It’s not easy being a startup. Even if you have the best product or service on the planet, you’re dead in the water without the right marketing plan. That plan should include attending some of the top startup festivals to interact, meet investors, pitch your startup in order to win prizes, and to get your feet wet. If you’ve just launched a startup, here are some festivals happening this summer that you really can’t afford to miss.

1. The International Startup Festival: this festival happens every year in Montreal, Canada. This is an outdoor event (with some inside stages) that has been created just for startups. You can purchase a table ticket that will allow you to set up a small booth, or just attend in order to see what’s happening in the startup world and listen to some very prominent startup speakers. This is a fun event with a beautiful setting that’s also an ideal first event for any new startup. The International Startup Festival happens from July 9 to July 12 this year – see more information here.
2. Lean Startup Machine: this festival takes place in San Francisco from July 26-28. This three-day workshop will help new startups learn how to take off, build a business, and understand the essentials of running a successful startup. The tips given during this festival are invaluable, and the whole thing is centered on mingling with fellow startups. You can try to snag a last minute ticker here, but I’d hurry up if you want to set up a table or become a more integral part of this event.
3. TechCrunch Disrupt: if you are running a tech startup, Disrupt is where you’ll want to go to mingle, learn, and pitch. Disrupt happens in September this year in San Francisco (and in October in London). Out of all the festival and shows set up for the sole purpose of helping startups, Disrupt is where many startups connect with investors and really start to launch. To learn more about Disrupt, make sure to look at the official site here.
Standing Out At a Conference
It can be really hard to stand out at a startup conference that is packed with people trying to get investor and media attention. If you are able to purchase a table or booth ticket for any of the events listed above (or if you plan on getting up on stage and pitching), make sure that you are backed by some materials and interactive displays that work and stand out. Otherwise, it’s going to be tough to pitch your business amidst thousands of other startups all talking at once and trying to gain some attention.
Here’s where we can help. We build custom trade show displays and exhibits of any kind for any type of business. So, whether you are building an app that will change the world, or whether you are creating a local food platform that will feed hungry mouths, we want to help you get the attention that you deserve. Our expert design team will work with your startup to create the vision that you have in mind from your logo to any kind of interactive trade show display San Francisco that you’d like to see. We’ve also attended our fair share of conferences, so feel free to ask us about any aspect of a conference that you want to know more about.
Your First Time
Attending your first startup festival or conference can feel a bit intimidating. You may be wondering if you’re ready to launch when you see all of the people at the same event. But, rest assured that most of those other startups are just as nervous as you are. The trick is to relax, try and view any experience as a learning experience, and connect with as many people as you can – but don’t force it. Even if you just kick back and observe, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by attending any of these events.
The first event on this list to kickoff is the International Startup Festival in Montreal, so make sure to grab your tickets to this amazing event as soon as possible. And, remember, we can help you with any trade show displays or display booths that you have in mind when it comes to your booth, display booths, on stage pitch setup, or anything else that you need, so give us a call!