A couple of years ago, when I was still a kid, I asked my dad why was he going to so many conferences when there was the Internet, and he could easily find clients there. He told me that, the majority of the clients he got, found his company via online search, but he also said that nothing beats personal contact. And as soon as I started my career, I began to understand what he meant.

At Visuality, we believe that as a tech company, we need to be present at the most important tech conferences. With this article, I’d like to show you the events in the nearest future that we believe you should seriously consider. Also, you will see why you should attend them in general.

Why you should be present at such events?

Networking

Witness the power of the face to face meeting! You don’t have to be a salesman during small talk. Talk about private stuff, your passions, and interests. If somebody likes you, he will be more interested to hear your proposal later.

Matching and pitching contests

If you want to get the funding, you should sign up for a pitching contest during which you will be able to present your idea and convince the judges. Another option you have is to participate in “speed dates” with investors. You sit down at a table and you have from usually only a couple of minutes to sell your product. Worth a try!

New technologies

If you are a tech company you need to know the trends. Observe carefully what’s hot. Maybe the service/product you might offer in the future will be based on the knowledge you gain on a tech conference.

Sattelite events

Work isn’t the only thing in life. Sign up for satellite/side events and share a cold one with people like you. You will get their business cards anyway, we know you just can’t resist.

Below, you will find the list of events we are definitely going to. See you there!

SLUSH HELSINKI

DECEMBER 4-5 2018

You might think that Helsinki is a cold place because of the harsh Scandinavian climate, and yes in December it’s quite cold there, but I guarantee you won’t even notice this when attending this conference. Slush is all about the vibe and the people. Pitching contests where young entrepreneurs present their visions, many stands with fascinating hi-tech products, delicious food - all this makes this event a must-have on each techy’s bucket list.

We've already participated in Slush. Here's what we think about it:

Good:

• International participants
• Companies on different stages of growth present
• Great networking events (satellite events)
• Database of startups (2500 records)
• Nice matching system

Bad:

• Slush is more “lifestylish” than factual
• Exhibition formula
• Relatively high price

Visuality recommends: Sign up for satellite events. It’s easier to meet nice people, share a drink and talk about your passions and work when it is less crowded. Of course, at some point, the bars are swarming with people, but it’s time to relax and have a good laugh with other open-minded people.

And what was your experience?

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST SXSW AUSTIN, USA

MARCH 8-17 2019

This event is older than the majority of people of Visuality ;) Founded in 1987 SXSW organizes conferences about film, music, and technology, so they take care of your professional growth and your soul too. You might consider going for the whole event as SXSW you can see concerts performed by stars like The Chainsmokers or Lady Gaga. If you have limited time, we recommend you take a closer look only at the tech part. Last year the event’s primary motive was the globalization and how the technology influences it. Self-driving cars, AI, machine learning, IoT, 5G network opportunities - if these sound familiar to you register as fast as you can.

GITEX Technology week Dubai, UAE

October 14-18 2018

Visuality visited Dubai last year in March for other events and meetings with the clients. We were astonished by Dubai’s cosmopolitan atmosphere. It’s still time to buy tickets and go to Dubai. Visit one of the most thriving cities known to man to witness the newest trends in technology. If you are from Europe or the United States, you will be shocked how many exciting tech companies emerged in GCC countries. If you’re from UAE or Saudi Arabia, you will probably say “Gitex? Why even talk about it, everybody knows it’s a must”. If you can’t attend GITEX this year, watch the materials they’ll share on Youtube.

Techcrunch Disrupt 2019 San Francisco, USA

October 2-4 2019

“If you’re going to San Francisco, make sure you wear flowers in your head...” as the song goes. Times have changed, there are no hippies on the streets of SF, but for sure you can find a bunch of hipsters, especially when Techcrunch is in town. This year it was held in September. We were watching this event closely online and decided with the team that will show up there next week. This event is especially useful for networking and meeting new people. The abundance of exhibitions, presentations, contests, etc. is so big, that if you’re a startup, you might consider buying attendee pass, and simply roaming around with your cool t-shirt on and talking to random people. Undoubtedly this event is for all that want to find the inspiration for their new products and for the company’s roadmap preparation.

These are the events we picked from a definitely long list of events that we would like to attend. What are your choices? Let me know in the comments or send me an email at m.krochecki@visuality.pl