For founders in Eastern Europe, How to Web Conference offers every year an unusually concentrated few days. Over 250 investors are expected in Bucharest, alongside founders, potential customers, product leaders and the people building the region’s next companies. From October 6–8, the conference gives entrepreneurs several ways to make use of that gathering: arrange meetings, get direct feedback, study what other teams are building and take part in conversations that continue across the city after the stages close.
The investor presence is a strong reason to attend. Funds listed for this year include Atomico, Creandum, Eurazeo, Notion Capital, Credo Ventures, Cherry Ventures, OTB Ventures, 20VC, Dawn Capital, LAUNCHub and Inovo VC, among many others. For a founder who would otherwise need several trips to meet investors across Europe, the range of funds in one city changes what can be accomplished in a week.
First off - start arranging meetings before you arrive
How to Web Conference’s event app allows attendees to identify relevant people and request one-to-one meetings ahead of the conference. Founders should use it with a clear purpose: which funds invest at their stage, which companies could become customers or partners, and which operators have solved a problem their team is facing now. The conference has dedicated meeting areas, while the Expo Area, business spaces and evening events provide room for conversations that need more time.
There is a more structured route for early-stage companies, too. Dealflow connects approved startups with investors attending the conference, including founders who are building relationships ahead of a future raise. Approved startup ticket holders can be considered for matchmaking and for Accelerate Fundraising or Accelerate Sales, two focused programs offering feedback on the work behind a raise or a stronger sales process. Participation in those programs is selective, so founders interested in them should review the startup application before planning their schedule.
October 6 also opens with the Investors Summit, bringing together LPs, venture fund managers and angel investors to discuss capital and dealmaking in Eastern Europe. This is a private event and is reserved for LP, Angel Investor, Investor and Executive ticket holders. For founders, its presence sets the tone for the week: many of the people making investment decisions across the region will already be in Bucharest before the main conference begins - and to immerse founders into the experience, the Founders Networking Event on day zero is a recommended stop.
See what investors are responding to
On October 7 and 8, the conference moves across the Build & Grow, Startup and Focus stages, with workshops, roundtables and working sessions alongside the main program. The Startup Stage is particularly useful for founders who want to hear how investors and operators are thinking about defensibility, international growth and the changing conditions for building from Eastern Europe.
Spotlight adds an extra perspective. Twenty early-stage startups have been selected for the program, which combines pitching with mentorship, investor introductions and a presence in the exhibition area. Watching the pitches gives founders a close look at the companies emerging across the region and at how they explain their markets, products and ambitions in front of investors.
The broader agenda is useful preparation for those meetings. Ondrej Bartoš of Credo Ventures and Gosia Majczak of General Catalyst will discuss AI’s acceleration into 2027. Sessions on the Startup Stage examine new sources of defensibility in the AI era, paths to building global AI companies from CEE and whether AI can take on parts of the traditional go-to-market process. All of these (and many more) are live questions for founders deciding where to invest their time and how to explain what makes their company durable.
Work on the company, too
A founder could fill the whole conference with investor meetings, but the range of How to Web Conference is part of its value. The agenda covers product, engineering, marketing and sales, AI, and team leadership, so the person responsible for the pitch can also spend time on the decisions the pitch depends on.
Nesrine Changuel, a former product leader at Google and Spotify, will speak about building products people form a lasting connection with. Sander Nagtegaal of Unless will address the discipline of choosing what to build. Michał Kramarz of Google Cloud will examine the business return from enterprise AI, while sessions with Teodora Mușatoiu of OpenAI and Sara Maldon of Make bring the discussion closer to implementation. For startup teams, this mix provides an opportunity to compare their assumptions with the experience of multiple people working at very different scales, all at once.
Founders looking for customers have reasons to spend time beyond the startup program as well. The conference brings executives, technology teams and business development leaders into the same venue, with a Demo Area and Startup Showcase designed to put products in front of potential buyers and partners. A dedicated demo booth is an additional option for approved startups, while Spotlight semifinalists receive exhibition space through the program.
Keep room for the conversations around the conference
As always, How to Web Conference extends throughout the city. The side-event calendar includes founder gatherings, investor meetings, specialist sessions and evening events across Bucharest. Among those currently listed are a founders’ breakfast hosted by Underline, 3VC and Inovo, a session on how enterprises evaluate AI startups, and investor speed meetings. Some events have separate registration or limited access, so it is worth checking each listing before adding it to the calendar.
That is what makes the three days feel complete. A founder can come to Bucharest with a fundraising objective and leave with a clearer view of the market, product decisions to revisit, potential customers to follow up with and new peers across the region.
How to Web Conference 2026 takes place in Bucharest on October 6–8. Participants can review the agenda and apply for a 10% discounted ticket through the conference website.
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