Guide
How to choose which AI investment conferences to attend
Choose AI investment events by how many active investors at your stage attend, not by size. Score each event on Investor Density, stage fit and sector fit, plan around pitch deadlines, and use side events for meetings.
Pick events by who will be in the room, not by how big the event is. A curated dinner with a dozen partners who invest at your stage is worth more than an expo with thousands of attendees and no one who can write a check.
1. Start from your goal
- Raising in the next six months: prioritize events rated 4–5 for Investor Density and pitch competitions or demo days that match your stage.
- Selling to enterprises: prioritize events with corporate buyers, even if Investor Density is lower.
- Hiring or recruiting co-founders: technical conferences often beat investor events.
2. Match stage and sector
Check the stage focus and sectors on each event listing. A growth-stage summit rarely helps a pre-seed company, and a general AI event may have few investors in your vertical.
3. Plan around deadlines
Pitch slots, demo day applications and accelerator cohorts close weeks before the event. Watch the Deadline column on the calendar and the Closing soon section of the newsletter.
4. Use the side events
Much of the real work happens at dinners, breakfasts and roundtables around a major conference. They are smaller, and easier to get meetings at.
5. Book meetings before you arrive
Aim to have most of your meetings confirmed before the event starts. Use the attendee list, speaker list and your network, then use hallway time for serendipity.
A simple scoring rule
For each candidate event, score Investor Density (1–5), stage fit (0–2) and sector fit (0–2). Go to events scoring 7 or more; skip those under 5 unless there is a specific person you need to meet.