Startup events in January 2026 – Calendar

Annual gathering in Reykjavik for European founders, investors, and ecosystem builders to connect and kick off the new year with strategic planning. Features fireside chats, workshops, and intimate networking in an inspiring Icelandic setting. Valuable for founders seeking cross-border relationships and fresh perspectives on building in Europe.

Virtual pitch competition for deep-tech startups aligned with the CES spotlight, organized by the Austrian startup ecosystem. Features international jury panels and exposure to global investors and corporate innovation teams. Strong entry point for hardware, biotech, and frontier-tech founders seeking international visibility beyond Europe.

Informal founders meetup for Madrid's startup community, hosted by Startup Network Europe. Provides a low-barrier networking opportunity for early-stage founders, freelancers, and ecosystem supporters to connect and share ideas. Particularly useful for new arrivals to the Madrid tech scene seeking community and co-founder introductions.

Ireland's premier science and technology exhibition for secondary school students, attracting 500+ projects and major media coverage annually. Sponsored by Stripe, it fosters early scientific discovery and innovation. Relevant for EdTech and STEM startups seeking brand visibility and community engagement with Ireland's next generation of founders.

Regional startup community meetup in Klagenfurt, Carinthia, focused on connecting local founders, mentors, and ecosystem builders. Part of the AustrianStartups nationwide event series fostering grassroots entrepreneurship. Valuable for founders in southern Austria seeking local support networks and regional investor introductions.

Week-long accelerator bootcamp in Leeds helping Nordic startups enter the UK market, organized by Nordic Innovation. Covers go-to-market strategy, legal setup, and customer acquisition in Britain. Particularly valuable for Nordic founders seeking structured support for UK expansion and local network building.

Regional meetup event in Klagenfurt, hosted by AustrianStartups, fostering connections within the local startup community as part of their ongoing series.

Investor-focused blockchain and digital assets conference held in the Swiss Alps, attracting institutional investors, crypto fund managers, and Web3 founders. Features intimate networking in a premium setting with high-net-worth participants. Particularly valuable for blockchain startups seeking Swiss and European institutional capital.

Europe's leading event focused on accelerating data centre decarbonization, bringing together operators, technology providers, and sustainability leaders in Berlin. Covers renewable energy integration, cooling innovation, and carbon-neutral infrastructure design. Relevant for cleantech and infrastructure startups targeting the rapidly growing data centre market.

Startup Grind fireside chat and networking event in Stockholm featuring global ecosystem builders and experienced founders. Part of the international Startup Grind community with 3.5M+ members across 600 chapters. Valuable for founders seeking mentorship, investor introductions, and connections with the Stockholm tech community.

Flagship innovation conference in Munich spanning tech, business, and science, with strong participation from French VCs and Next40 founders. Attracts high-profile speakers and senior decision-makers from across the European tech ecosystem. Particularly valuable for founders seeking visibility with corporate innovation leaders and cross-border investors.

Summit on corporate-startup collaboration in Sweden featuring case studies, B2B networking, and structured matchmaking between startups and large enterprises. Organized by Ignite Sweden, the national innovation matching program. Particularly valuable for B2B startups seeking pilot contracts and enterprise partnerships with Swedish corporates.

Virtual matchmaking event connecting healthtech startups with healthcare providers, hospitals, and investors across the Nordic region. Features structured 1:1 meetings and pitch sessions focused on digital health, medtech, and care delivery innovation. Valuable for health-tech startups seeking clinical pilot partnerships and Nordic market entry.

One of the world's largest food, agriculture, and horticulture exhibitions, held annually at Messe Berlin with 300,000+ visitors. Showcases innovations in sustainable agriculture, organic food production, and green technologies. Strong platform for agri-food tech startups seeking retail partnerships and distribution channels across Europe.

Online workshop on go-to-market strategy led by Tech Nordic Advocates, covering market entry, channel partnerships, and early revenue generation for Nordic startups. Features practical frameworks and Q&A with experienced operators. Particularly valuable for early-stage founders preparing to launch products in European markets.

Global gaming industry expo and conference in Barcelona showcasing casino, sports betting, and gaming technology with 35,000+ attendees. Relocated from London in 2025, it draws operators, regulators, and tech providers from across the gambling ecosystem. Strong for startups building gaming platforms, compliance tools, and responsible gambling technology.

Global gathering of heads of state, Fortune 500 CEOs, and technology leaders in Davos focused on economic, environmental, and innovation agendas. Features invitation-only sessions and curated side events. While access is restricted, the surrounding Davos ecosystem offers startups proximity to global decision-makers and media visibility.

International AI festival in Italy connecting the Italian tech ecosystem with global markets through keynotes, demos, and pitch sessions. Attracts AI researchers, enterprise buyers, and investors exploring opportunities in Southern Europe. Valuable for AI startups seeking visibility in the growing Italian AI market and European expansion.

Leading global education technology event held at ExCeL London, bringing together 30,000+ educators, EdTech innovators, and policymakers. Features product demos, workshops, and networking focused on classroom technology, digital learning platforms, and AI in education. Particularly relevant for EdTech startups seeking school district partnerships and institutional buyers.

Berlin-based conference exploring how creative industries are being transformed by digital technology, AI, and new business models. Brings together designers, media innovators, and creative entrepreneurs from across the Nordics and Europe. Strong for startups at the intersection of creative tech, content platforms, and digital media.

Course designed to equip leaders with insights and strategies for navigating and driving innovation in the life science bio-revolution. Focuses on emerging trends and leadership challenges in the sector.

Dedicated summit in Berlin for mRNA-based therapeutics, bringing together pharma executives, biotech researchers, and clinical development leaders. Covers R&D breakthroughs, manufacturing scale-up, and regulatory pathways for mRNA technologies in Europe. Relevant for biotech startups working on next-generation mRNA platforms and delivery systems.

The Night of Ideas (La Nuit des Idées) is an annual global event organized by French cultural institutions, featuring free talks and debates on contemporary issues, held in London at the Institut français.

Startup festival at the University of Tartu Sports Hall with 3,500+ attendees, 350+ investors, and 400+ startups. Includes the sTARTUp Pitching competition (often with a EUR 300k+ syndication pool) and Brella-powered 1:1 matchmaking.

Conference and expo in London focused on sustainability challenges in the food and drink industry, covering supply-chain transparency, alternative proteins, and circular packaging. Brings together food manufacturers, retailers, and impact investors. Strong for food-tech and climate-tech startups targeting the UK consumer market.

Conference in Amsterdam focused on artificial intelligence, organized by Startup Network Europe. Brings together AI founders, researchers, and enterprise buyers for talks on applied ML, generative AI, and responsible AI deployment. Valuable for AI startups seeking early customers and visibility in the Dutch tech ecosystem.

One-day insurtech and digital finance conference in Paris focused on insurance transformation, cybersecurity, and AI-driven underwriting. Brings together insurance executives, brokers, and technology providers. Valuable for insurtech startups building claims automation, risk analytics, and digital distribution platforms for the French insurance market.

Conference in Dublin bringing together AI innovators, researchers, and industry leaders to explore trends and applications in artificial intelligence. Covers enterprise AI deployment, responsible AI frameworks, and Ireland's growing role as a European AI hub. Valuable for AI startups seeking enterprise customers and research collaborations in the Irish market.

Conference on open source policy, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and open source community members to discuss current trends and future directions in Brussels.

Online fundraising and growth masterclass for Nordic founders, hosted by Tech Nordic Advocates. Covers investor targeting, pitch optimization, and balancing growth with capital efficiency. Features expert guidance and live Q&A sessions. Valuable for seed and Series A founders navigating the European venture capital landscape.