Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to speak at prominent events such as WebSummit, EU-Startups Summit, slush, and several other influential conferences. These appearances played a pivotal role in helping me secure investments, forge partnerships, and gain essential media coverage for my startup. Each appearance not only expanded my network but also provided a platform to showcase our vision to key stakeholders.
Attending events that align with your goals can have a transformative impact on your startup. Whether you’re seeking investors, media coverage, or potential partnerships, these events offer unparalleled opportunities to connect with the right people, build credibility, and create momentum. Here are my top tips for maximizing success before, during, and after a tech event.
Before the event
Apply to speaking and pitching opportunities to gain more visibility. Many conferences open speaker applications months in advance, offering a chance to secure a spot on stage rather than just attending. This transforms your participation into an active platform for showcasing your work and expanding your network among other speakers. Apply for pitch competitions even when you’re not actively fundraising. Pitching sessions not only put you in front of potential investors but also help you refine your pitch through real-time feedback. Always seize the chance to pitch—you never know who might be watching or listening.
Connect with people you want to meet in person in advance. These could be investors, journalists, fellow founders, top accelerator representatives, or potential clients. Eugenia Dunaeva, Angel investor and former Director of Ecosystems Partnerships at Meta EMEA said: “If your goal is to actually have meaningful negotiation/discussion to happen during the event, connect with the right contact 3-4 weeks prior, and squeeze as much as possible out of this opportunity BEFORE your meeting. Present a demo, even send a contract proposal—all with the idea of using this opportunity to meet face-to-face during the event to create some urgency.”
During the Event
Attend side events. Don’t limit yourself to just the main venue—attend side events to foster deeper personal connections. Remember, you likely won’t close a sale or get an investor to sign a check on the first meeting.
Ancillary events might even yield better connections than the main show because they’re more about building genuine relationships with more opportunities for invaluable face-to-face interactions. Eugenia also suggests to “think mid-funnel”—use the time at events for deepening existing relationships, not focusing on new ones. A handful of meaningful connections is far more powerful than a hundred surface-level interactions with people who won’t remember you. Networking isn’t just about who you know–it’s about who knows you.
Leverage the team-building power of events. Startup events and summits don’t just connect you with potential investors and partners—they’re also great for strengthening internal relationships within your team and with your current investors. At the Women in Tech Global Summit, several of our investors were able to meet each other in person for the first time and build connections among themselves. The Summit provided the perfect backdrop for these introductions, full of facilitated social events and networking opportunities.
Julia Sabitova, COO & Co-founder of CloEE, said: “Attending events together covers several needs of the team at once: communication, planning, and team-building. Participating in events also has a positive impact on team dynamics and allows investors and customers to get to know those behind the startup’s development.”
Your team can also play a pivotal role in building new connections. I attended the EU-Startups Summit with one of our angel investors who happened to be with me when I met a prospective investor through the event app. That initial interaction allowed the new investor to gain immediate external validation from another expert, and just a month later we closed the deal. Strong relationships within your team and between your investors can make your startup more attractive to potential backers, showing that your company is not just an idea, but a tightly-knit operation built on trust and shared vision.
After the event
- Share your impressions: The event doesn’t end when it’s over. The true value is often realized later. A well-crafted LinkedIn post with pictures from the event can help sustain the momentum, keeping your network engaged with key insights and takeaways from the conference.
- Follow up with connections new and old: This can be as simple as a short thank-you note or an offer to connect them with others in your network that might be a good match for their interests. If you can find a way to close a loop on potential opportunities and help strengthen your network in the days following an event, everyone wins.
In-person events are uniquely positioned to meet many people all in one place and create a sense of urgency, especially among potential investors. The buzz, excitement, and face-to-face interactions build an atmosphere where investors don’t want to miss out on a good deal. By developing a strong strategy before, during, and after startup events, you can help make it easier for them to seize those opportunities and create great memories along the way.