19 High-Impact Conferences Every Founder Should Know About Before 2025 Ends
- Frantzces Lys
- Jul 10
- 9 min read
Whether you're pitching, learning, or simply showing up for your future, these are the gatherings that can shape how you close out the year.
Conference season can feel like a lot. The flights. The hotel costs. The voice in your head asking, “Is this really worth it?” The overwhelm is real.
But one conversation can shift everything. One moment of resonance can connect you to a collaborator, a future client, or someone who sees your work more clearly than you do. One idea can unlock a problem that’s quietly stalled your growth.
The second half of 2025 is full of opportunities to find those moments. These aren’t just stages and swag bags. These are rooms where funding, strategy, and aligned partnerships are actively happening and they’re built for founders like you.
This is your inside guide to the conferences that are actually worth your time, energy, and investment.
Conference Strategy That Actually Works
Before we dive into the list, let’s talk about how to make these moments count. Showing up isn’t enough. You need intention.
Before You Go:
Get clear on what you’re seeking: funding, partnerships, customers, talent, or perspective.
Research who’s attending. Know the room before you walk into it.
Polish your 30-second intro. You’ll use it more than you think.
Book early. The best events fill up fast.
Set a real budget, including room for unexpected dinners and follow-ups.
While You’re There:
Say yes to the side events. That’s where the real conversations happen.
Follow up the same day, while the energy is still fresh.
Capture insights in real time. Don’t rely on memory.
Share takeaways as you go. It builds trust and visibility.
Schedule next steps before you leave. Don’t lose momentum.
After the High Wears Off:
Send personal follow-ups within 48 hours. Keep it human, even if it’s templated.
Choose one insight to implement right away.
Turn strong connections into actual conversations.
Update your notes or CRM with names, context, and next steps.
Reflect on what worked and start planning what’s next.
Without further ado, here are 18 high-impact conferences every founder should know about before 2025 ends:
July 2025
1. Entrepreneurs on the Rise Expo
July 16, 2025 | Arlington, TX
Built for up-and-coming founders, this expo includes vendors, speakers, and space to pitch or soft-launch. It's designed for emerging founders who want to gain experience, get feedback, and build visibility in a supportive environment.
Why this matters: Perfect for early-stage founders looking to test ideas, practice pitching, and connect with other community-based entrepreneurs in a low-pressure setting.
This conference is currently postponed, mark your calendars for next year and follow DFW Network.
2. Women Impact Tech Accelerate (Virtual)
July 24, 2025 | Virtual
This virtual conference connects over 1,000 women engineers and leaders with organizations prioritizing diversity, innovation, and inclusion in tech across the West Coast. With 75% of attendees having 5+ years of experience and identifying as underrepresented in tech, it's a powerful platform for women founders to build networks and showcase technical innovation.
Why this matters: Perfect for tech founders who can't travel but need to connect with experienced women in engineering and product roles. The virtual format makes it accessible while maintaining the quality of connections.
August 2025
3. Powerhouse Women Conference
August 15–17, 2025 | Scottsdale, AZ
Three days in the desert focusing on what really matters: your mindset, your strategy, and your community. Powerhouse Women isn't about surface-level networking. It's about deep work. Personal leadership development meets high-level business strategy, with enough breathing room to actually process what you're learning.
Why this matters: You know that feeling when you're scaling but something feels off? This is where you figure out what that is. The intimate format means real conversations, not just business card exchanges.
4. Roadmap to Billions – Toronto
August 29–31, 2025 | Toronto, ON
Black Women Talk Tech took their magic international, and Toronto is the perfect testing ground for your global ambitions. This isn't just a conference. It's a masterclass in how Black women are building the next wave of billion-dollar companies.
Why this matters: If you're even thinking about international markets, this is your entry point. Plus, the Canadian startup ecosystem is having a moment, and you want to be in the room where it's happening.
September 2025
5. INBOUND by HubSpot
September 3–5, 2025 | San Francisco, CA
INBOUND is where marketing gets real. No fluff, just systems that scale, content that converts, and customer acquisition strategies that actually work. With 11 themed stages and thousands of growth-minded attendees, it's like a masterclass in sustainable business building.
Why this matters: If you're tired of throwing marketing tactics at the wall to see what sticks, this is where you get the blueprint. Real strategies from companies that are actually growing.
6. Create & Cultivate Small Biz Summit
September 2025 (TBA) | Virtual
If you're focused on brand growth, social media, and monetizing your creative vision, this summit delivers. Diverse speaker lineups, practical content, and pitch opportunities designed specifically for creative entrepreneurs, consultants, and product-based founders.
Why this matters: Perfect for founders building lifestyle brands or creative businesses who need actionable strategies for social media growth and brand partnerships.
Roadmap to Billions – NYC (Alternative September Date)
7. September 2025 (TBA) | NYC or Virtual
The flagship event for Black Women Talk Tech may have multiple dates in 2025. Built by and for Black women founders, expect high-impact panels, pitch competitions, and investors who are there to listen, not just speak. Many BGV alumni have attended or spoken here.
Why this matters: This is the conference that stays in BGV's orbit for a reason. The combination of community, funding opportunities, and proven track record makes it essential for Black women tech founders.
8. Women's Venture Summit
September 23–25, 2025 | San Diego, CA
This isn't just another women's conference. It's where funding actually happens. Stella's annual summit has facilitated over $200 million in fundraising for women-led companies. Investment leaders from 110+ women-led funds attend, plus you'll get insights from the SEC, Angel Capital Association, and Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. If you're ready to raise or start investing yourself, this is your ecosystem.
Why this matters: Real money, real connections. The track record speaks for itself, and the focus on both sides of the funding equation makes this invaluable for founders thinking beyond just raising capital.
October 2025
9. CultureCon
October 4–5, 2025 | Brooklyn, NY
Where creativity meets commerce and Black culture drives innovation. CultureCon is the largest creative festival for entrepreneurs building at the intersection of culture and business. Two days, 10,000+ creatives, 200+ speakers, and unlimited possibility. This isn't about networking. It's about finding your creative community and learning how to monetize your vision without compromising it.
Why this matters: If you're building a lifestyle brand, creative business, or anything that sits at the intersection of culture and commerce, this is your people. You'll leave with strategies for scaling creativity that don't drain your soul.
10. CultureMakers by Forbes The Culture
October 2025 (TBA) | Likely ATL or NYC
Where Black excellence meets innovation and ownership. You'll find founders, artists, investors, and culture-shifters all in the same room, often on the same stage. This is where the intersection of business, tech, and culture gets celebrated and monetized.
Why this matters: Perfect for founders building at the intersection of culture and commerce. The mix of creatives and investors creates unique partnership opportunities you won't find at
traditional business conferences.
ForbesBLK Summit
11. October 8–10, 2025 | Atlanta, GA
When Forbes puts its full weight behind Black entrepreneurship, you pay attention. Three days of high-level conversations about the future of Black business, featuring entrepreneurs who are scaling, executives who are leading, and investors who are funding the next wave. Past summits have included surprise $100 million investment announcements and Grammy-winning artists discussing business ownership.
Why this matters: This is Forbes legitimizing and amplifying Black entrepreneurship on a global scale. The mix of entertainment moguls, tech founders, and corporate executives creates partnership opportunities you won't find anywhere else.
12. Roadmap to Billions – NYC
October 5–6, 2025 | New York, NY
The flagship returns to the biggest stage. Times Square. Because Black Women Talk Tech isn't playing small anymore. 500+ founders, investors, and game-changers in one room. This move to Manhattan isn't just about location; it's about visibility, influence, and claiming the space we've always deserved.
Why this matters: This is where funding happens. Where partnerships are born. Where the next billion-dollar ideas get the backing they need. The track record speaks for itself. Attendees have raised millions after these events.
13. AfroTech Conference
October 27–31, 2025 | Houston, TX
Five days. Six stages. 200+ companies actively recruiting. AfroTech isn't just a conference. It's a cultural moment. Where Black excellence in tech gets celebrated, where careers get launched, and where the future of innovation gets shaped. The energy is unmatched, the connections are golden, and the opportunities are endless.
Why this matters: If you're in tech or adjacent to it, this is your Super Bowl. The visibility, the network, the sheer scale of opportunity. There's nothing like it. Companies make major announcements here. Careers pivot here. Empires begin here.
November 2025
14. NMSDC Annual Conference
November 2-5, 2025 | Miami, FL
The National Minority Supplier Development Council's annual conference is powerful if you're scaling or want to become a certified minority-owned vendor. Perfect for founders in B2B, services, or product-based companies looking to secure corporate contracts.
Why this matters: Certification clinics, supplier diversity matchmaking, and direct corporate connections. If you're ready to scale through enterprise partnerships, this is your entry point into the corporate procurement world.
15. Grace Hopper Celebration
November 4–7, 2025 | Chicago, IL
30,000 women in tech. 600 speakers. One unstoppable force. GHC is where women redefine what's possible in technology. This year's theme "Unbound" is more than a slogan. It's a call to break every barrier that's been holding us back. From wealth creation to entrepreneurship, this is where the conversation happens.
Why this matters: If you're building anything tech-related, this is where you find your team, your partners, and your inspiration. The scale alone creates opportunities you won't find anywhere else.
16. Web Summit
November 10–13, 2025 | Lisbon, Portugal
This turn out is huge with 70,000 people. Global stage. International spotlight. Web Summit is where the tech world comes to play, and this year you're invited to the table. If you're thinking bigger than your local market, if global expansion is on your vision board, this is where those dreams get legs.
Why this matters: International markets, European investors, global press coverage. This is thinking beyond borders and building for a worldwide audience. Plus, it's in Lisbon, which doesn't hurt.
December 2025
17. Sistahbiz Goal Digger Business Planning Retreat
Because sometimes you need to step away from the chaos to see clearly. This isn't your typical conference. It's an intimate retreat designed for solopreneurs and microbusiness owners who are ready to stop reacting and start strategizing. 2.5 days of focused planning, goal setting, and creating a roadmap that actually makes sense.
Why this matters: End the year with clarity instead of exhaustion. Perfect for founders who need to pause, breathe, and build a sustainable strategy for 2026.
Bonus Events Worth Noting (for Next Year)
18. SaaStr Annual
The world's largest SaaS community event with 15,000+ attendees, but here's the insider tip: SaaStr offers 1,000+ free VIP passes specifically for underrepresented founders and executives. They prioritize women, and the value is unmatched. Full access to 250+ speakers, 1:1 VC meetings, and AI matchmaking tools.
Why this matters: If you're building anything tech-adjacent, this is your Super Bowl. The free diversity passes make it accessible, and the networking opportunities are unparalleled for scaling B2B businesses.
19. Global Female Entrepreneurs Summit
A 2-day virtual summit designed specifically for female founders addressing the unique challenges we face. With 80+ keynotes, masterclasses, live pitches to investors, and networking sessions, it's comprehensive without requiring travel. The 50% early bird discount makes it accessible for bootstrapped founders.
Why this matters: Perfect for founders who can't travel but need the insights and connections. The virtual format actually allows for more intimate conversations and follow-ups than many in-person events.
Know a conference that’s creating real opportunities for Black and Brown women founders? Share it in the comments or tag us on Instagram @blackgirlventures. We’re always looking to spotlight spaces that are opening doors, not just hosting panels.
Your next turning point could be in one of these rooms. The real question is: are you willing to meet the moment?
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