HR tech founders sell to a hard crowd: HR directors, talent teams and learning heads who see hundreds of vendors a year. These are the ten best HR tech events of 2027 for startups, from Paris, Amsterdam, London, Knebworth and Cologne to Las Vegas, Miami and Singapore.
We picked events with a start-up area, a pitch competition or a hall full of HR buyers, with Europe first. We checked every date on the organiser's own website and mark each one as Confirmed (date on the official site), Announced (reliable second source only) or Expected (based on past editions only). All ten below are Confirmed for 2027. Two big shows have new names or cities: UNLEASH America moves from Las Vegas to Miami, and UNLEASH World is now UNLEASH Paris.
This article is regularly updated with new events. Do you know about an event that needs to be added? Send us some info and we will see if it's a fit.
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Top 10 HR Tech Startup Events of 2027 at a Glance
The 10 best HR tech events of 2027
1. Learning Technologies France: 20–21 January 2027, Paris
The first big HR show of the year is about workplace learning: the organiser expects 410 exhibitors and 550 speakers, and the exhibitor list has its own start-up section. It suits founders of learning platforms, skills tools and corporate training products who want French buyers. See our list of startup events in Paris.
2. Transform: 12–14 April 2027, Las Vegas
Transform is the most founder-friendly of the big US HR shows. Its Startup Pass, for early-stage builders, gives special all-access pricing to two people per company and includes investor office hours. The Pitch the Future contest puts start-ups on stage; the 2027 call is not out yet. See our list of startup events in Las Vegas.
3. UNLEASH Miami: 13–15 April 2027, Miami Beach
UNLEASH America leaves Las Vegas: the 2027 edition is UNLEASH Miami, at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The expo includes start-ups alongside the big HR software brands, and Miami makes it an easy meeting point for buyers from the US and Latin America.
4. HR Tech Europe: 21–22 April 2027, Amsterdam
HR Tech Europe is the European edition of the Las Vegas HR Technology Conference. It has an HR Tech Startup Park, and in 2026 it added a Pitchfest with up to €20,000 in cash and prizes and six finalists. The 2027 Pitchfest call is not out yet. Note that the old domain hrtecheurope.com now points to UNLEASH Paris, a different event. See our list of startup events in Amsterdam.
5. HR Technologies UK and Learning Technologies: 5–6 May 2027, London
Two shows share ExCeL London on the same days: HR Technologies UK and Learning Technologies. Entry to the expo is free. The Start-Up Zone sits in the Innovation Hub, and every start-up there can enter the Start-Up Showdown pitch competition in front of judges. See our list of startup events in London.
6. HR Tech Asia: 10–13 May 2027, Singapore
HR Tech Asia, also known as HR Tech Festival Asia, is the main HR technology meeting in Asia-Pacific. The two main days, 11 and 12 May, include a Start-Up Hub in the expo. See our list of startup events in Singapore.
7. RecFest UK: 8 July 2027, Knebworth
RecFest is a one-day festival for talent acquisition teams in a park north of London, with more than 7,000 attendees, 200 speakers and 180 exhibitors. For 2027 the organiser says tickets are currently free, which makes it the cheapest way for a recruiting tech founder to meet a crowd of buyers. It has no start-up programme.
8. Zukunft Personal Europe: 14–16 September 2027, Cologne
Zukunft Personal Europe is Europe's largest HR trade fair, and it covers everything from the big players to young start-ups. It is the place to meet German-speaking HR buyers; come with German-language material. Its sister fairs run in Hamburg (20–21 April) and Stuttgart (11–12 May). See our guide to startup events in Germany.
9. UNLEASH Paris: 19–21 October 2027, Paris
UNLEASH World is now UNLEASH Paris. The UNLEASH Startup Award calls itself the longest-running start-up competition for HR tech and the future of work, and the winner gets a support package worth an estimated €50,000. Finalists pitch to analysts, investors and advisers; the 2027 deadline is not published yet.
10. HR Tech: 26–28 October 2027, Las Vegas
The HR Technology Conference is the biggest HR tech show of the year, with a Startup Pavilion, an investor programme and Pitchfest. The 2026 Pitchfest winner, Hammock, took a $25,000 cash prize and a free stand at the 2027 show, according to the organiser. Pitchfest is open to young start-ups that exhibit; the 2027 call is not out yet.
Also worth a look
- LEARNTEC, Messe Karlsruhe, 2–4 February 2027: Europe's big digital-learning fair and congress. learntec.de
- HR FESTIVAL europe (formerly Personal Swiss), Zurich, 6–7 April 2027: the Swiss HR show. hrfestival.ch
- CIPD Festival of Work, ExCeL London, 9–10 June 2027: the UK HR profession's big gathering. festivalofwork.com
- Solutions Ressources Humaines, Paris Porte de Versailles, 9–10 June 2027: the French HR and HR software fair. solutions-ressources-humaines.fr
- Personalmanagementkongress, Berlin and online, 24–25 June 2027: in 2026 it hosted the German HR Start-up Award. personalmanagementkongress.de
- SHRM HR-X Live! (formerly the SHRM Annual Conference), Chicago, 27–30 June 2027. The SHRM Labs WorkplaceTech Accelerator offers $200K on a SAFE note; applications for 2027 close on 1 November 2026. annual.shrm.org
- RecFest USA, The Fairgrounds, Nashville, 6–7 October 2027. recfest.com/usa
- HR Summit & Expo, Dubai World Trade Centre, 1–3 November 2027: the Gulf's large HR show. informaconnect.com
Dates not announced yet
- HR Tech Abu Dhabi, ADNEC Centre: a new show from the HR Tech organisers in November 2027; its site gives two different dates (9–10 and 10–11 November).
- RecFest Dubai: the site says January 2027, with no day yet.
- Gartner ReimagineHR, People Analytics World London, WORKTECH London and LinkedIn Talent Connect: no 2027 dates yet.
- OEB Global, Berlin: the 2026 edition runs on 2–4 December 2026; no 2027 date yet.
- HR Innovation Summit, Madrid, with its Startup Arena: the 2026 edition was on 1–2 October; no 2027 date yet.
Why HR tech events matter: the numbers
- HR technology investment totalled $3.7 billion in 2025, 40% less than in 2024, according to HRO Today.
- Europe went the other way: 55 European HR tech companies raised €460 million in equity across 59 rounds in 2025, up from €271 million in 2024, according to tech.eu. Fewer rounds and more money per round mean investors are picking fewer winners, so a pitch stage in front of buyers matters.
Raising for an HR tech company? Read our guide to venture capital for women founders.
How to choose an HR tech event
- Pitch or sell? Pitchfest in Las Vegas, the HR Tech Europe Pitchfest, the UNLEASH Startup Award, Transform's Pitch the Future and the London Start-Up Showdown put you on stage; Zukunft Personal, RecFest and the CIPD Festival of Work are for meeting buyers.
- Use the free tickets. HR Technologies UK and RecFest UK are free to attend, so you can walk the hall before you pay for a stand.
- Pick your buyer. Learning tools fit Learning Technologies and LEARNTEC; recruiting tools fit RecFest; payroll and HR software for German or French firms fit Zukunft Personal and Solutions RH.
- Watch the calls. None of the big HR pitch competitions has opened its 2027 call yet, and most Pitchfest rules require you to exhibit, so budget for a small stand.
- Check the new names. UNLEASH America is now in Miami, UNLEASH World is UNLEASH Paris, Personal Swiss is HR FESTIVAL europe and SHRM's annual conference is HR-X Live!
List your event
Do you organise an HR tech summit, pitch competition, demo day or hackathon in 2027? Send us the name, dates, city and official link, and we'll check whether it fits this list.
This article is regularly updated with new events. Do you know about an event that needs to be added? Send us some info and we will see if it's a fit.
🔗 Add an awesome event
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FAQ
What are the best HR tech events for startups in 2027?
Our top picks are Learning Technologies France, Transform in Las Vegas, UNLEASH Miami, HR Tech Europe in Amsterdam, HR Technologies UK in London, HR Tech Asia in Singapore, RecFest UK, Zukunft Personal Europe in Cologne, UNLEASH Paris and the HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas.
When is HR Tech 2027 in Las Vegas?
On 26–28 October 2027 at Mandalay Bay. It has a Startup Pavilion and Pitchfest; the 2026 winner took $25,000.
When is UNLEASH 2027?
There are two: UNLEASH Miami on 13–15 April 2027 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, which replaces UNLEASH America in Las Vegas, and UNLEASH Paris, formerly UNLEASH World, on 19–21 October 2027.
When is HR Tech Europe 2027?
On 21–22 April 2027 at RAI Amsterdam, with an HR Tech Startup Park and a Pitchfest.
Which HR tech events are free in 2027?
The HR Technologies UK and Learning Technologies expo in London on 5–6 May 2027 is free for HR professionals, and RecFest UK tickets for 8 July 2027 are currently free.
Which HR tech events have startup pitch competitions?
Pitchfest at HR Tech in Las Vegas, the HR Tech Europe Pitchfest in Amsterdam, the UNLEASH Startup Award in Paris, Pitch the Future at Transform and the Start-Up Showdown at HR Technologies UK.
How much did HR tech startups raise in 2025?
HR technology investment totalled $3.7 billion in 2025, down 40% on 2024, according to HRO Today. European HR tech companies raised €460 million in equity, up from €271 million, according to tech.eu.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
