startup Festival
2026 dates: 11 March
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Startup Festival is a free-admission event that offers one-on-one consultation slots, networking, and learning opportunities with industry experts. Last year, it brought together over 2,000 visitors, including more than 100 startups and 18 lecturers.
NVIDIA GTC AI Conference
2026 dates: 16-19 March
Location: San Jose, CA, USA
NVIDIA GTC is the premier global AI conference, where developers, researchers, and business leaders come together to explore the next wave of AI innovation. From physical AI and AI factories to agentic AI and inference, GTC 2026 will showcase the breakthroughs shaping every industry.
Start Up Energy Transition
2026 dates: 17 March
Location: Berlin, Germany
More details: https://www.startup-energy-transition.com/tech-festival/set-tech-festival-2026/
START Global
2026 dates: 19-20 March
Location: St. Gallen, Switzerland
More details: https://www.startglobal.org/start-summit
CloudFest
2026 dates: 23-26 March
Location: Köln, Germany
More details: https://www.cloudfest.com
Vestbee CEE VC Summit
2026 dates: Warsaw, Poland
Location: 24-25 March
CEE VC Summit 2026 in Warsaw is an exclusive, invitation-only event that will bring together over 250 top VC fund managers and LPs from Central and Eastern Europe. Last year, the summit featured speakers from top global VCs and LPs, such as Staffan Helgesson from Creandum and Chris Wade from Isomer Capital.
Check out how the CEE VC Summit 2025 unfolded in our reportage.
TechChill
2026 dates: 25-27 March
Location: Riga, Latvia
TechChill, a top annual Baltic tech event, brings together global and local investors, founders, and ecosystem players. This year’s lineup will feature speakers such as Ramona Miglane, Partner at Sorainen, Chris Cunningham, Founding Member at ClickUp, and Chris Woods, VP of Operations at Prelude.
Skinnovation
2026 dates: 25-27 March
Location: Innsbruck, Austria
Skinnovation, held in Innsbruck, Austria, is a startup festival combining skiing and networking. With 1,000 participants, 50 speakers, and more than 150 startups, it offers unique opportunities to connect on the slopes. Key speakers include Lara Sophie Bothur, Global Tech Influencer on LinkedIn, and Waldemar Zeiler, Founder of Ding Dong Ping Pong.
April
Mashup
2026 dates: 15-16 April
Location: Malmö, Sweden
Mashup is an event that brings together VC funds such as Atomico, Cherry, and Identity.vc. It offers a chance to connect with leading VCs from the Nordics and beyond, focusing on follow-on investments and co-investment opportunities.
Paris Blockchain Week
2026 dates: 15-16 April
Location: Paris, France
More details: https://www.parisblockchainweek.com/
Innovate Finance Global Summit
2026 dates: 21 April
Location: London, UK
More details: https://www.innovatefinance.com/ifgs2026/
Tech.eu Summit
2026 dates: 21-22 April
Location: London, the UK
The Tech.eu Summit in London will bring together over 2,000 attendees, including over 500 investors and speakers from leading firms such as Northzone and Hoxton Ventures. It will offer a chance to explore new startups and growth opportunities in Europe’s tech ecosystem.
Wolves Summit & European Startup Ecosystem Awards
2026 dates: 21-22 April
Location: Warsaw, Poland
More details: https://warsaw.wolvessummit.com
0100 Europe 2026
2026 dates: 21-23 April
Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
0100 Europe 2026, held in Amsterdam, is the 4th edition of this networking event for private equity and venture capital investors, fund managers, and service providers from Europe and North America. Top industry experts will share insights, including Joaquín Alexandre Ruiz from European Investment Fund (EIF) and Laura Waldenstrom from Earlybird VC.
Iceland Innovation Week
2026 dates: 28-29 April
Location: Reykjavik, Iceland
More details: https://www.innovationweek.is/
May
Turing Fest
2026 dates: 6-7 May
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
More details: https://turingfest.com
AI Summit Europe
2026 dates: 6-8 May
Location: Riga, Latvia
More details: https://aisummiteurope.eu
EU Startups Summit
2026 dates: 7-8 May
Location: Valletta, Malta
Each year, the EU-Startups Summit offers networking opportunities, engaging keynotes, fireside chats, and a pitch competition featuring Europe’s top startups. In 2025, this two-day event brought together over 2,500 founders, startup enthusiasts, corporates, angel investors, VCs, and media professionals from across Europe.
PODIM
2026 dates: 11-13 May
Location: Maribor, Slovenia
PODIM is a tech and startup conference that brings together startups, investors, and entrepreneurs. The event includes two days of stage programs, the Podim Deal Room for one-on-one meetings and mentoring sessions, and plenty of informal networking opportunities, including Podim Party.
SaaStr AI Annual
2026 dates: 12-14 May
Location: San Francisco, the US
More details: https://www.saastrannual.com
Impact CEE
2026 dates: 13-14 May
Location: Poznan, Poland
Impact, held annually in Poznan, gathers 6,000 participants and 650 speakers and features 10 interactive stages across 26 tracks. The event includes workshops, roundtables, startup competitions, and art, with notable speakers such as Mati Staniszewski, Jessy Inchauspé, and Timothy Snyder.
IT Arena Warsaw
2026 dates: 15-16 May
Location: Warsaw, Poland
More details: https://itarena.pl
ViennaUP
2026 dates: 18-22 May
Location: Vienna, Austria
ViennaUP is a city-wide festival focused on entrepreneurship and innovation, organized by more than 35 program partners with support from the Vienna Business Agency. ViennaUP 2026 will take place from 18 to 22 May, with a special WarmUP weekend from 15 to 17 May.
Deep Tech Momentum
2026 dates: 20-21 May
Location: Berlin, Germany
Deep Tech Momentum (DTM) is an invite-only event that connects Europe’s top deeptech startups, investors, and corporate innovators. Attendees can network, secure PoCs, and participate in one-on-one meetings. Notable speakers include Eric Schmidt, investor and former CEO and Chairman of Google, and Hermann Hauser, co-founder and Partner at Amadeus Capital Partners.
Infoshare Conference
2026 dates: 20-21 May
Location: Gdansk, Poland
Infoshare Conference returns for its 20th edition in Gdansk, expecting over 6,000 attendees and 160 speakers. The event centres on technology, startups, and collaboration, driving discussions on the future of innovation in the CEE region.
Upstream
2026 dates: 21 May
Location: Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Upstream is an event in Rotterdam for startup founders, investors, and corporate leaders, with a special focus on innovation across climate and energy, health and wellbeing, and port and maritime. The program features fireside chats, deep dives, pitches, roundtables, and speed dating, with side events highlighting the Dutch startup ecosystem.
Doers Summit
2026 dates: 21-22 May
Location: Limassol, Cyprus
More details: https://doerssummit.com/city/limassol
Latitude59
2026 dates: 21-22 May
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Latitude59 gathers 3,500 founders and more than 800 investors from 65 countries in Tallinn, Estonia. The event focuses on showcasing innovations, connecting startups with investors, and exploring the future of technology.
Dublin Tech Week
2026 dates: 22-29 May
Location: Dublin, Ireland
More details: https://dublintechweek.com
Dublin Tech Summit
2026 dates: 27-28 May
Location: Dublin, Ireland
More details: http://dublintechsummit.tech/
Panathēnea
2026 dates: 27-29 May
Location: Athens, Greece
More details: https://www.panathenea.org
June
SXSW London
2026 dates: 1-6 June
Location: London, the UK
SXSW London is the first-ever European edition of the iconic festival, blending technology, culture, and creativity. The event will feature keynote talks, including discussions with Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's and Josh Payne, Founder and CEO of Nscale, performances, screenings, and activations.
Startup Disrupt
2026 dates: 2-3 June
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
More details: https://startupdisrupt.com/main-event/innovations-united-2026-prague-castle/
Money 20/20
2026 dates: 2-4 June
Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
More details: https://europe.money2020.com/
Mandal Slush'D
2026 dates: 3-4 June
Location: Mandal, Norway
More details: https://www.slushd.no
South Summit
2026 dates: 3-5 June
Location: Madrid, Spain
South Summit in Madrid brings together startups, investors, and companies to drive innovation and business growth. In 2025, more than 20,000 attendees, including 7,500 startups and 2,100 investors, visited the events.
Moldova Digital Summit
2026 dates: 4-6 June
Location: Chisinau, Moldova
More details: https://moldovadigitalsummit.md/
Non-Fungible Conference (NFC)
2026 dates: 4-6 June
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
More details: https://www.nonfungibleconference.com
SuperReturn Venture
2026 dates: 8-10 June
Location: Berlin, Germany
More details: https://informaconnect.com/superventure/
London Tech Week
2026 dates: 8-12 June
Location: London, UK
More details: https://londontechweek.com/
Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit
2026 dates: 10-11 June
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit 2026 is the largest conference and career fair for women in STEM, Tech, and IT across Europe and Asia. With 13,500 participants, 745 speakers, and 100 tech companies, it is a collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and professional growth hub.
Arctic15
2026 dates: 11-12 June
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Arctic15 Startup Conference connects startups, businesses, and investors, focusing on values-based matchmaking. It is a key event in the Nordics and Baltics for building relationships and making deals.
Hello Tomorrow
2026 dates: 11-12 June
Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Hello Tomorrow Global Summit connects the global deeptech ecosystem, bringing together startups, investors, corporates, and researchers to address pressing global challenges. Held in Amsterdam, the event expects 3,000 attendees, including over 100 speakers, and 500 investors.
BTC Prague
2026 dates: 11-13 June
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
More details: https://btcprague.com/#
Bucharest Tech Week
2026 dates: 13-19 June
Location: Bucharest, Romania
More details: https://www.techweek.ro/
UNCHAIN Fintech Festival
2026 dates: 17-18 June
Location: Oradea, Romania
UNCHAIN Festival connects the financial and tech sectors in the CEE region to drive collaboration and innovation. Held at the historic Oradea Fortress, it brings together industry leaders to explore trends, address challenges, and transform digital solutions into personal connections.
VivaTech
2026 dates: 17-20 June
Location: Paris, France
VivaTech is Europe’s largest annual startup and tech event, held in Paris, France. Since 2016, it has brought together global innovators, leaders, and investors, now with a digital platform. The 2025 edition featured prominent speakers like NVIDIA's founder and CEO Jensen Huang and Mistral AI's CEO Arthur Mensch.
Hinterland of Things
2026 dates: 18 June
Location: Bielefeld, Germany
More details: https://hinterlandofthings.com/
Techsylvania
2026 dates: 24-25 June
Location: Cluj-Napoca, Romania
More details: https://techsylvania.com/
GITEX Europe
2026 dates: 30 June-01 July
Location: Berlin, Germany
More details: https://www.gitexeurope.com
July
World Venture Forum
2026 dates: 6-11 July
Location: Kitzbühel, Austria
More details: https://worldventureforum.info/
R.AI.SE Summit
2026 dates: 8-9 July
Location: Paris, France
The R.AI.SE Summit, held at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, aims to disrupt and connect the AI landscape with real-world use cases and a winning AI playbook. Tracks include Finance, Healthcare, Cybersecurity, Blockchain & Decentralization, Marketing & Retail.
August
TechBBQ
2026 dates: 26-27 August
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
TechBBQ, founded in 2013 as a BBQ gathering for tech enthusiasts, has evolved into Scandinavia’s leading startup summit. The event now attracts over 8,000 attendees, including 1,200 investors, 2,200 startup representatives, and 400 speakers, featuring prominent figures such as Anton Osika, CEO of Lovable; Justina Chund, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners; and Christyl Johnson, Deputy Associate Administrator at STMD, NASA Headquarters.
September
Nordic Tech Week
2026 dates: 7-11 September
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
More details: https://www.nordictechweek.org
Startup Fair
2026 dates: 17 September
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
Startup Fair is Lithuania's largest startup event, organized by Startup Lithuania. In 2025, it broke records with over 2,000 participants, more than 450 investors, and attendees from 65 countries.
Quantum World Congress
2026 dates: 22-24 September
Location: Washington, US
More details: https://www.quantumworldcongress.com
IT Arena
2026 dates: 25-27 September
Location: Lviv, Ukraine
IT Arena is an annual tech conference in Lviv. Despite the challenges of the ongoing war, it unites global tech enthusiasts focused on startups, local companies, and deep tech. Last year’s event covered topics like cybersecurity, drone warfare, mobile apps, automation, community-driven growth, networking, and afterparties.
Bits & Pretzels
2026 dates: 28-30 September
Location: Munich, Germany
Bits & Pretzels is a three-day conference for startups and tech enthusiasts, attracting 7,500 founders, investors, and industry leaders. Held during Munich Oktoberfest, it combines learning, networking, and business opportunities. Past speakers included leaders from LinkedIn, Dropbox, Klarna, and La Famiglia VC.
SuperReturn Asia
2026 dates: 28 September-1 October
Location: Singapore
SuperReturn Asia gathers top LPs and GPs to network and explore the latest trends in Asian private markets. Join over 3,000 private capital professionals from more than 50 countries in Asia, North America, Europe, Oceania, Africa, and beyond, including over 1,500 GPs and 1,000+ LPs, all attending in person.
Sifted Summit
2026 dates: 30 September-1 October
Location: London, UK
More details: https://summit.sifted.eu
Resilience Conference 2026
2026 dates: TBC
Location: London, UK
More details: https://www.resilienceconference.io/
Tech Village
2026 dates: TBC
Location: Butuceni, Moldova
More details: https://techvillage.md/
October
How To Web
2026 dates: 6-8 October
Location: Bucharest, Romania
How to Web is Eastern Europe’s technology conference that brings together builders and visionaries. In 2025, attendees had the opportunity to engage with over 100 speakers from major global brands, including IBM, OpenAI, Creandum, and 20VC.
TechCrunch Disrupt
2026 dates: 13-15 October
Location: San Francisco, US
TechCrunch Disrupt is a three-day conference in San Francisco that showcases cutting-edge tech and brings together top industry leaders. The Startup Battlefield 200 features 200 early-stage startups, 20 of which will compete for a $100,000 prize. The event also offers networking activities, roundtables, and parties.
Norrsken Impact Week
2026 dates: 14-15 October
Location: Barcelona, Spain
More details: https://www.norrsken.org/impactweek
Oslo Innovation Week
2026 dates: 19-23 October
Location: Oslo, Norway
More details: https://oiw.no/
High Tech Ventures Days
2026 dates: 20-21 October
Location: Dresden, Germany
More details: https://www.hightech-venture-days.com/home/htvd-eu/
Engaged Investment Conference
2026 dates: 21-22 October
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
More details: https://engaged.investments
Unlock VC Summit
2026 dates: TBC
Location: Paris, France
More details: https://unlock-vc.com
November
WebSummit
2026 dates: 9-12 November
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
More details: https://websummit.com/
Slush
2026 dates: 18-19 November
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Slush, held annually in Helsinki, is the world’s top startup event and the largest VC gathering, with $4 trillion AUM. With 5,500 founders and operators making up 70% of attendees, it hosts the most relevant crowd in the global startup ecosystem.
AI-Pulse
2026 dates: TBC
Location: Paris, France
More details: https://www.ai-pulse.eu
