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Europe's main startup and tech conferences: 2026–27 calendar

Dates and cities of Europe's main startup conferences: Web Summit, Slush, 4YFN, VivaTech, London Tech Week, TechBBQ, Bits & Pretzels and more, 2026–27.

Europe's main startup and tech conferences fall into three busy periods each year: March, May–June and September–November. The next confirmed dates are How to Web in Bucharest (6–8 October 2026), Web Summit in Lisbon (9–12 November 2026), Slush in Helsinki (18–19 November 2026), 4YFN in Barcelona (1–4 March 2027), Latitude59 in Tallinn (19–21 May 2027), South Summit in Madrid (2–4 June 2027), London Tech Week (7–11 June 2027), VivaTech in Paris (16–19 June 2027), Arctic15 in Helsinki (16–17 June 2027), TechBBQ in Copenhagen (8–9 September 2027) and Bits & Pretzels in Munich (27–29 September 2027).

All dates below come from the organisers' official websites as of October 2026. Organisers sometimes move events, so check the official page before you book travel. Attendance figures are the organisers' own numbers.

October 2026

How to Web, Bucharest: 6–8 October 2026

How to Web describes itself as Eastern Europe's leading startup and technology conference. The 2026 edition runs on 6–8 October at the Face Convention Center in Bucharest. The organisers expect more than 3,000 attendees, including more than 500 founders and 250 investors, from over 40 countries. The official site lists only the 2026 edition so far, so check it for 2027 dates.

November 2026

Web Summit, Lisbon: 9–12 November 2026

Web Summit is a large general tech conference with separate programmes for startups, investors, media and developers. Speakers announced for 2026 include Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission's Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, as well as Cloudflare's Matthew Prince and Atlassian's Mike Cannon-Brookes. It suits founders who want press attention and a wide mix of contacts more than a pure investor focus.

Slush, Helsinki: 18–19 November 2026

Slush calls itself the most founder-focused startup event in the world. Organisers expect more than 12,000 attendees and say 76% of them are startups or investors. They also report over 600 side events during Slush week. Companies that want a startup badge must fill in an application that the Slush team reviews. The organisers say more than 80% of attendees come from Europe. Ticket prices listed on the Slush website in early October 2026:

  • Startup ticket: €395 for two days, including 13.5% VAT.
  • Investor ticket: €1,195, with a €100 discount for solo GPs and angel investors.
  • Thursday-only ticket: €595.

Slush's core team is made up of students and recent graduates, and the event recruits volunteers and volunteer team leads each year.

March 2027

4YFN, Barcelona: 1–4 March 2027

4YFN is the startup event that runs alongside MWC Barcelona, the mobile industry trade show. Both are organised by the GSMA. The 2027 edition takes place at Fira Gran Via. The organisers report 105,000 attendees across 4YFN and MWC combined, and more than 1,000 startups and exhibitors at 4YFN. It is a natural fit for startups selling to telecom operators, device makers and other large tech companies.

May 2027

Latitude59, Tallinn: 19–21 May 2027

Latitude59 is Tallinn's annual startup and tech conference. The 2026 edition took place on 20–22 May at Kultuurikatel, and the organisers report 3,500 attendees, including 800 investors, from 70 countries. Its smaller size and its location make it a good way into the Baltic startup scene.

June 2027

June is the busiest month, with four major events in three weeks.

South Summit, Madrid: 2–4 June 2027

South Summit is a Madrid conference built around a startup competition. The organisers cite more than 18,000 attendees and 2,100 investors, and the brand also runs an event in Brazil. It is relevant for founders looking at Spain and Latin America.

London Tech Week: 7–11 June 2027

London Tech Week holds its expo and main stages at Olympia London on 7–9 June, with fringe events across the city until 11 June. The organisers report more than 31,600 attendees and over 700 speakers in 2026. Its mix of large companies and investors makes it useful for enterprise sales.

VivaTech, Paris: 16–19 June 2027

VivaTech takes place at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. It combines a large exhibition by corporate partners with dedicated programmes for startups, investors and media. That makes it a good choice for B2B startups looking for corporate pilots in France.

Arctic15, Helsinki: 16–17 June 2027

Arctic15 is a Helsinki conference built around meetings between startups, investors and corporates. For 2027, which it calls "The Growth Edition", the organisers expect more than 5,000 attendees and around 20,000 meetings. Note that it overlaps with the first two days of VivaTech.

September 2027

TechBBQ, Copenhagen: 8–9 September 2027

TechBBQ is Copenhagen's annual startup conference, held at Bella Center Copenhagen. The organisers cite more than 10,000 attendees and over 1,720 investors.

Bits & Pretzels, Munich: 27–29 September 2027

Bits & Pretzels takes place during Oktoberfest week. On the third day, the event moves into a single tent at the Oktoberfest, where more than 250 "Table Captains" (founders, investors and executives) each host a table that seven attendees can book in advance. The organisers report 7,500 attendees, including more than 3,000 founders and 1,700 investors, and 21,000 scheduled founder–investor meetings.

How to choose which conference to attend

  • If you are raising money: Slush, Bits & Pretzels, Latitude59 and Arctic15 have a large share of investors, plus meeting tools or formats built for founder–investor meetings.
  • If you sell to large companies: VivaTech, London Tech Week, 4YFN and Web Summit attract corporate exhibitors and enterprise buyers.
  • If you want to enter a specific region: TechBBQ for Scandinavia, Latitude59 for the Baltics, South Summit for Iberia and Latin America, and How to Web for Eastern Europe.
  • If your budget is tight: look for startup-priced tickets, volunteer programmes and free side events, which often matter as much as the main stage.

Practical tips

  • Book accommodation early for Barcelona during MWC and Munich during Oktoberfest, when the cities are busy, and for Helsinki in Slush week.
  • Several events, including Slush, run a meeting tool for booking meetings ahead of time. Use it to book investor meetings before the event, not on the day.
  • Apply early for startup programmes, pitch competitions and exhibition spots, because their deadlines usually fall well before the event.
  • Plan side events as carefully as the main programme. At Slush, for example, the organisers count more than 600 of them.

We cover upcoming events in our Conferences section and the more informal gatherings in Festivals.

Frequently asked questions

When is Slush 2026?

Slush 2026 takes place on 18–19 November 2026 in Helsinki, Finland. Startup tickets cost €395 and investor tickets €1,195, both including 13.5% VAT.

When and where is Web Summit 2026?

Web Summit 2026 runs from 9 to 12 November 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal.

When is VivaTech 2027?

VivaTech 2027 takes place on 16–19 June 2027 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, according to the organisers' website.

Which European startup conference is best for meeting investors?

No independent ranking exists, but Slush, Bits & Pretzels, Latitude59 and Arctic15 are all built around founder–investor meetings. Slush says three quarters of its attendees are startups or investors.

Can you attend European tech conferences for free?

Volunteering is the most common way. Slush, for example, recruits volunteers and team leads every year, and many events also host free side events open to the public.