Why SaaS Leaders should prioritize attending Industry Events

Attending SaaS events put me in the same room with people solving the same problems—those conversations alone have saved me months of trial and error. If I hadn’t shown up to certain events, Expandi wouldn’t have the network it has today. Period.

SaaS is a lonely game if you try to do it all from behind your screen. Events gave me energy, clarity, and connections that actually moved the needle.

I’ve met partners, customers, even lifelong friends at industry events. You can’t force that online. Real growth didn’t just come from strategy—it came from being around other ambitious founders who pushed me to level up.

In a world increasingly driven by AI, automation, and digital communication, attending industry events has never felt more human—or more valuable. Today, it’s nearly impossible to get someone to commit to a two-minute cold call or even a 15-minute Zoom meeting.

Yet those same individuals will pay hundreds of dollars and dedicate one or two full days to attend an industry event. Why? Because events offer something that digital channels can’t: authentic, face-to-face connection.

For SaaS leaders, this is a huge opportunity. Whether you’re looking to engage with prospects, strengthen relationships with customers, or simply immerse yourself in the latest industry trends, there’s no better environment than a well-curated event. You’re in a space where people actually want to connect, share ideas, and explore partnerships.

The ROI from events goes beyond the obvious financial gains. There’s also the energy, inspiration, and clarity you get from being surrounded by people who are just as passionate about solving problems as you are.

That combination of professional growth and personal fulfillment is incredibly hard to replicate through any other channel. If you’re not prioritizing events in your growth strategy, you’re missing out on one of the most powerful ways to build meaningful momentum.

Real relationships aren’t built behind a screen. Yes, you can accomplish a lot over video calls, but the trust and connection that truly move the needle are forged in person. Whether it’s working together, sharing a meal, or even playing a sport, being physically present creates a different level of connection.

Not everyone likes to “work the room.” I personally prefer smaller dinners or focused discussions at a table. But regardless of your style, showing up matters. When I look back on my own career, many of the most pivotal moments started at industry events—unexpected conversations that sparked new directions or opened doors.

Events give you that rare moment to step back, meet people you wouldn’t otherwise cross paths with, and build the relational credit needed to start meaningful collaborations. Because at the end of the day, very few big moves happen in isolation. Being in the right room can make all the difference.

When I started, I began attending B2B SaaS events completely randomly. Back then, I was running an MVP development agency, and 11 out of 12 of my clients were unsuccessful founders who failed with the MVPs I built for them.

I attended SaaStock* in Dublin (2023) on free tickets with no clear agenda. I decided to bring a microphone and interview successful founders to understand what separates winners from the rest. Before I even understood what “product-market fit” was, I was trying to decode the success formula.

At SaaStock, I interviewed about 60 founders in just two days. The connections and insights from that event became a pivotal moment in my career. Since then, I’ve interviewed over 350 founders, mostly at in-person conferences, which has shaped my understanding of what it takes to win in SaaS and my approach to building my own SaaS.

The relationships formed at conferences delivered incredible ROI:

Many became friends—some became clients for my agency

When I launched Face2Face.io, they became early adopters

Of our 55 current customers, about 15 came directly from conference connections

These connections aren’t just customers—they’re power users, case study participants, and advocates

Some even became investors, helping us stay bootstrapped without venture capital

I helped over 5 people I met at conferences get hired for top positions at companies run by… you guessed it… other people I met at conferences XD – like Ilie Andrei-Leonard, the founder of Subpage, who’s now leading the AI team at Instantly.ai

I’d much rather take investment from a fellow founder I genuinely know than pitch to VCs and navigate complex term sheets. This is the true power of conferences—building authentic relationships.

When you attend multiple events, you see the same people repeatedly, creating genuine connections. On LinkedIn, you’re no longer just another contact; you’re someone they actually know. These relationships provide an unfair advantage in business that’s impossible to replicate through digital channels alone.

Many people attend prestigious universities partly to build networks with future business leaders. For SaaS founders, industry conferences serve the same purpose—they’re essentially the equivalent of Ivy League connections where you mingle with tomorrow’s innovators and leaders.

The more you invest in these relationships, the better positioned your business will be. I believe founders should prioritize attending SaaS conferences over typical vacations. Because when you get your SaaS right—built with insights from real relationships—you’re set for life.

I’m particularly excited about Tekpon in June, which is in one of my favorite cities—Bucharest (which I got to explore a lot since I met Cristian and Alex from Tekpon, been there 3x in 12 months)—and SaaStanak in Croatia (May 5th-8th, which is basically going to be an exclusive 3-day SaaS event on the Mediterranean waterfront).

Industry events are powerful catalysts for building and strengthening connections, offering SaaS leaders a unique opportunity to move beyond transactional relationships and cultivate meaningful, long-term partnerships. There are plenty of reasons to attend industry events:

Events offer a dedicated space to reconnect with strategic partners, nurture relationships, and align on shared goals—something that’s challenging to replicate through virtual meetings alone.

Events are rich with serendipitous encounters. A casual conversation can spark a co-marketing initiative, product integration, or referral partnership that might not have happened otherwise.

For example, at Walls.io we have reinforced our Cvent partnership through consistent presence at the Cvent Connect event series in Europe and USA, enabling both companies to co-create value within the event tech ecosystem.

Face-to-face interactions fast-track mutual understanding and trust, which are crucial for meaningful, long-term collaboration between SaaS companies. By attending, listening, and engaging in real conversations, SaaS leaders signal a commitment to building relationships—not just selling software.

SaaS leaders regardless of industry should prioritise SaaS industry events to keep tabs on the market.

It’s at events where the industry gathers e.g., SaaStock, that you’ll find the true and authentic insights.

You can google and read reports all day, but nothing beats meeting other founders and executives and discussing the current SaaS climate.

Besides that, for SaaS, selling to SaaS it’s a chance to connect with clients and prospects and understand the REAL problems that you are solving.

Lastly, all of the top-tier investors are at these events; it’s a great chance to connect with them in a casual way, and build rapport with them.

In a time when AI tools are launching at breakneck speed and automation dominates much of the buyer journey, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to stand out in the B2B SaaS space. Websites can look alike, features often overlap, and everyone is promising the same results. That’s where in-person events come in—they offer a powerful opportunity to put a face to your brand and connect on a more human level.

Showing up at events—whether it’s a conference, trade show, or niche industry meetup—is about more than lead generation. It’s about building trust in a way that digital channels rarely allow. When you’re speaking with prospects in real time, their defenses are naturally lowered. You’re no longer just a logo or landing page—you’re a person representing a team, a mission, and a culture. That authenticity is hard to fake and even harder to ignore.

But the value doesn’t stop at sales. Events are also prime ground for discovering talent—people who are passionate, knowledgeable, and already immersed in the industry. You can also forge genuine connections with peers, potential partners, and even competitors, opening the door to collaborations and shared insights that can shape your business strategy moving forward. And let’s not forget the speakers: curated talks and panel discussions offer fresh perspectives, spark ideas, and help you stay ahead of trends in a rapidly evolving space.

In short, attending events brings your company to life. It’s a reminder that behind every SaaS product are real people with real stories. And in today’s noisy, automated world, that human connection might just be your biggest competitive advantage.

I used to avoid industry events. Felt like a waste of time with overpriced tickets, vague panels, and forced networking.

But every time I actually went, I left with something I couldn’t get anywhere else: clarity.

Often, we overbuild, under-communicate, and hide behind product updates…

In the random, honest, unfiltered conversations with real people, I hear how others are solving the exact same problems I’ve been stuck on. And this helps me step outside of my bubble.

I go to industry events because I love this real talk. And most of the time, these authentic conversations with real people are the foundation for great, long-term partnerships.

As a tech leader, attending industry events isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic move.

These gatherings offer more than networking; they’re where real conversations happen. You get to challenge your thinking, debate tough topics, and stay close to the pulse of innovation.

For me, the real value comes from exchanging knowledge with others who are deep in the trenches. It’s one thing to read trends online—it’s another to hear firsthand how others are solving complex problems.

The insights, the debates, and even the casual chats often spark ideas that influence how we move forward at PROCESIO.

Industry events can shift your perspective—or your life. They’re where real opportunities are born through real, in-person connections.

There’s a magic in live conversations and shared passion that no online interaction can match. But don’t just show up—have a strategy. Be intentional with your time, your energy, and your conversations.

Luck isn’t random; it’s built over time when someone remembers your value, your help, your energy.

The people who “got lucky” were often just prepared, present, and playing the long game. So go. Be seen. Be ready.

Working in events, field marketing and community building at Malt (a tech company that connects businesses and freelancers) I get to see every day how powerful in-person moments can be for SaaS brands.

At the end of the day, people don’t connect with logos — they connect with people.

That’s why I believe events should be a core part of any SaaS leader’s strategy. Not just for visibility or lead generation, but to build real relationships and real communities around your brand.

The most valuable SaaS brands today aren’t just building products, they’re building ecosystems. And trust doesn’t happen in a product demo. It happens in conversations, in shared experiences, in showing up consistently for your ecosystem.

Events give them a rare opportunity to humanize their brand. People might discover your product online, but they remember the people they met offline. In my experience, human connection is what makes you unforgettable.

But here’s the thing: it’s not just about attending events, it’s about participating in them. The leaders and brands that get the most out of events are the ones who show up ready to connect, ready to listen, and ready to contribute; That’s where the real magic happens.

There are 5 good reasons beginning with ‘T’ to attend SaaS events. I never liked the term ‘networking’. It feels forced and also has the connotation that everyone’s looking to get something out of it for themselves. In fact, it’s better when you approach it in terms of what value you can bring. Here are my 5Ts on why SaaS leaders should attend industry events:

If you put yourself out there, you’ll always be surprised by the interesting people you can meet with whom you might have unexpected things in common. I’ve met talented and smart people at SaaS industry events who I have stayed in touch with, in some cases for even over a decade! I have made meaningful connections, learned things and even partnered with other talented SaaS leaders after attending an event.

Attending events enables you to hear about the most current trends in your industry and learn how people are tackling them. I find sharing your own challenges and wins opens interesting dialogues that bring forth new perspectives and insight.

Events are a great place to discover new tech that you might be missing out on. Whether it’s tools you can use in your business or platforms and frameworks to optimise your tech stack. At industry events people are always talking about the latest and best tech

One of the best things you can do at an event is build a shared connection where you come away feeling you were able to be of service by helping someone and delivering value. Teaching always helps you to learn more about yourself as you experience the reactions of others. People they never forget someone who helped them

It’s important to disrupt your routine, get out from behind your desk and visit new places. SaaS leadership events have taken me to many new destinations where I not only got to connect with different people but I also enjoyed the travel experience, gaining a fresh perspective and building lasting memories.

From my perspective at AdminTools.io, attending global conferences like MWC Las Vegas, GITEX Dubai, CloudFest Europa-Park or Web Summit Lisbon has made a real difference in our growth strategy.

These events expose you to completely different business and tech cultures. The way people talk, negotiate, and build partnerships varies so much across regions — and understanding that has helped us position our product much better, globally.

We’ve had the chance to connect with people at all levels, from junior team members in early-stage startups to C-level executives at multinational companies. These are connections that would be hard to reach through a cold message or email. And while not every conversation turns into a deal on the spot, many of them grow into valuable relationships over time.

It’s also the best context to show what your product can actually do: live, in front of people who ask real questions. The feedback we’ve received face-to-face has helped us improve AdminTools in ways that simply don’t happen online.

One more thing I didn’t expect: people actually stop by our booth because they’re curious about what Romanian engineers are building. There’s real respect out there for the talent and professionalism coming from our region — and that opens doors.

For all these reasons and more, I see conferences as part of our product and growth strategy, not just a checkbox for visibility.

Tech leaders should attend industry events for the insights and the opportunity to connect, share, and grow.

These gatherings help leaders stay sharp, discover new trends, and see how peers tackle similar challenges. It’s a way to get out of the day-to-day and gain a fresh perspective.

Smaller, community-driven events often offer the most value. With more space for real conversation and collaboration, these settings make it easier to build meaningful relationships and walk away with ideas you can actually use.

Plus, showing up regularly—whether to listen, speak, or simply connect—helps build long-term relationships and unexpected partnerships.

As someone who is working within the events industry, focusing on education, I see industry gatherings as key opportunities to connect with tech leaders and shape the future of education.

At tech events, there are thousands of opportunities for networking and meaningful conversations about bridging the gap between education and innovation. It’s where collaboration begins—where bold ideas, partnerships, and new projects are born.

Tech leaders bring more than just expertise—they offer vision, real-world insights, and the drive to challenge the status quo.

Their presence at industry events fuels inspiration, sparks innovation, and helps shape a future that’s more connected, inclusive, and forward-thinking.

In today’s multipolar world, the political chessboard is more complex than ever. And in this fragmented reality, face-to-face interaction is no longer optional—it’s strategic.

Tech leaders who obsess over digital conversion rates often forget one thing: real connections convert, too. There’s a saying in sales: “People buy YOU, not your service.” That truth hits even harder when you shake hands, not just Zoom hands.

Industry events aren’t just “nice-to-have” networking. They’re where ideas collide and unorthodox partnerships are willed into existence—even when complementarities aren’t obvious on paper.

So if you’re only measuring clicks and traffic, you might be missing the most important conversion of all: trust.

In 2025 virtual communication isn’t enough. Relationship building has shifted massively in the past years and will continue evolving. One effective way to stand out is by attending industry events.

Attending industry meetups is crucial for SaaS leaders who want to stay ahead, make meaningful connections and learn from experts. These help them gain insights from different perspectives.

Last year I attended over 10 SaaS conferences across Europe, and I believe industry events offer valuable opportunities including:

At Valueships, SaaS pricing consulting we’re investing resources in becoming more active and showing up at industry conferences. From a business growth perspective these efforts definitely pay off.