TechBBQ 2025: Big Moves and Bigger Ambitions

In an exciting move that marks a major leap for Scandinavia’s largest tech and startup event, we at TechBBQ recently announced our relocation to Bella Center Copenhagen in 2025. This expansion is a significant milestone, underscoring our vision to further grow and connect the European tech and startup ecosystem as we continue our upward growth trajectory since our inception in 2013.

This announcement follows the success of 2024 summit, held on September 11 and 12 in the heart of Copenhagen, at our former venue, the historic Lokomotivværkstedet, where we welcomed over 8,000 attendees from more than 50 countries. Across two dynamic days, industry leaders, forward-thinking founders, risk-willing investors, politicians, media, community, and tech enthusiasts gathered once more to discuss and share the latest trends and insights, as well as to network, and celebrate startup successes.

Our event continues to attract growing international attention, currently 30% of all attendees are from outside of Denmark, making the upcoming move a strategic necessity to accommodate this heightened global interest.

This year, we hosted an impressive lineup of international speakers, including Ben Rhodes, Senior Advisor at the Obama Foundation; Chelsea Manning, American activist and whistleblower; Adam Cheyer, co-founder of Siri; Larry Madowo, International Correspondent at CNN; Dr. Wizdom Powell, Chief Purpose Officer at Headspace; Ed Westwick, actor, producer and investor, and Geoff Ralston, former President of Y Combinator. We were also thrilled to feature prominent Danish speakers, such as Jeppe Rindom, co-founder and CEO of the Danish unicorn Pleo.io; feminist activist, writer, and gender policy consultant Emma Holten; and Rasmus Munk, Head Chef and co-owner of the renowned restaurant Alchemist.

In addition to our incredible lineup of speakers, we hosted a series of startup competitions – an essential part of our mission – celebrating ambitious founders who are developing innovative new businesses. We also had dedicated tracks in Life Sciences and UrbanTech to spotlight two key sectors in the Danish and Nordic regions.

Moreover, we hosted specially designed, curated events for partners, speakers, media, and investors to ensure they received exceptional care. Investors, in particular, play a crucial role in the startup and tech ecosystem, so we offered exclusive gatherings tailored to their needs. Notably, the Nordic Investor Day and LP Forum brought together over 1,100 institutional investors and alternative fund managers from Northern Europe, alongside 70+ international speakers with a dedicated investor program of its own. Attendees included LPs, family office leaders, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, foundations, fund-of-funds, and high-net-worth individuals.

In 2025, we will be repeating the above as well as exploring further projects and important verticals that we can implement and showcase to accommodate the bigger space available at Bella Center Copenhagen.

An exciting part of the week where TechBBQ summit takes place, is that most of our partners and the startup community in general, again will host their own side events in the days leading up to, during and after the summit, making TechBBQ a catalyst for innovation. Truly, the entire community comes together, joining forces for entrepreneurship.

Scaling TechBBQ to New Heights

As we embark on this new chapter, it represents an opportunity to host a more impactful event.

With the new venue’s capacity of up to 30,000 attendees, our organization plans to scale our summit significantly, aiming for 10,000 participants in 2025 and then reach 12,000 in subsequent years. This expansion will ensure TechBBQ remains a cornerstone in connecting European tech and startup players while maintaining the intimate, down-to-earth vibe and collaborative spirit that sets it apart from other large-scale startup and tech summits such as TNW, The Tech Arena, Slush, and the biggest of them all in Europe, Web Summit.

Moving to Bella Center Copenhagen allows us to dream bigger. With this transition, we are positioning ourselves as a true global hub for tech, startup, and entrepreneurship, and we are incredibly excited to welcome even more international attendees in the coming years.

An Ambitious Organization with a Global Vision

Founded as a grassroots initiative, TechBBQ has grown into a powerhouse for Nordic and European tech and startups. Our mission remains clear: to foster innovation, nurture new ideas, facilitate meetings between peers, and provide a fertile ground for collaborations that can drive positive impact.

Our organization, now run by a dedicated team of 30 full-time employees and hundreds of passionate volunteers in the months leading up to the summit, is committed to expanding our reach and internationalization, while staying true to our roots as a community-focused event.

This growth would not have been possible without the support of strategic partners and generous backers, including the Danish Industry Foundation, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Realdania, as well as corporate giants like Google, Microsoft, EIFO, and Danske Bank. These partnerships have enabled TechBBQ to become a pivotal platform that facilitates meaningful connections and showcases Denmark’s potential as a tech and entrepreneurial powerhouse.

Bella Center Copenhagen: A Venue Fit for the Future

Located in the Ørestad district, between Copenhagen’s vibrant city center and the airport, Bella Center Copenhagen is one of the largest and most accessible convention centers in Scandinavia. With its modern facilities, the venue is ideally suited for an event of TechBBQ’s caliber. Its strategic location will enhance the experience for international guests, making travel and accommodations significantly more convenient.

Bella Center Copenhagen offers a world-class infrastructure that matches our ambition. It’s more than just a larger space; it’s a venue that provides the flexibility and resources needed to cater to our diverse and growing community of stakeholders.

Fueling Denmark’s Ambitions as an Entrepreneurial Hub

Our move to a larger, more corporate and established, venue reflects the broader narrative of Denmark’s emergence as a magnet for tech talent and startups. Copenhagen, consistently ranked as one of the most innovative cities in the world, according to the Global Innovation Index (GII), has cultivated an environment ripe for tech-driven solutions and investments.

In light of this, TechBBQ’s expansion aligns with the city’s – and the region’s – ambitions to solidify its position as a leading entrepreneurial hub. Denmark, and especially Copenhagen, is one of the top locations in the world for innovation and investments, due to its world-class research culture, IT infrastructure, highly skilled talent pool, and one of the best and easiest places to set up a business.

The Past and Future of TechBBQ

Since our founding in 2013, TechBBQ has had a profound impact on the Nordic startup landscape, facilitating collaborations between founders and venture capitalists that have led to successful ventures and groundbreaking innovations. By providing both a physical and digital platform for ideas to flourish and connections to evolve into partnerships, TechBBQ has played a key role in driving economic growth and creating social impact within Danish society.

Each year, the summit addresses pressing topics shaping the tech landscape, from artificial intelligence and green technology to mental health and the future of work. The 2025 event, scheduled for August 27 and 28, will continue this tradition, while expanding the conversation to a larger, more international audience.

As organizers, we are optimistic and confident about the transition to the new venue, backed by years of experience in hosting large-scale events and an extensive network within the global tech and startup communities.

Anticipating the Next Era of Innovation

As we prepare to embrace this exciting next phase in our journey, the anticipation is palpable. Moving to Bella Center Copenhagen is not just about scaling the event, but about deepening its impact and reach of the summit. With a steadfast commitment to inclusivity, diversity, equity, innovation, and fostering meaningful connections, TechBBQ is poised to continue shaping the future of technology and entrepreneurship in Europe.

Copenhagen’s tech and startup ecosystem is buzzing with possibilities, and TechBBQ’s growth is a testament to the city’s – and the region’s – dynamic potential. As thousands of tech leaders and startup enthusiasts turn their attention to 2025, one thing is clear: the best is yet to come!

Finally, we are incredibly proud of the strides we’ve made in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in 2024. With over 350 speakers across five main stages, 51+% of whom were women and non-binary, we remain committed to maintaining this high standard in the years to come.

Long live the TechBBQ spirit.