11 finance events in Europe to attend in 2023
Published on January 13, 2023
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Despite setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few years, the global events industry is now making a strong comeback. Even before the pandemic, events were a $1 trillion-plus industry and have created more than 26 million jobs.
Marketing and sales teams are returning to trade shows to drum up buyers and spread the word about their brands.
But we can't forget about finance teams. Finance professionals need to network and upskill too. And thankfully, there are a range of interesting events that'll help you do just that.
In 2020, the pandemic drove a 1000% increase in virtual events across all industries, and that growth has remained. The new normal for B2B events and conferences is often a mix of virtual and hybrid (in-person and online) hosting.
In this post, we’ve shared hybrid, virtual, and in-person events for companies with finance and fintech products, and finance leaders looking to exchange ideas.
We'll keep this list updated throughout the year, so you'll always be able to find the most exciting events approaching.
Note: We also have a list of the top London finance events for 2023. Since we don’t want to repeat ourselves, we haven’t included any of those in this list.
Now, let’s see what the rest of Europe has to offer for 2023.
European fintech events
In this section we have events specifically for companies in the fintech sector. That mostly means payments, insurance, and new financial technologies.
1. Paris Fintech Forum
The Fintech Forum is Paris’ annual reunion for C-level executives, finance leaders, and other decision makers in leading European companies. Speakers include executives from global companies and NGOs, founders of budding unicorns, and even world leaders.
Their hybrid conference format allows for flexibility; events are spread across the four seasons of the year. Last year, fintech CEOs & chairs gathered to speak in panels, interviews, and debates–all of which can be re-streamed online from their website.
2023 will be the Paris Fintech Forum’s 8th edition. This year promises to be even bigger as a hybrid event with exclusive digital content and online networking, and in-person events hosted in Paris.
Key themes:
Open banking & digital currency
Online networking and speed meetings
Entrepreneurship in fintech
When: April - November, 2023
Where: Hybrid events in various locations around Paris and online
To register: Event website
2. Money 20/20
Money 20/20 is one of the largest events on our list, last year they had more than 7,500 attendees coming from 2,300+ companies. The conference hosts a mix of panel discussions by global leaders in the fintech industry, networking opportunities, interactive sessions and parties.
Their mission? No less than creating the future of money. The 2023 conference promises to have even more of the biggest names and key players in the payments, banking, fintech and financial services sectors.
Can’t make this year’s event? Check out their digital initiative MoneyFest for more on-demand fintech content created by industry leaders and changemakers.
Key themes:
Strategic decisions
Unexpected finance
The socio-economic impact
When: June 6-8, 2023
Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
To register: Event website
3. Merchant Payments Ecosystem
MPE is Europe's largest merchant payments event. This March, they’re giving the stage to 160+ industry leaders to discuss trends and strategies for surviving and thriving in the changing finance landscape.
The MPE 2023 conference program includes hyper-focused speeches, panels, and live Q&A sessions by leading global merchants. Join 1,300+ other professionals in the sector to network and learn about the future of card acquiring and payments acceptance.
Key themes:
Regulation & standards
Open finance
The power of data
Retail payments reinvented
Wallets, apps, loyalty & payments
When: March 28-30, 2023
Where: Berlin, Germany
To register: Event website
4. Accounting Summit
Accounting Summit is the premier accounting conference: it's all about digitalization and innovation in accounting. This year, leading experts will gather and meet with companies that provide innovative digital solutions for accounting, controlling, and bookkeeping.
Last year's themes:
Controlling
Young people in tax & accounting
Digitization in accounting
Security & fraud prevention
When: September 20-21, 2023
Where: Berlin, Germany
To register: Event website
Finance meetups
For finance leaders - especially CFOs - wanting a more intimate, expert community environment.
5. CFO Connect
CFO Connect is our global community & resource hub for modern finance leaders, hosting both online and in-person events in San Francisco, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Berlin, and Barcelona.
These informal monthly information sessions and workshops are led by experienced finance leaders from different industries. Join CFO Connect’s online community to learn and exchange knowledge on key and trending topics in the finance sector.
The session subjects change from month to month, and are a great opportunity to build new connections with peers.
Recent themes have included:
When: In-person and virtual events throughout the year
Where: Virtual, and in-person events across Europe and San Francisco
To register: Join the community
Banking events
Many of the following events will still apply to those with broader fintech interests. But those one the next part of our list specifically call out banking as a key interest, so we’ve separated them here.
6. Open Finance World Congress
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The Open Banking World Congress has rebranded to the Open Finance World Congress! In their words: "As open banking moves towards open finance we continue to move with it."
Looking to meet and discuss opportunities in open finance with other banking professionals in Europe? This is the conference for you.
Featured speakers will share commercial and strategic insights in the payments landscape. Expect stimulating keynotes, outdoor workshop stages, plenty of 1-2-1 sessions, networking and parties…all in sunny Spain.
Key Themes:
Open banking and open payments in the EU
The future of VRP in Europe
CBDC & Crypto
When: May 15-17, 2023
Where: Hybrid event, online streaming and in-person events in Marbella, Spain
To register: Event website
Not strictly finance events
The following selection of events moves outside of strictly finance to the wider tech and startup ecosystem. Of course, there’s still plenty to appeal to finance and fintech-oriented professionals.
7. ECOM21 by Decta
Hosted by global payment processing provider Decta, ECOM21 is the largest professional e-commerce conference in the Baltics.
The annual event has brought together thousands of participants from 54 countries around the world. Attendees and speakers include industry-leading business representatives from key players like MasterCard and Deloitte.
ECOM21 hosts a diverse discussion platform with audiences and expert panels on e-commerce, which present a great opportunity for international networking.
Key themes:
Commercializing AI: AML transactions & retail
Building modern and user friendly customer journeys
Financial Fraud in the Era of Digitalization
When: April 12-13, 2023
Where: Riga, Latvia
To register: Event website
8. SaaStock
SaaStock is the European conference for SaaS founders, . What can you expect this year? 6,000+ attendees, 100+ hours of networking, 150+ speakers, 400+ investors, and more.
Grow your network, build your connections, and have fun while doing it! Multiple stages are set up throughout the conference for attendees to find exactly what they're looking for; speakers are hand picked and perfectly tailored to current needs and on-trend topics. And fun fact: 68% of all attendees are in leadership roles.
When: October 16-19, 2023
Where: Dublin, Ireland
To register: Event website
9. TNW Conference
“TNW Conference is like Woodstock for innovators.” This testimonial paints quite the picture of what to expect at the TNW 2023. With more than 10k attendees from 6,000 companies and 1,500 startups expected, this year’s conference is sure to be exciting. Despite its huge size, TNW Conference feels intimate.
Meet and connect with international tech executives, policymakers, startups, scale-ups, and tech enthusiasts. Industry pioneers will share insights across diverse themes: from scaling your business and maximizing your ROI, to solving impactful challenges and the world of AI.
And exciting news: TNW València is launching this year, too! March 30-31 will see the first-ever TNW conference in Spain, at the heart of the country's fast-growing tech ecosystem. If Amsterdam seems too cold, head to sunny València instead.
Key themes:
Societal challenges: sustainability, diversity, and inclusive economies
The world of AI
Founders and Funding: scaling a business and initializing startup growth
When: June 15-16, 2023
Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
To register: Event website
10. VivaTech
VivaTech is one of Europe’s biggest tech and startup events, focused on outstanding innovation and technology in business and presenting yearly VivaTech Awards.
The annual event reaches 114k visitors online across 146 countries, with a powerful mission to bring positive change and digital transformation to businesses and society.
Attendees are high-level decision makers, business leaders, startups, investors, researchers and innovators excited to network and share knowledge with one another on the latest tech trends, products, innovations, and challenges.
It’s the perfect place for businesses, prospects, and investors to connect – many startups generate 25% of their annual leads at the VivaTech conference.
Key themes:
Green Tech
Scaling Up
Cybersecurity
When: June 14-17, 2023
Where: Hybrid event, online streaming and in-person conference in Paris, France
To register: Event website
11. Bits & Pretzels Festival
Talk about humble beginnings: Bits & Pretzels launched their inaugural event in 2014 as a small founders breakfast with just 80 participants.
Jump to today: 5,000 participants made up of founders, world-leading companies, and famous speakers (Barack Obama opened their 2019 conference!) attend Bits & Pretzels, leading the conversation on how entrepreneurship can drive positive change in Europe and beyond.
Join fellow creators, investors, and startup enthusiasts and experts this September 2023 for 3 days of learning, networking, and new inspiration. Run a startup? This is the right place to get exposure and valuable feedback on your business.
When: September 24-26, 2023
Where: Munich, Germany
To register: Event website
More events and networking in 2023
Not everyone has the time or budget for events to attend regularly. Tickets can run into the thousands of euros, and it can be tricky to measure a return on investment. And yet, conferences are as popular as ever.
In-person events are coming back fast, and companies are increasingly eager to send their teams out to participate. Finance leaders – just like salespeople and marketers – have plenty to gain from networking at industry events.
Whether you prefer intimate meetups like CFO Connect, or larger tech festivals like Bits & Pretzels, these are valuable opportunities to discover new ideas and trends, exchange feedback with peers, and build new connections and partnerships.
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