Top 15 Startup Events for Early-Stage Startups in North America 2025
As we look ahead to 2025, North America is set to host a plethora of exciting startup events. These gatherings are ideal for early-stage startups looking to network, gain visibility, and secure funding. Below is a detailed rundown of the Top 15 Startup Events in North America for 2025, complete with details on location, dates, target audience, and specific benefits for startups.
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1. CES 2025
When: January 7 - 10, 2025
Where: Las Vegas, USA
Target Audience: Tech enthusiasts, innovators, and startups in consumer electronics.
Highlights: The Eureka Park Marketplace at CES is tailored for early-stage companies, providing immense opportunities for networking, partnerships, and exposure to tech-rich partnerships.
2. Startup Grind Global Conference
When: Year-round events with a major global conference
Where: Various locations (In-person and online)
Target Audience: Early-stage startup founders and larger-scale startups.
Highlights: Networking with investors, workshops, and one-on-one meetings with angel investors make this event invaluable for startups seeking funding and mentorship.
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3. Collision Conference
When: June 2025
Where: Toronto, Canada
Target Audience: Startups, investors, and corporate innovators.
Highlights: With a strong emphasis on networking, speaker sessions, and global funding access, this event facilitates vital connections for early-stage startups.
4. sTARTUp Day
When: January 29 – 31, 2025
Where: Tartu, Estonia
Target Audience: Startups, investors, and companies.
Highlights: Engaging workshops, pitching contests, and networking opportunities make it a valuable experience for startups looking to gain traction.
5. TechChill
When: February 5 – 7, 2025
Where: Riga, Latvia
Target Audience: Early-stage startups, investors.
Highlights: Features networking sessions with executives, a pitch competition with attractive prizes, and growth development opportunities.
6. RSA Conference Innovation Sandbox Contest & Early Stage Expo
When: 2025 (Specific date not specified)
Where: USA
Target Audience: Cybersecurity startups.
Highlights: The Innovation Sandbox contest offers startups visibility and chances to engage with industry leaders at the Early Stage Expo, enhancing networking opportunities.
7. TechCrunch Disrupt
When: 2025 (Specific date not specified)
Where: USA
Target Audience: Early-stage and scale-up startups, investors, and industry leaders.
Highlights: The Startup Battlefield allows early-stage companies to compete for recognition, providing a platform for innovation exposure.
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8. Startup Pitch Workshop (Startup Grind Sacramento)
When: Monthly workshops; for instance, May 28, 2025
Where: Sacramento, USA
Target Audience: Early-stage startups seeking pitch feedback and investor connections.
Highlights: A prime opportunity for practicing pitches, receiving constructive feedback, and potentially pitching to angel investors.
9. Early-Stage Virtual Conference
When: January 30, 2025
Where: Online
Target Audience: Investors and startups.
Highlights: Features a speed pitch session and several networking opportunities designed to connect startups with potential investors.
10. ViVE 2025 Startup Pitch Competition
When: Submissions open Nov 12, 2024 - Jan 3, 2025
Where: USA
Target Audience: Digital health startups.
Highlights: A chance to pitch in front of industry experts, compete for cash prizes, and gain visibility through ViVE credit.
11. South by Southwest (SXSW)
When: March 8 - 17, 2025
Where: Austin, Texas, USA
Target Audience: Creative entrepreneurs, startups, and tech innovators.
Highlights: A celebration of innovation with film, interactive media, and music, SXSW offers numerous networking and learning opportunities.
12. North American Startup Summit
When: April 3 - 5, 2025
Where: New York City, USA
Target Audience: AI, tech, and startup founders.
Highlights: Features keynotes from industry leaders, networking sessions, and workshops focused on scaling startups.
13. Founders Festival 2025
When: September 15 - 17, 2025
Where: Chicago, USA
Target Audience: Startup founders and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Highlights: A dynamic event filled with pitches, panels, and fireside chats with industry veterans and investment opportunities.
14. Disruptive Innovation Festival (DIF)
When: November 2025
Where: San Francisco, USA
Target Audience: Innovators and change-makers in the tech space.
Highlights: Focused on transformative technologies, the DIF offers workshops and networking opportunities to foster business development.
15. Entrepreneurs' Organization Global Leadership Conference
When: October 2025
Where: Miami, Florida, USA
Target Audience: Established entrepreneurs and startups poised for growth.
Highlights: Brings together successful entrepreneurs to discuss strategies, share experiences, and create lasting connections.
These events offer incredible opportunities for early-stage startups to network, learn, and showcase their innovations in a competitive landscape.
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FAQ
Q: What key event should early-stage startups attend in January 2025?
A: CES 2025 is an excellent opportunity for early-stage startups, particularly in consumer electronics, to network and showcase innovative technologies. Learn more about CES 2025.
Q: Which event offers networking opportunities with investors throughout the year?
A: The Startup Grind Global Conference provides year-round events with ample networking opportunities and 1:1 meetings with angel investors, making it ideal for early-stage startups. Discover Startup Grind Global Conference.
Q: Where can startups go in June 2025 for networking and funding opportunities?
A: The Collision Conference in Toronto, Canada, emphasizes networking, speaker sessions, and global funding prospects for startups. Find out more about Collision Conference.
Q: What event in Estonia is tailored for startups looking to grow?
A: sTARTUp Day in Tartu, Estonia, offers workshops, pitching contests, and networking specifically for startups and investors. Learn more about sTARTUp Day.
Q: Which conference is perfect for cybersecurity startups in 2025?
A: The RSA Conference Innovation Sandbox Contest & Early Stage Expo is ideal for cybersecurity startups looking for visibility and connections with industry leaders. Explore RSA Conference.
Q: What is the significance of TechCrunch Disrupt for early-stage startups?
A: TechCrunch Disrupt offers early-stage startups the chance to compete in the Startup Battlefield, providing valuable recognition and exposure. Find out more about TechCrunch Disrupt.
Q: Are there monthly workshops available for pitch practice?
A: Yes, the Startup Pitch Workshop (e.g., in Sacramento) gives early-stage startups the opportunity to practice their pitches and receive feedback from experienced investors. Check out Startup Pitch Workshop.
Q: What is the benefit of attending the Early-Stage Virtual Conference?
A: The Early-Stage Virtual Conference offers speed pitch sessions, providing startups with unique networking opportunities in an online format. Discover Early-Stage Virtual Conference.
Q: What is the purpose of the ViVE 2025 Startup Pitch Competition?
A: The ViVE 2025 Startup Pitch Competition allows digital health startups to pitch in front of industry experts, with opportunities to win cash prizes and ViVE credits. Learn more about ViVE 2025.
Q: What event in February 2025 focuses on networking for early-stage startups?
A: TechChill in Riga, Latvia, serves as a networking platform for early-stage startups and investors, featuring pitch competitions and growth opportunities. Check out 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.
