For fast-growing companies, staying ahead of the curve is more important than ever. You can do that by attending industry conferences. Attending conferences gives you a chance to learn about the latest trends, network with potential investors and partners, and get inspired
The problem is, there are so many conferences to choose from — it’s hard to figure out which is right for you. For your convenience, here are the 25 must-attend conferences for high-growth companies in 2024.
1. Ernst and Young: Entrepreneur Of The Year
Since 1986, Ernst & Young (EY) has sponsored the Entrepreneur of the Year program to recognize entrepreneurs who lead successful businesses and create growth and economic success. As entrepreneurs unlock their ambitions, the program connects them and supports them along the way.
Every June, 17 regional award programs in the U.S. select the winners of their regional awards. National finalists and award winners are announced at the Strategic Growth Forum® the following November — in 2024, this will take place November 13-16. Following the National competition, the overall winner represents the US at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year® competition
Furthermore, the Strategic Growth Forum US is the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth businesses. The event is attended by investors, CEOs, senior executives, and C-suite executives worldwide. The individuals who attend keynotes, panels, and meetings will expand their networks and fuel economic growth.
Among the highlights attendees can look forward to are:
- The fastest way to grow your business
- Discover how to raise capital in the strategic transaction market
- Identifying potential clients, investors, partners, and acquisition targets through networking
- Get inspired by entrepreneurs who are changing the world
FYI, Applications for Entrepreneur of the Year must be submitted by March 1, 2024
2. SXSW (South by Southwest)
SXSW is an annual festival and conference in Austin, Texas, that combines music, film, and interactive media
Since its founding in 1987, it has grown in scope and size. For example, there were ten days of conferences in 2017, with five days dedicated to interactive tracks, seven days to music, and nine days to film
There’s nothing like SXSW to learn about the latest tech, film, and music trends. Plus, you can network with other entrepreneurs
Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates have been among the biggest names in the tech industry to speak at SXSW. Aside from that, Twitter and Foursquare debuted at SXSW, and Bitcoin was the hottest topic in 2014
Overall, there are tons to discover at SXSW 2024 in Austin from March 8-16
3. World Business Forum
At this world-famous event, renowned figures discuss the most relevant topics for today’s business leaders from within and outside this industry. Several themes will be explored, including management, talent, high performance, and leadership, of course. Among this year’s speakers are Francis Ford Coppola, Stephen M.R. Covey, and Anne Chow
By attending, you’ll be able to:
- Boost your visibility, awareness, and positioning
- Achieve unprecedented growth through business acquisitions and prospecting
- Become a thought leader in your industry to increase executive visibility
- The ability to access a network of more than 2,000 senior executives from a variety of fields
The World Business Forum takes place at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC
on October 23 & 24
4. Collision Conference Growth Summit
Companies experiencing rapid growth are invited to participate in Collision Conference’s Growth Summit. During the summit, entrepreneurs and CEOs share their experiences and advice about running a high-growth business. This summit promises to expose you to unicorns in the making, as well as help you:
- Get to know their mistakes, challenges, and how they succeeded by scaling operations correctly
- Find out how you can secure startup funding in this new economic landscape by exploring the ins and outs
- Adapting is the key to growth
- What can be done to make a positive impact beyond the bottom line?
The Growth Summit will be held from June 17-20 at the Enercare Centre in Toronto
5. Startup Grind Global Conference
Founded in 2010, Startup Grind was created by Derek Andersen and a few friends to solve a problem: starting a business. Clearly, these obstacles exceeded their expectations as soon as they realized how big they were. More than 4 million startups are on Startup Grind in 600 cities and 125 countries.
Moreover, Startup Grind’s Global Conference is a renowned startup conference. The event is held annually and is available online or in person. Investors and entrepreneurs of all sizes are invited to meet and exchange ideas with startups.
Past speakers have included Eric Schmidt (Alphabet), Biz Stone (Twitter), Emily Chang (Bloomberg), Marc Andreessen (Andreessen Horowitz), Stewart Butterfield (Slack), and Eric Yuan (Zoom).
The 2024 edition will take place on April 23 & 24 in Silicon Valley.
6. DigiMarCon Global Conference & Exhibition Series
With in-person events in 40 cities worldwide across 18 countries annually, as well as an international cruise and hundreds of virtual events, DigiMarCon is the largest Digital Marketing, Media, and Advertising Conference and Exhibition Series in the world.
But what can you expect? DigiMarCon lets you network with marketing professionals and leaders in a hygienic and safe setting. You will also have the opportunity to hear from some of the most audacious and thought-provoking speakers in the advertising, media, and digital marketing industries
As a result of attending, you will have access to emerging strategies, the newest technologies, and best practices for moving your business forward, as well as networking with thought leaders, collaborating with peers, and building your professional network
For more details about upcoming DigiMarCon Conferences and Exhibitions worldwide, visit DigiMarCon Events
7. TechCrunch Disrupt
Founded in 2011, TechCrunch Disrupt is an annual technology conference organized by TechCrunch, an online technology publication. In addition to speakers, panels, and workshops, Disrupt offers a showcase for startups at an early stage. A startup company exhibition is also part of the conference, allowing attendees to learn about and invest in these companies.
Among the most well-known technology conferences in the world, TechCrunch Disrupt is one of the most prominent. Getting exposure for your startup, learning about new trends in technology, and networking with other entrepreneurs are all great benefits you can take advantage of at this event.
I highly recommend attending TechCrunch Disrupt if you are an entrepreneur or are interested in technology. Not only will you learn a ton, but you’ll also meet cool people and have a blast.
The 2024 conference will occur on October 28-30 in San Francisco.
8. EntreLeadership Summit
The EntreLeadership Summit, which personal finance expert Dave Ramsey hosts annually, is a 4-day leadership event designed to inspire and equip people to lead. In 2024, the summit will be held in Dallas, Texas, from April 21-24
This summit provides a world-class experience designed to refresh and reenergize leadership capabilities. Among those attending are business owners and leaders managing between two and two hundred employees. As a result, this event is ideal for business leaders who want to expand their thinking with top keynote speakers.
This year, you’ll learn how to truly invest in your people and maximize your personal growth with lectures from the likes of bestselling authors Patrick Lencioni and James Clear, hall of fame coach Coach K, first female T-14 Tomcat fighter pilot Carey Lorenz, and Dave Ramsey himself.
9. MassChallenge U.S. Early Stage Accelerator
The MassChallenge is dedicated to accelerating transformative technologies in business, fintech, and science. To launch and accelerate their business, it connects entrepreneurial talent with resources and organizations. With a remarkable $9B+ in funding, MassChallenge has empowered more than 4500 startups since 2010
Attendees will form valuable connections, connect with like-minded founders, and work closely with a dedicated lead mentor. Also, there’s a chance to win a share of $1M+ in no-equity grants at the RESOLVE Awards event in February.
Several industry-specific 1–2-day events occur throughout the year, including a program kickoff in Boston (July 9-12) and a program wrap in Dallas (Sep 23-26)
10. Dreamforce
In 2003, Dreamforce hosted its first conference with just 1,000 attendees. Since then, more than 170,000 people have attended the conference worldwide. Additionally, Dreamforce is hosted by B2B tech titan Salesforce, one of the world’s largest software conferences
The Dreamforce conference is a four-day event full of inspiration, fun, and education. Every year, thousands of attendees attend the event, which features keynote speakers from around the world. At the conference, you will find:
- Keynote speeches
- Panel discussions
- Networking opportunities
- Product demos
- Hands-on training sessions
- Exhibit hall featuring Salesforce’s and its partners’ products and services
Dreamforce 2024 will be in San Francisco from September 17-19, 2024. You can also watch it on Salesforce+ Live
11. Web Summit
Lisbon, Portugal, hosts an annual technology conference known as Web Summit. Originally held in Dublin, Ireland, Web Summit was founded by Paddy Cosgrave, David Kelly, and Daire Hickey in 2009. However, the company now also hosts Web Summit Rio in Rio de Janeiro, Web Summit Qatar in Doha, Collision in Toronto, and RISE in Hong Kong
The mission of Web Summit is to build software that facilitates meaningful connections between CEOs, founders, investors, media, politicians, and cultural figures. It is estimated that 70,236 people from 153 countries attended Web Summit 2023, including 2,608 startups
The latest trends in technology, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, can be found at the Web Summit. Moreover, you can network, meet potential investors, and learn about entrepreneurship and starting a company here
The 2024 event will take place November 11-14 at the Altice Arena in Lisbon
12. Gartner Digital Workplace Summit
Regarding remote or hybrid working at work, the Gartner Digital Workplace Summit is paving the way. In this program, you will have the opportunity to participate in over 50 hours of Gartner research specifically designed to help you meet the challenges of the digital workplace, such as:
- Collaborate to lead. Developing a digital workplace program requires the support and encouragement of all leaders, not just those in IT.
- Utilize advanced technology. To be successful in today’s and tomorrow’s workplaces, advanced digital workplace technology must be harnessed and educated.
- Improve infrastructure and operations. To thrive in today’s digital work environment, you need strong infrastructure and operational support.
- Engage your audience through digital experiences. Leaders must prioritize each team member’s role within an organization to manage a digital workplace. effectively
- Invest in the future of work. To stay ahead of emerging digital workplace trends and shape its growth, digital workplace leaders should implement a comprehensive strategy.
The Gaylord Texan Hotel & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, will host Gartner’s Digital Workplace Summit on March 18-19, 2024. On June 10 and 11, 2024, the summit will also take place in London, UK.
13. MIT $100,000 Pitch
In 2011, this contest replaced the $100K MIT Executive Summary Contest. Every year, Cambridge, Massachusetts, hosts the MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition. The competition connects entrepreneurs with venture capitalists, mentors, prototyping funds, and more
To apply, you must create a 90-second video pitching your idea. A panel of judges will decide which top finalists will pitch live after entrants have been narrowed down
There are two ways to submit: one by an individual and one by a team. All members of the team don’t need to be enrolled at MIT full-time or part-time, but at least one must be
Between September and May, three increasingly intense contests in the $100K Entrepreneurship Competition are PITCH, ACCELERATE, and LAUNCH. Winners and finalists will each receive $100,000 as a grand prize. You can also enter for free. Moreover, you will be able to connect with Boston-based entrepreneurs
14. Traffic & Conversion Summit
With new technologies funneling prospects to clients, marketing, sales, and leadership teams can take advantage of the Traffic & Conversion Summit to learn about new channels and sales models. During this jam-packed session, you’ll learn about the evolving digital landscape and be able to take home key, actionable content
Founders, startups, and agencies can attend the summit in person or virtually. Business owners will gain valuable insight into the field, learn how to network with others, and receive practical tips for growing their company
Although the 2024 summit has already passed, you can reserve your tickets at the lowest price for next year’s event at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, on January 14-16
15. Future of Everything Summit
The Future of Everything Summit, which the Wall Street Journal organizes, has hosted some high-profile speakers in the past, including Michelle Obama and Micheal Kors. The 2024 festival will take place at Spring Studios in New York City from May 21-23
Aside from the many speakers, the festival includes interactive workshops and unscripted interviews that explore emerging trends and how they affect our lives, work, and play. There’s also a chance to mingle with your peers during happy hour and a day of giving back
Overall, as the WSJ’s biggest event of the year, the festival showcases innovation in technology, business, and culture
16. Inbound
HubSpot’s annual Inbound conference is for marketing, sales, and business leaders. This three-day conference focuses on the latest trends and strategies in marketing, sales, and artificial intelligence.
INBOUND provides leaders with the opportunity to:
- Build meaningful connections through networking events
- Take part in sessions led by global icons
- Take part in workshops hosted by industry leaders
- Discuss, learn, and share ideas
Among the 11 speakers at the 2023 INBOUND conference were Reese Witherspoon, Andrew Huberman, Steven Bartlett, Derek Jeter, Guy Raz, Morgan Debaun, Kim Scott, Dr Yvette Noel-Schure, and others.
Besides offering an Inbound Marketing Course, HubSpot Academy also provides an Inbound Marketing Course. In this course, users learn how to tailor experiences and content to attract, engage, and delight their audiences
The 2024 conference will take place in Boston on September 18-20
17. Startupfest
In addition to being Canada’s original startup event, Startupfest is one of the world’s must-attend conferences for entrepreneurs. In particular, Startupfest is a highly anticipated and exciting annual festival that celebrates entrepreneurship and innovation in Montreal from July 10-12, 2024
Over the course of three days, entrepreneurs, startup enthusiasts, investors, and industry experts from around the world will gather at the festival. Among the key features of Startupfest are Tent Village, AcceleratorFest, Investor Match-Ups, Startup Demo Zone, and a $100K prize pool. Attending offers a unique opportunity to establish a presence on the market as the main benchmark event for startups
18. Evolve Tech Conference
With its focus on information technology solutions, Trace3 has been an industry leader since 2002. In addition to their engineering expertise, they excel at bringing the latest technologies to market. You can experience this at Evolve through general sessions and intimate breakout sessions covering everything from employee engagement to sales strategies.
The Evolve IT leadership conference has been held annually since 2008 and offers participants the chance to form lasting partnerships, discover innovative solutions, and expand your organization’s capabilities. Throughout the conference, from the kickoff to the Outlier Award Gala, attendees will have endless opportunities to network with one another
The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas will host the event on September 11-13, 2024
19. LeadsCon
The Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas will host LeadsCon It, the world’s biggest conference and exhibition on lead generation, from April 8–10
Each year, LeadsCon attracts thousands of Fortune 1000 marketers, lead buyers, and procurement teams. Among the 25 main verticals that attend events are mortgage/lending, auto, healthcare, insurance, fintech, education, legal, home services, and retail. Moreover, speakers provide strategies for generating, nurturing, and converting quality leads within your organization.
During LeadsCon, sponsors and exhibitors will be able to:
- View previews of products and services
- Explore the exhibit hall
- Meet with solution providers
- Establish peer networks.
For those who cannot attend LeadsCon in Sin City, LeadsCon Connect offers a fall networking and education event. It will take at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, on September 24–25, 2024
20. SHRM Conference and Expo
Various industry experts and thought leaders will share their knowledge and expertise on managing and leveraging talent in a changing workplace at the SHRM Talent Conference & Expo 2024.
Taking place in Chicago, Illinois, from June 23-26, SHRM24 is considered the world’s biggest HR event. At the conference, you’ll learn how to embrace change, drive innovation, and advance your career. HR career possibilities, mentorship, and networking opportunities are also available. As part of the Expo, you will also be able to meet business partners showcasing a variety of HR-related products, services, technology, and solutions
21. Slush
Slush is all about creating a magical concentration of the world’s brightest entrepreneurs, investors, corporate professionals, and policymakers. This founder-centric event is here to help startups attract the attention of 1,700 investors representing nearly $1 trillion in assets under management.
There are hundreds of world-class entrepreneurs, investors, corporate professionals, and policymakers at Slush. Slush brings together the core of the startup ecosystem like no other event in the world.
The place to be if you want to connect with founders, startup operators, investors, media, or policymakers. In fact, during both days of Slush, 20,500 meetings were held at 300 tables. That’s over 800 meetings every hour!
Furthermore, Slush hosts hundreds of Side Events, from founder-investor networking events to underground parties and ice swimming competitions.
Slush takes place in Helinski, Finland, on November 20 and 21.
22. Social Innovation
Are you a leader hoping to make a positive social impact? For the thinkers, doers, and leaders who want to disrupt old models and scale that works, this is the place to be
Annually, this international conference welcomes tech revolutionaries, social entrepreneurs, and changemakers to exchange ideas and shape our future. Speakers in the past included Mark Cuban, Selena Gomez, Shaq, and former Citigroup Chairman and CEO Sandy Weill.
The event will occur June 4 and 5 at the JW Marriott Chicago.
23. TechBBQ
Thousands of startups, investors, corporates, and speakers will attend this truly large-scale event. Past speakers have included Des Traynor (CEO at Intercom), Kinga Stanislawska (Founder of European Women in VC), Chris Sacca (Chairman of Lowercase Capital), and one of TechBBQ’s founders Klaus Nyengaard (Partner at Nordic Makers). Even royalty has shown up, like King Frederik X when he was still Denmark’s Crown Prince.
You can expect a world-class event experience with world-class content and networking.
TechBBQ will take place September 11 – 12, 2024, in Copenhagen
24. Great Place to Work For All Summit
New Orleans will host the Great Place to Work For All Summit 2024, a company culture and leadership event. During the summit, over 1,500 leaders from over 500 companies will join to discuss creating exceptional workplaces.
In order to shape the future of workplace culture, the summit will be a catalyst for executive innovation, allowing participants to connect with peers and leaders. This year, keynote speakers include Arianna Huffington, Angela Duckworth, John O’Leary, and Mindy Kaling.
25. Startup OLÉ
Startup Olé connects startups, tech talent, investors, corporations, universities, and media with investors, corporations, and accelerators. Additionally, Startup Olé organizes business events to connect startups with serial entrepreneurs and investors who can serve as mentors for their startups.
In addition, Startup Olé has an Accelerator program that connects web entrepreneurs with mentors. Through the program, businesses can gain access to investors and serial entrepreneurs who can help them grow.
The Startup Olé 2024 event will take place in Salamanca, Spain, from October 8 to October 10, 2024. Among the attendees will be more than 1,500 startups, scaleups, and spin-offs, as well as more than 1,200 speakers and 300 investors
[Related: Top 20 Finance Conferences for 2024]
FAQs
What are the benefits of attending conferences for high-growth companies?
- Stay ahead of the curve. Keep up-to-date on industry trends, technologies, and strategies.
- Network with potential partners, investors, and customers. Become a part of a thriving network and establish valuable connections.
- Gain insights from industry experts. Join successful entrepreneurs and business leaders for workshops, panels, and keynotes.
- Boost employee morale and motivation. Bring learning, growth, and inspiration to your team.
How do I choose the right conferences for my company?
- Consider your industry and target audience. Make sure you choose conferences that cover topics relevant to your company.
- Look for speakers and sessions that align with your company’s goals. Look for conferences that offer sessions that address specific challenges or opportunities that you face.
- Compare costs and formats. Make sure you choose a conference that fits your budget and offers the experience you seek, like in-person, virtual, or hybrid.
- Read reviews and ask for recommendations. Find out what others thought of the conference from those who attended
How much do tickets cost?
Depending on the conference, you’ll pay anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.
What is included in the registration fee?
A conference registration usually includes access to all sessions, meals, and networking opportunities.
How does the cancellation policy work?
Depending on the conference, the cancellation policy may differ
What are the travel and accommodation options?
Conferences often offer travel and lodging discounts, but double-check with the organizers for exact information.
Featured Image Credit: Luis Quintero; Pexels
