Top 15 Startup Events for Early-Stage Startups in 2025
The startup landscape is constantly evolving, and 2025 promises a rich array of events tailored to early-stage startups seeking pitch opportunities, networking, and insights from industry leaders. Below is a detailed list of the Top 15 Startup Events for Early-Stage Startups in 2025, including key information such as dates, locations, focus areas, highlights, and links to their official websites.
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1. CES 2025
When: January 7 - 10, 2025
Where: Las Vegas, USA
Focus: Consumer technology, including AI, digital health, gaming, and more.
Highlights: A global tech event attracting major decision-makers, CES offers unmatched networking opportunities and showcases innovations across various tech sectors.
Who Should Attend: Tech visionaries, entrepreneurs, and investors interested in consumer technology.
2. sTARTUp Day
When: January 29 – 31, 2025
Where: Tartu, Estonia
Focus: Startup development, mental health, deep tech, marketing, and defense.
Highlights: With workshops, tours, and pitching contests, this event emphasizes hands-on learning and networking. It brings together startups, investors, and exhibitors in a collaborative environment.
Who Should Attend: Founders and innovators looking to gain insights and funding.
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3. TechChill
When: February 5 – 7, 2025
Where: Riga, Latvia
Focus: Connecting early-stage startups with visionaries and investors.
Highlights: This Baltic event features the Fifty Founders Battle pitch competition with a €300,000 prize, alongside invaluable networking opportunities and industry insights.
Who Should Attend: Startups and investors from Europe and Silicon Valley.
4. LEAP
When: February 9 - 12, 2025
Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Focus: Global tech, including FinTech, sustainability, cybersecurity, and smart cities.
Highlights: With over 215,000 attendees and 1,100 speakers, this event features a pitch competition offering a $1 million prize and ample startup bootcamps.
Who Should Attend: Innovators and technologists interested in future tech trends.
5. 4YFN at Mobile World Congress
When: March 3 - 6, 2025
Where: Barcelona, Spain
Focus: Disruptive innovation, startup funding, and AI.
Highlights: This early-stage startup event within MWC provides an exclusive network of investors and emphasizes connections among top decision-makers in over 110 countries.
Who Should Attend: Startups in mobile technology and innovative sectors.
6. SXSW Pitch
When: March 8-9, 2025
Where: Austin, TX, USA
Focus: Startup pitch competition focusing on technological innovation.
Highlights: As part of the renowned SXSW festival, this event offers a platform for startups to gain visibility among investors and industry experts.
Who Should Attend: Emerging tech entrepreneurs and investors.
7. EU-Startups Summit
When: April 24 - 25, 2025
Where: Valletta, Malta
Focus: Tech-based startups with global ambitions.
Highlights: This summit gathers 2,500 founders, investors, and corporate leaders, featuring pitch competitions with a prize package worth €390,000.
Who Should Attend: Entrepreneurs aiming for international market expansion.
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8. Startup Grind Global
When: April 29 - 30, 2025
Where: Global (format likely online)
Focus: Networking within the global startup community.
Highlights: Aimed at fostering connections, this event unites entrepreneurs across various sectors for collaboration and growth.
Who Should Attend: Startups and entrepreneurs from around the world.
9. London Tech Week
When: June 9 - 13, 2025
Where: London, UK
Focus: Innovation in various tech sectors.
Highlights: With 45,000 attendees, this expansive festival hosts events for learning from tech leaders and investors, as well as facilitating valuable networking opportunities.
Who Should Attend: Entrepreneurs and policymakers in the tech space.
10. Slush
When: November 19-20, 2025
Where: Helsinki, Finland
Focus: Connecting startups with investors.
Highlights: Known for its founder-focused approach, Slush connects startups with over 3,300 investors, hosting various events for networking and sharing insights.
Who Should Attend: Entrepreneurs and aspiring founders seeking funding and mentorship.
11. Y Combinator (YC)
Location: Mountain View, California, USA
Focus: All industries, especially tech startups.
Highlights: YC provides $500,000 in funding and a strong mentorship program, culminating in a competitive Demo Day for investor presentations.
Who Should Attend: Ambitious startups ready for acceleration.
12. Techstars
Location: Global (50+ programs)
Focus: Diverse industries like health tech and fintech.
Highlights: Techstars offers $120,000 in investment for 6% equity, comprehensive mentorship, and access to significant resources across its programs.
Who Should Attend: Entrepreneurs seeking tailored support for their ventures.
13. 500 Global
Location: Palo Alto, California, USA
Focus: Early stage startups with global aspirations.
Highlights: 500 Global provides $150,000 for 6% equity and emphasizes a global outreach with its founder-focused curriculum.
Who Should Attend: Startups focused on scaling internationally.
14. Plug and Play Tech Center
Location: Sunnyvale, California, USA
Focus: Industry-specific innovation across multiple sectors.
Highlights: This program offers a flexible investment structure and access to vast corporate partnerships and mentoring from industry leaders.
Who Should Attend: Tech entrepreneurs looking for niche industry expertise.
15. MassChallenge
Location: Global
Focus: Various industries and innovation areas.
Highlights: With equity-free programs and a strong mentorship component, MassChallenge supports startups at different development stages.
Who Should Attend: Founders seeking a supportive global network.
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FAQ
Q: What is the largest tech event where startups can network?
A: LEAP in Riyadh is a major tech event with over 215,000 attendees and features various networking opportunities. Learn more about LEAP.
Q: Which event offers a significant prize for pitch competitions?
A: TechChill in Riga includes the Fifty Founders Battle pitch competition with a €300,000 prize for startups. Discover TechChill.
Q: What event is focused on consumer technology innovations?
A: CES 2025 in Las Vegas showcases consumer technology, including AI and digital health innovations. Explore CES 2025.
Q: Which event emphasizes mental health and deep tech?
A: sTARTUp Day in Tartu, Estonia focuses on startup development in areas including mental health and deep tech. Learn more about sTARTUp Day.
Q: What is one of the best events for pitching in front of a large audience?
A: SXSW Pitch provides a platform for startups to pitch innovative technology to a global audience. Check out SXSW Pitch.
Q: Which startup event is known for bringing together international founders and investors?
A: EU-Startups Summit in Valletta unites 2,500 founders, investors, and corporates with a focus on tech startups. Discover EU-Startups Summit.
Q: What event takes place in London focused on tech and innovation?
A: London Tech Week is a large festival featuring numerous opportunities to connect with technology leaders and innovators. Learn more about London Tech Week.
Q: Which startup accelerator offers significant funding and mentorship opportunities?
A: Y Combinator provides $500,000 in funding along with mentorship and access to a strong alumni network. Explore Y Combinator.
Q: What is the focus of 4YFN at Mobile World Congress?
A: 4YFN emphasizes disruptive innovation, startup funding, and AI, connecting early-stage startups with key industry players. Learn more about 4YFN.
Q: What event connects European startups with investors from Silicon Valley?
A: TechChill in Riga connects early-stage startups with visionaries and investors from both Europe and Silicon Valley. Discover TechChill.
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.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
