Choosing the right conference can feel like a big bet. Your time is your most valuable asset, and spending it on the wrong event is a costly mistake. You need more than just interesting talks; you need opportunities to connect with investors, meet future customers, and learn from founders who have already scaled.
To help you decide, we’ve curated a list of the top tech and SaaS conferences that deliver real value. We focused on events known for high-quality networking, fundraising opportunities, and practical growth strategies.
Which Conferences Are Global Tech Hubs?
These large-scale events bring together the entire tech ecosystem, offering broad exposure and diverse networking opportunities.
CES (Consumer Electronics Show)
- Next Event: January 6–9, 2026
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Best for: Consumer tech, AI, and enterprise partnerships.
- Why it’s worth it: CES is the global stage for innovation. While massive, it offers a dedicated startup area, Eureka Park, where you can connect with investors, partners, and media. If your product touches consumer electronics, AI, or vehicle tech, this is a critical event for visibility.
- Learn more about CES
Web Summit
- Next Event: Multiple dates
- Location: Lisbon (Portugal), Rio (Brazil), Vancouver (Canada) and Doha (Qatar)
- Best for: Global networking and fundraising.
- Why it’s worth it: Web Summit is one of the world's largest and most influential tech events. It attracts founders, executives from Fortune 500 companies, and investors from every corner of the globe. Its scale makes it a powerful platform for launching a product or making key international connections.
- Learn more about Web Summit
Where Can I Find the Best SaaS-Specific Conferences?
For SaaS founders, niche events provide targeted content and a self-selected audience of peers, buyers, and investors who understand your business model.
SaaStr Annual
- Next Event: May 12-14, 2026
- Location: San Francisco Bay Area
- Best for: SaaS founders, sales leaders, and VCs focused on ARR growth.
- Why it’s worth it: SaaStr is the go-to event for the SaaS community. It offers tactical advice on everything from securing your first 100 customers to scaling past $100M ARR. The networking is hyper-focused, making it one of the top SaaS conferences for networking and finding mentors.
- Learn more about SaaStr Annual
SaaStock USA
- Next Event: April 15-16 2026
- Location: Austin, TX
- Best for: SaaS founders and teams looking to build high-value pipelines, close deals, and grow with purpose.
- Why it’s worth it: Known as “the best SaaS conference for founders,” SaaStock is community-driven and focused on practical growth strategies. Excellent for building an investor and customer base.
- Learn more about SaaStock
SaaS North
- Next Event: November 4-6, 2025
- Location: Ottawa, Canada
- Best for: Canadian SaaS companies and U.S. founders expanding north.
- Why it’s worth it: Canada’s flagship SaaS event. Practical workshops on scaling, hiring, and fundraising. The best place to meet Canada’s SaaS ecosystem.
- Learn more about SaaS North
Which Conferences Are Best for Raising Capital?
If your main goal is fundraising, you need events that put you directly in front of active investors.
TechCrunch Disrupt
- Next Event: October 27-29, 2025
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Best for: Early-stage fundraising and media buzz.
- Why it’s worth it: Famous for Startup Battlefield, which has launched unicorns like Dropbox and Cloudflare. It is one of the premier tech conferences for raising capital, attracting hundreds of VCs looking for the next big thing. The media presence also offers a unique platform for generating buzz.
- Learn more about TechCrunch Disrupt
Slush
- Next Event: November 19-20, 2025
- Location: Helsinki, Finland
- Best for: Connecting with European VCs and angel investors in a highly curated setting.
- Why it’s worth it: Slush has grown from a local event into a global phenomenon, known for its incredible production value and laser focus on matching startups with investors. Its matchmaking tool is one of the best in the industry, making it a highly efficient event for fundraising.
- Learn more about Slush
Are There Valuable Niche & Virtual Conferences?
Specialized events offer deep expertise and access to a targeted community, often with flexible attendance options.
SXSW (South by Southwest)
- Next Event: March 12–18, 2026
- Location: Austin, TX (Hybrid)
- Best for: Creative tech, brand marketing, and founders at the intersection of tech and culture.
- Why it's worth it: SXSW is more than a tech conference; it's a cultural festival. This makes it ideal for startups in media, entertainment, and consumer branding. The Pitch competition is a major draw for investors looking for innovative ideas.
- Learn more about SXSW
Running Remote
- Next Event: April 27-29, 2024
- Location: Austin, TX
- Best for: Founders of remote-first companies and leaders managing distributed teams.
- Why it's worth it: As one of the best virtual tech conferences for startups, Running Remote provides actionable strategies for building and scaling a remote business. It tackles the unique challenges of remote work, from culture to operations, and connects you with a community of fellow remote leaders.
- Learn more about Running Remote
Founder FAQs
1. Is it better to attend a large conference or a niche one?
It depends on your goal. Go to a large conference for broad exposure, discovering new trends, and making diverse connections. These are great for brand awareness and serendipitous meetings. Attend a niche conference for targeted problem-solving, connecting with peers who face the same challenges, and meeting investors who specialize in your sector. If you can, do one of each per year.
2. How can I maximize the ROI of attending a tech conference?
Don't just show up. Plan ahead. Define one clear goal: is it to meet 10 qualified investors, sign 3 pilot customers, or learn a specific growth tactic? Use the conference app to schedule meetings weeks in advance. During the event, prioritize those meetings over random sessions. Afterward, follow up within 48 hours with a personalized message referencing your conversation. The real value is unlocked in the preparation and follow-up.
3. Are virtual tech conferences still valuable for networking?
Yes, but they require a different approach. In-person events thrive on spontaneous chats, while virtual events reward deliberate action. To succeed, actively participate in Q&A sessions, join topic-specific virtual roundtables, and use the attendee list to send direct, personalized connection requests. The networking is less random but can be more efficient if you put in the effort. Many of the **best virtual tech conferences for startups** now have excellent matchmaking tools to help.
