Top startup events in Europe you should not miss in the 2nd half of 2023

The first half of this year brought us many inspiring, educational and interactive events with great opportunities for startups. The second half of 2023 is just as full of input and networking opportunities to help your startup grow, whether it be connecting with potential investors, partners or expanding your network with talented people in your industry. Here are the top 5 events that you should keep your eye out for in the coming months.

TechBBQ 13-14 SeptEmber, COPENHAGEN

TechBBQ has established itself over the span of 10 years as the largest startup and innovation conference in Copenhagen. During the two-day multi-industry conference, international speakers and startups come together to explore future cooperation opportunities and learn from each other. This year's event revolves around the theme "entangled." For the TechBBQ team, entanglement refers to the interconnectedness of the startup ecosystem, where each founder's journey involves difficult decision-making and learning from mistakes. TechBBQ aims to explore how technology and idea sharing can assist entrepreneurs in their founder's journey while promoting a more sustainable future. An additional bonus is that this year's speaker selection is bursting with strong female leaders from various industries.

Bits & Pretzels 24-26 SeptEmber, Munich

In September, one of the hottest startup events in Germany will take place again in Munich. Bringing together over 5,000 founders, investors, corporates, and other startup stakeholders, Bits & Pretzels is definitely an event you will not want to miss. This conference focuses strongly on helping entrepreneurs by providing opportunities to build long-lasting and active networking connections with investors, corporates, customers, and potential employees. Attending this year are some big, powerful, and inspirational speakers, such as Michelle Obama and Nathan Blecharczyk (Co-founder of Airbnb). Startups from the energy, smart city and health sectors have the opportunity to meet our fund Smart Infrastructure Ventures and of course, a trip to Munich in fall would not be complete without visiting Oktoberfest. On the last day of Bits & Pretzels, there will be event formats on the Oktoberfest grounds.

Lead Today Shape Tomorrow 11-12 October, Vienna

For all of those who are convinced that diversity is more than just a buzzword and are interested in contributing to a more inclusive and diverse entrepreneurship community, then Lead Today Shape Tomorrow (short: LTST) is a great opportunity for you! This event offers a stage for female-led and gender-diverse startups, aiming to highlight these teams to investors and corporates. Under the motto "Change the game. Not the players," LTST brings together innovative minds with a passion for entrepreneurship to share ideas and experiences to evolve Tech and Innovation ecosystems. Female-led or gender-diverse startups can apply for a pitch slot - a great chance to boost your visibility.

Web Summit 13-16, November, Lisbon

The Web Summit is a huge tech conference with over 70,000 guests from around the world and all walks of life. Whether you are a startup looking for investments, customers, or new team members, you are sure to meet meaningful contacts from the global tech community. Be sure to arrange meetings before the event to ensure that you do not get overwhelmed by the expansive location and program. Your opportunity to expand your network does not end after the conference grounds close. The Night Summit takes networking into the warm late summer nights of Lisbon’s coolest locations, offering a more relaxed atmosphere for attendees to connect. We know big conferences like Web Summit can be overwhelming. Here we have compiled a compact guide on how you can prepare for startup events. From the SpinLab team you can get in touch with Swantje Jung. 

Slush, 30 November- 1st December, Helsinki

Slush in Helsinki is one of the most anticipated startup events in Europe and continues to push the boundaries of entrepreneurship and innovation each year. While the event grows every year, Slush is dedicated to continuing to connect founders with contacts they need the most to grow sustainably and improve their solutions. A trip to Slush will guarantee to leave you feeling inspired, motivated, and empowered to continue on your startup journey. This year you can meet the RootCamp (Innovation Hub for AgTech and Bioeconomy) team and SpinLab startup coach Hendrik Schulze.

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As part of the Digital Hub Initiative, our team consistently travels the globe with our startups, showcasing pioneering innovations from our ecosystem. Explore our startup accelerator program today and leverage the full potential of our expansive network.