Guide for Attendees: SF and LA Tech Weeks 2024

Tech Week is a series of week-long events held in major cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, bringing together tech enthusiasts, industry leaders, startups, and investors. It's a vibrant platform where innovation meets opportunity, with a mix of panels, workshops, networking sessions, and product showcases that highlight the latest trends in technology.

The San Francisco Tech Week  (October 7-13) and Los Angeles Tech Week (October 14-20) 2024 are fast approaching, promising a whirlwind of innovation, networking, and opportunities. For companies planning to attend, these events offer a chance to connect with industry leaders, discover emerging trends, and showcase their own offerings. However, with hundreds of events spanning multiple platforms and topics, preparing for these tech weeks can be overwhelming.

In this blog, we'll delve into an analysis of the upcoming events to help you understand the key trends and how to make the most of your attendance. We'll also introduce an interactive dashboard designed to simplify your event planning and registration process.

Understanding the landscape: Key trends and insights

Significant presence of AI-focused events

San Francisco:

• +270 events focused on AI.
• Complementary themes: B2B, B2C/Consumer, AR/VR, SaaS.

Los Angeles:

• +170 events centered on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• Complementary themes: B2C/Consumer, B2B, AR/VR, Creators.

What does this mean for you?

AI is at the forefront of technological innovation in both cities. Companies not directly developing AI solutions can still capitalize on this trend by integrating AI components into their products or services. Whether you're in product development, marketing, or service delivery, consider how AI can enhance your offerings.

SaaS and Fintech

In San Francisco, there's notable interest in:

• SaaS: Complementary to AI and B2B.
• Fintech: Emerges in B2B and B2C.

What does this mean for you?

For companies in SaaS and Fintech, this is the time to shine. Highlight how your products integrate cutting-edge technologies and address current market demands. Emphasize scalability, security, and innovation in your solutions.

Focus on Creators and Media/Entertainment

Los Angeles shows a strong emphasis on:

• Creators: There are tens of events with links to Fundraising/Investing and Crypto/Web3.
• Media/Entertainment: An area ripe for technological integration, especially with emerging tech like AR/VR.

What does this mean for you?

If you're in the media, entertainment, or creator economy sectors, consider showcasing how your products help creators monetize content, engage audiences, or leverage new technologies like AR/VR and Web3.

Preparing for Tech Week: Challenges and Solutions

The Challenge: Managing Multiple Events Across Platforms

With events listed on various platforms, keeping track of applications, registrations, and schedules can be daunting. Often, event organizers require attendees to apply and wait for acceptance, leading many to apply to multiple events to maximize their chances.

Most common issues:

• Event Overload: Hundreds of events to choose from.
• Platform Fragmentation: Events hosted across different websites and platforms.
• Application Tracking: Difficulty remembering which events you've applied to or been accepted for.

The Solution: A Dynamic Event Dashboard & Google Sheet for Tracking

To streamline your Tech Week experience, we're introducing two valuable resources: an interactive dashboard that consolidates all events, allowing you to filter by location, industry, and theme. Additionally, we've provided a Google Sheet where you can view hosts, event links, and stay up to date with the events you've already registered for.

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Google Sheet Features:

• Comprehensive Event List: Access the entire list of events for both SF and LA Tech Weeks.
• Advanced Filters: Sort events by date, topic, target audience, location, and more to find those most relevant to your interests.
• Application Tracking:some text
  • Registration Status: Mark events you've applied to.
  • Acceptance Updates: Update your status when accepted.
  • Collaboration Enabled: Share your event list with team members to coordinate attendance.

Google Sheet Benefits:

• Time Savings: Spend less time managing applications and more time preparing for the events.
• Enhanced Organization: Keep all your event information in one place.
• Strategic Planning: Prioritize events based on your goals and ensure you don't miss key opportunities.

How to maximize your Tech Week experience?

1. Define your objectives

• Networking: Identify events where you can meet potential clients, partners, or investors.
• Learning: Choose sessions that offer insights into trends relevant to your industry.
• Showcasing: Find opportunities to present your products or services.

2. Customize your event schedule

Use the interactive dashboard to curate an agenda that aligns with your objectives. Balance your schedule between must-attend events and those that offer potential serendipitous encounters.

3. Prepare your pitch and materials

• Tailor your messaging: Based on the trends, adjust your pitch to highlight how your company integrates AI, caters to both B2B and B2C markets, or supports creators and innovators.
• Update marketing materials: Ensure your one-pagers, brochures, and business cards reflect your current offerings and value proposition.
• Print your LinkedIn profile QR code sticker: Create a QR Code that points to your LinkedIn profile and generate a sticker to put on your phone case. Then, whenever you want someone to connect with you, offer to scan it with the camera. We did that already, and I promise it actually works.

4. Engage proactively

• Reach out before the event: Connect with other attendees, speakers, or organizers through event platforms or social media.
• Participate actively: Ask questions during sessions, join discussions, and be visible.
• Follow-up: After the event, reach out to new contacts to solidify relationships.

5. Leverage Social Media

Share your Tech Week journey on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter. This increases your visibility and can attract interest from those not attending the events.

Conclusion

The SF and LA Tech Weeks are invaluable opportunities for companies to immerse themselves in the latest technological advancements, network with industry leaders, and drive business growth. By understanding the event landscape and utilizing tools like the interactive dashboard, you can navigate these events strategically and effectively.

Prepare thoroughly, stay organized, and embrace the dynamic environment these tech weeks offer. With the right approach, you'll not only keep up with the trends but also position your company at the forefront of innovation.

Plus, we’ll be hosting our own event, the 'Digital Product Founders Mixer,' at SF Tech Week, and we would love to meet you there!