Are Big Tech Conferences Worth It?

November 10, 2025

Are Big Tech Conferences Worth It?

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There was a time when I lived for this week in November.

Lisbon in autumn. The buzz of +70,000 people. The swirl of ideas, startups, investors, and media. Web Summit week was always circled in red on my calendar, blocked off months in advance. For a long time, it was one of the few constants in my professional life.

I’m not there this year.

It feels strange to write that. I still remember my first Summit back in 2017, just after the conference moved from Dublin to Lisbon. Montenegro wasn’t well connected then (to be honest, it still isn’t), so getting to Portugal required creativity, patience, and a thick wallet. But I didn’t care.

I felt like a true pioneer back then, likely the only attendee from my country and one of a tiny handful from the Balkans. Walking into that enormous arena, seeing ambition pulse through every conversation, felt like crossing into a new dimension. It was exhilarating. Those rooms were electric. They gave me energy, exposure, and inspiration at a time when I needed all three.

But things change. We change.

And I’ve changed enough to recognise that the rooms that once expanded me now often leave me drained.

So, instead of boarding a flight to Lisbon this week, I’m sitting here reflecting on what those years taught me. These are universal lessons which I hope might help you, whether you’re leading a startup, scaling a company, or just figuring out which rooms deserve your energy next.

Takeaway 1: Is the Grand Scale for You?

Last year, I had an interesting opportunity to experience two very different worlds in the span of one week.

First came the ABSL Forum. It was a full house of C-level executives and senior leaders, where every conversation had weight. People weren’t trying to impress; they were trying to understand. We could go deep and talk about the real challenges leaders face, sustainability, people, systems, strategy… We could build relationships that actually have substance. The intimacy allowed for honesty. The conversations didn’t evaporate when the name badges came off.

Then, immediately after, came Web Summit.

A sea of people and so many things happening at once that it was impossible to focus. Every few seconds, another talk, another booth, another invitation. It’s thrilling for a while, but the noise is relentless. After two days, my brain felt like a browser with a hundred tabs open.

At some point, I realised I wasn’t finding much meaning there anymore. It felt like a lot of talk, non-stop pitching, a lot of movement, but honestly not much substance. What once felt visionary now feels, at least to me, hyper-commercial and profit-driven.

Still, that doesn’t make one better than the other in general. It just means these two types serve for different purposes.

If your business depends on visibility, getting users, testing your idea, attracting investors, etc., then a big event like Web Summit can be worth it. It’s a place to test the waters, to be seen, to practice your story at scale.

But if your focus is building deep partnerships, exchanging ideas, or growing your leadership, smaller curated gatherings will give you far more. You’ll meet people who actually have time to listen, and you’ll leave with conversations that stay with you.

I’ve chosen to skip Web Summit this year. I’m no longer aligned with that constant sales energy, and I don’t find meaning in attending just to be seen. Unless I’m invited to speak or contribute intentionally, it’s not the right room for me anymore.

Before you commit to any major event, take a quiet moment to ask yourself:

What purpose would you truly be fulfilling by attending? Is it exposure, learning, connection, or contribution?
What specific benefits could you gain? What would you be sacrificing?
Are there alternatives that might bring you closer to what you actually need right now?

Your answers will tell you more than any agenda or ticket price ever could.

Takeaway 2: Pick Your Role

I thought a bit about the role we choose to play at big conferences and how much that choice shapes the entire experience. The game looks completely different depending on whether you’re attending as a speaker, exhibitor, investor, or simply as a participant wandering the halls.

For founders and leaders, clarity here matters more than anything else.

If you’re early in your entrepreneurial journey, attending can be exciting and genuinely useful. You’ll absorb trends, meet people, and start building visibility. It’s a great way to practise your story as every conversation is, in some way, a mini-pitch. But without a clear intention, it’s easy to drift. You might collect dozens of contacts and still come home wondering what it all added up to.

Running a booth is a very different experience, and a serious commitment. It’s both an investment of money and energy. You pay for the space, then design the stand, print materials, bring the team, manage logistics. Done right, it can pay off in visibility and credibility, especially if your product is ready for market. But it only works if you’ve done your groundwork: researching who will be there, pre-booking meetings, and knowing exactly what outcomes you’re chasing. Without that, you’ll spend more than you gain, both in euros and in energy. If you are opting for this, I have put together a list of tips a while ago but it should help you get the most out of your time at any future conferences or tech events.

Speaking is another level entirely. It’s not about consumption; it’s about contribution. You’re shaping the conversation instead of chasing it. It’s also one of the most powerful ways to build thought leadership and signal maturity in your field. But those invitations don’t come easily. They’re earned through experience, credibility, and time. If you’re not there yet, focus on building the substance that will make your future talks worth listening to.

Even volunteering has its own quiet value. It won’t directly build your business, but it will give you a front-row seat to how these ecosystems function. You’ll learn how speakers, investors, and organisers interact. Consider it as a kind of insider education that can shape how you show up later.

Whatever role you choose, the key is alignment. Be honest about your stage, your resources, and your purpose.

Takeaway 3: Rethinking Partnerships and Success

If there’s one conversation that always dominates big events like Web Summit, it’s about funding — who’s investing, who’s raising, who just closed another round.

After years of watching these dynamics up close, I’ve realised that not all capital is created equal.

Money always comes with a mindset attached.

Some investors bring mentorship, networks, and a genuine desire to help you build something meaningful. Others bring pressure to scale faster, chase valuations, and prioritise short-term profit over long-term purpose. Once an investor is in, they have a seat at your table, and more often than not, a voice in how you run your business.

That’s why the real question isn’t “Can I raise money?” but “Who am I inviting into my vision?”

Remember that entrepreneurship has never been about chasing money for its own sake. It’s about solving real problems and doing that so well that money naturally follows. Profit is a byproduct of purpose executed with integrity.

The right investor or partner should share that belief. They should amplify your mission, not pull you away from it. They don’t have to agree with everything you say, but they should respect what you stand for. Because capital without alignment eventually becomes a cost to your culture, your focus, or your peace of mind.

So when you’re standing in those fast-moving conference conversations, slow down. Don’t just ask, Can they fund me? Ask, Can they walk beside me?

If the answer doesn’t feel like a whole-hearted yes, trust that instinct. The right investor won’t rush you. The right partner will share your sense of purpose.

Takeaway 4: The “Other“ Playground

If there’s one thing I’ll always love about Web Summit week, it’s Lisbon itself. The city comes alive in a way that’s hard to describe.

Every bar, restaurant, and miradouro turns into a meeting space. Conversations spill into the streets, and you can bump into the most interesting people in the most unexpected places.

That serendipity is priceless. But it doesn’t just happen; you have to create the conditions for it.

If you’re attending, take the time to plan your “off-expo” play. Look up side events, reach out to people you’d genuinely like to meet, and set up coffees or walks. Give yourself space to wander, too. Some of the best connections come from unplanned encounters.

But – and this is important – protect your energy. Don’t try to do it all. You don’t need to attend every talk, every party, every opportunity. Leave room to breathe.

Remember that the point isn’t to collect experiences; it’s to absorb the ones that matter.

One Last Thing

If you’re in Lisbon now, I hope you have an incredible week. May you find the right rooms, the ones that energise and inspire you rather than drain you.

But if, like me, you’re beginning to outgrow certain spaces, don’t feel guilty. It’s not a loss, it’s a sign of growth. We evolve, and the rooms we belong in evolve with us.

You don’t have to keep showing up where your energy no longer belongs. The courage to step away is often what makes space for the next chapter that fits the person and the leader you’re becoming.

In the end, entrepreneurship, leadership, impact, aren’t just about attending the right events or meeting the right people. It’s about knowing yourself well enough to choose where you invest your time, your attention, and your presence.

So whether you’re walking into Web Summit or staying home to build quietly, do it with intention. Be in the rooms that feel alive. Contribute where you can add value. And trust that the opportunities meant for you will find their way.

If you know someone who might benefit from reading this article, please feel free to pass it along. Knowing it lands somewhere meaningful makes the effort of writing all the more worthwhile.