Deep-tech founders don’t attend events. They use them. The founders who extract real value from the ecosystem don’t treat events as stages, they treat them as systems. Systems for testing their narrative with real stakeholders. For translating complex technology into outcomes that resonate. For understanding who actually needs what they’re building. Because in deep tech, traction often begins before the product is finished. And the right conversation at the right event, in the right room, can become a turning point. The question is never ‘should I attend?’ It’s ‘am I ready to use this?’
Below is the spring and summer 2026 calendar worth building a plan around.
May 2026
- EU-Startups Summit · 7–8 May · Valletta, Malta
One of Europe’s most intimate investor-facing startup events, with over 1,000+ startups competing for a €700k+ prize. Strong for visibility, pitch practice, and warm European investor introductions in a compact, high-energy format.
- ViennaUP · 18–22 May · Vienna, Austria
A city-wide startup and innovation festival spanning 65+ events: pitch sessions, hackathons, investor meets, and ecosystem immersion. Ideal for early-stage founders looking to build EU network depth across multiple verticals.
- Deep Tech Momentum (DTM26) · 20–21 May · Berlin, Germany
The invite-only benchmark for deep-tech in Europe. Connects top founders with leading VC funds and corporate innovators through curated 1:1s and a three-day bootcamp. A focused environment to test your narrative, meet capital, and calibrate your European positioning.
June 2026
- South Summit Madrid · 3–5 June · Madrid, Spain
A flagship global innovation platform co-organized with IE University. The Startup Competition selects 100 finalists from 4,500+ applications across 23 countries to pitch before international VCs and corporations. Deep Tech Forum, LP Forum, and AI-powered matchmaking make it one of the most deal-ready events in Europe.
- London Tech Week · 8–10 June · London, UK
Europe’s most influential technology gathering, with dedicated tracks for deep tech (space, robotics, materials, life sciences) alongside AI, quantum, and enterprise scale. A new Startup World format this year gives founders structured access to investors and enterprise leaders. 400+ speakers, significant UK and EU policy presence.
- Hello Tomorrow – Investor Day · 10 June · Amsterdam, Netherlands
A focused investor-facing day ahead of the Global Summit. High signal-to-noise format for founders at or approaching fundraising conversations.
- Hello Tomorrow Global Summit · 11–12 June · Amsterdam, Netherlands
The self-described ‘epicentre of deep tech’ now relocated to Amsterdam. Brings together 3,000+ attendees including 500+ investors, corporates, researchers, and founders tackling global challenges. Strong for cross-sector visibility and international partnerships.
- Hello Tomorrow – Financing the Future · 11 June · Amsterdam, Netherlands
A single-day deep dive into funding structures, EU mechanisms, and investment strategies for deep-tech ventures. Especially relevant for founders navigating the gap between grants and venture capital.
- Arctic15 · 11–12 June · Helsinki, Finland
A leading Nordic matchmaking event for startups and investors, with strong tracks in AI, digital health, and social impact. Values-based matching and a strong Nordics/Baltics investor presence make it high ROI for founders targeting the Northern European market.
- HLTH Europe · 15–18 June · Amsterdam, Netherlands
The leading European healthtech event, bringing together digital health innovators, hospital systems, pharma, and investors. Essential for founders building in life sciences, MedTech, or health data.
- Viva Technology (VivaTech) · 17–20 June · Paris, France
The largest tech and innovation event in Europe: 150,000+ participants, 2,000+ investors, under the high patronage of the French President. The 2026 edition deepens its focus on AI, climate, and deep tech. High visibility for international exposure and corporate partnership, especially with French institutions and EU grant ecosystems.
Late June and early July 2026
- Tech Tour Growth Health · 30 June – 1 July · Lausanne, Switzerland
A curated forum connecting growth-stage health and life sciences startups with specialist investors. Tight format, high investor density, strong focus on clinical validation and scale pathways.
- GITEX Europe · 30 June – 1 July · Berlin, Germany
GITEX’s European edition brings together deep-tech leaders across AI, quantum computing, robotics, and climate tech. Connects startups with research institutions and industry for technology transfer and scalable commercialisation opportunities. Berlin’s position as a deep-tech hub amplifies the surrounding ecosystem activity.
Start with the one closest to your next decision.
Whether you’re building in biotech, robotics, climate, AI, or advanced materials, the spring and summer of 2026 offers an unusually dense window of opportunity across Europe. The founders who prepare well don’t just attend. They convert.
And if you’re looking for a programme that connects deep-tech founders with funding, mentorship, and ecosystem access: Open Horizons Open Call #3 is open now until 19 May 2026 at 17:00 CEST. Last chance, don’t miss it