Where founders should actually show up this year
European startup funding is finding its rhythm in 2026. This year, you need to be more strategic about where you spend your time and travel budget. The ecosystem doesn’t need more conferences – it needs better ones. Here’s where you’ll find real investors, real founders, and real momentum in 2026.
Techarena – February 11-12 in Stockholm, Sweden
Over 12,000 founders, investors, and business leaders descending on Stockholm’s Strawberry Arena. If you like sitting and being inspired by accomplished founders, investors and leaders, the speaker lineup delivers. Zlatan Ibrahimović is speaking this year alongside 20+ European unicorn founders and top-tier global investors. The stage content is genuinely good if that’s what you’re after.
The matchmaking app is solid but there’s not much opportunity for serendipity beyond your scheduled meetings.
Mashup 15-16 April in Malmö, Sweden
Europe’s most selective startup gathering caps attendance at 500 people by invitation only. Half are investors, half are VC-backed founders. There are no stage presentations—just roundtables, intimate dinners, and structured conversations designed for depth over breadth. You’ll either love the format or find it too curated, but if you get an invite and you’re ready to fundraise, the access to decision-makers is unmatched. The matchmaking app helps you prepare, though some of the best connections happen spontaneously over drinks.
Latitude59 21-22 May in Tallinn, Estonia
Set in Tallinn, one of Europe’s most digitally advanced cities, Latitude59 punches above its weight. The event deliberately keeps things intimate while delivering real impact. With 800+ investors in attendance, the founder-to-investor ratio is nearly 1:1—rare for events of any size. The €1M pitch competition is legitimate, and the matchmaking sessions are curated rather than chaotic. Estonia’s startup-friendly reputation adds credibility to the whole experience.
London Tech Week 9-12 June in London, UK
Free entry attracts 45,000 people, which tells you everything about the crowd quality—it’s mixed. The matchmaking app gives you access to investor profiles at no cost, but you’ll need to filter heavily. The main value isn’t the conference itself but the ecosystem of side events running throughout the week. That’s where the real conversations happen. If you’re strategic about which events you target, London Tech Week can be productive. If you just show up, you’ll waste time.
VivaTech 17-20 June in Paris, France
Europe’s biggest tech spectacle returns for its 10th year with 180,000+ attendees. The production quality is excellent, the speaker roster is world-class, and the corporate presence is massive. But 3,600 investors in a crowd this size means you’re fighting for attention. VivaTech introduced “Investor Office Hours” to address this—letting you book time with specific VCs. Use that service. Without it, you’re hoping for lucky encounters in a sea of people. Best for startups seeking corporate partnerships or press visibility.
TechBBQ 26-27 August in Copenhagen, Denmark
The Nordic startup scene gathers in Copenhagen for two days of networking. TechBBQ attracts 1,200+ investors specifically interested in backing companies from the region. The atmosphere is welcoming rather than cutthroat—very Danish in that sense. If you’re building in the Nordics or targeting Nordic expansion, this is your event. Many Nordic investors and founders annually travel to Copenhagen for the first startup event after the summer break. The size is manageable enough that you can have real conversations without getting lost.
The Drop 15-16 September in Malmö, Sweden
Climate tech’s most exclusive gathering operates differently from traditional conferences. It’s invite-only with 1,200 participants: 70% investors, 30% founders. The attendee list remains confidential until after the event, forcing authentic networking instead of LinkedIn stalking. This means you can’t prepare meetings ahead, which is either refreshing or frustrating depending on your style. For climate tech founders, the investor concentration and quality make it essential. For everyone else, you can’t go anyway—it’s invite-only.
Bits & Pretzels 28-30 September in Munich, Germany
Munich’s answer to serious business mixed with Oktoberfest celebration. The 7,500-person event combines traditional conference programming—keynotes, workshops, pitch sessions—with Bavaria’s beer culture and Lederhosen. Among attendees, 1,500+ are investors controlling €390 billion in assets. The formula works because the informal Oktoberfest atmosphere makes investors more accessible than they’d be in a sterile convention center. It’s networking with beer and pretzels, which is more effective than it sounds.
Web Summit 9-12 November in Lisbon, Portugal
The massive scale brings global investors and international media to Lisbon each November. Web Summit’s matchmaking platform is genuinely good—probably the best among large conferences—and the sheer volume of side events means you’ll find your niche somewhere. The challenge is the overwhelming size. You need a plan. Go in knowing exactly who you’re targeting and what side events matter for your sector. The city transforms into startup central for a week, which creates unexpected opportunities if you’re paying attention. Many founders find it exhausting.
Slush 18-19 November in Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki’s tech festival wraps up the European event calendar with signature energy—literally, they’re known for the neon lights and production design. Slush draws 13,000 people including 3,300 investors and 250+ media outlets. The competition for attention is fierce given the numbers, so your pitch better be sharp. But the infrastructure works: 600+ side events, 400 networking tables, multiple stages, and workshops running constantly. The €1M pitch competition from top European VCs is the most prestigious on the continent. If you can only attend one big European event, this is it.
For startup founders in Europe, these conferences are more than just gatherings; they’re crucial opportunities to secure the capital needed to drive growth. Attending the right event could be your startup’s breakthrough moment in 2026.
