Networking for founders, creators, freelancers + rebels ⚡

⌖ Bristol

Hosted by Canopy Community

Demo Night Bristol brings startups, investors and community members together for an evening of live demos in Bristol on Wednesday 21 October 2026. See what Bristol’s startup community is building Hosted by Canopy Community, this four-hour startup showcase offers a focused opportunity to discover new ventures, meet the people behind them and connect with others involved in the local innovation ecosystem. The event runs from 4:00pm to 8:00pm (GMT+1) in Bristol. Demo Night is designed around startup discovery and community connection. Whether you want to see what founders are working on, make useful new contacts or gain greater visibility into Bristol’s startup scene, the evening provides an accessible setting in which to do so. The exact venue address is shared with registered attendees. Who should attend? The event is relevant to: - Founders and startup teams interested in seeing other ventures in action - Investors looking for priority access to startups and information about the evening - Members of Canopy Community - Paid members, active programme participants and team members from SetSquared - People who want to engage with Bristol’s wider startup community Hosts Stewart Noakes and Sophie Connolly will represent Canopy Community for the evening. You can learn more about the organiser through the Canopy Community website, watch its content on YouTube, or follow the community on LinkedIn. Tickets and practical details Registration is free, with several ticket options available: - Standard: free general registration - Investor: free, subject to approval, with priority startup access and information about the evening - Canopy Members: free, subject to approval, for paid Canopy Community members - SetSquared Members: free, subject to approval, for eligible members, programme participants and SetSquared team members The event takes place on Wednesday 21 October 2026, from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. Register in advance to receive the full Bristol venue address and select the ticket category that best matches your involvement. Register for Demo Night Bristol

⌖ Bristol

Hosted by Founders Coffee Club

Founders Coffee Club brings Bristol founders together on 28 October 2026 for relaxed coffee, honest conversation and a coworking day, with no pitches or selling. Coffee, conversation and founder connections Taking place in Bristol from 10:00am to 11:00am GMT, this in-person meetup offers a refreshingly simple alternative to conventional business networking. There are no speeches, presentations or sales pitches. Instead, attendees can grab a coffee, meet fellow founders and let conversations develop naturally. The event is designed exclusively for founders and is hosted by Founders Coffee Club, a community that runs founder networking events across the UK. Whether you want to compare experiences, broaden your local network or simply spend time with people who understand the realities of building a business, the emphasis is on informal, peer-to-peer connection rather than structured content. What to expect - A one-hour, face-to-face networking session over coffee - A founder-only environment with no selling or formal pitches - Relaxed, unstructured conversations rather than talks or panels - A coworking day pass included with the ticket - A friendly introduction on arrival if you are attending for the first time If walking into a room of strangers feels daunting, the hosts specifically aim to make the first few minutes easier. New attendees will be greeted and introduced to someone straight away, helping the conversation get moving without the awkwardness often associated with traditional networking. The included coworking pass also makes this more than a quick coffee meetup. Attendees can combine the morning networking session with a day of working in Bristol, creating additional space to continue conversations and build relationships beyond the scheduled hour. Tickets and location Tickets cost £15, and registration requires host approval. The exact Bristol address is only shown to registered attendees, so request your place in advance rather than turning up without confirmation. You can also follow Founders Coffee Club on Instagram or LinkedIn. Request to join and get your ticket

⌖ Bristol · The Berkeley Square Hotel

Hosted by Bristol Young Business Owners (BYBO)

Meet Bristol business owners under 45 for a relaxed networking social at The Square Club on 28 October 2026, focused on honest founder-to-founder conversation. Hosted by Bristol Young Business Owners (BYBO), this monthly gathering offers founders a low-pressure way to connect with other people building and growing ventures across Bristol. Rather than formal networking, sales pitches or polished presentations, the evening centres on candid conversations, shared experiences and the realities of running a business. What to expect There is no fixed agenda, no talks and no selling of services. Attendees can move naturally between conversations, compare experiences and build relationships with business owners at different stages of their journey. Topics are not prescribed, leaving space to discuss the opportunities, decisions and challenges that matter to the founders in the room. The social is designed to help strengthen a collaborative young business community in Bristol. It is an opportunity to: - Meet founders and business owners on a similar path - Exchange practical experiences of starting and growing a venture - Learn informally from people who understand the demands of ownership - Develop genuine local connections without a sales-led atmosphere - Drop in for part of the evening or stay for the full session Who it is for This community is specifically for Bristol-based business owners under 45. BYBO distinguishes business ownership from offering freelance services, so the event is best suited to people building and operating their own ventures rather than attending primarily to market professional services. Both newer founders and experienced operators are welcome. You do not need to arrive with a prepared pitch or a particular question, the format is intentionally informal and based around useful, person-to-person conversation. Time and location The event takes place on Wednesday 28 October 2026, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm GMT. The planned meeting point is The Garden at The Square Club, at The Berkeley Square Hotel, 15 Berkeley Square, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1HB. View the event and registration details

⌖ Berlin

Explore sustainable AI factories, sovereign European infrastructure and energy-efficient compute with Polarise at GTC Berlin, 20–22 October 2026. Polarise will exhibit at GTC Berlin 2026 in Berlin, presenting its approach to building the infrastructure behind responsible, high-performance AI services. Running from 20 to 22 October 2026, the event offers an opportunity to meet the Polarise team and discuss how sustainable digital infrastructure can support ambitious AI projects without losing sight of data sovereignty or environmental responsibility. What Polarise will showcase The company’s presence will centre on AI Factories backed by a first generation of sustainable digital infrastructure. Visitors can explore four connected areas: - AI Factories and the infrastructure required to deliver modern AI services - European AI sovereignty solutions - Green AI compute optimisation - More energy-efficient approaches to running AI workloads Together, these themes address a practical challenge for organisations adopting AI at scale: how to secure the computing capacity they need while retaining control over data and reducing the environmental impact of intensive workloads. Polarise positions its infrastructure as a foundation for responsible AI development, combining technical capability with European sovereignty and sustainability priorities. Who should visit the booth? Polarise’s exhibition will be particularly relevant to organisations evaluating AI infrastructure, teams delivering AI-powered services, and potential partners interested in sovereign or energy-conscious compute. It should also appeal to decision-makers exploring how infrastructure choices affect performance, data governance and environmental goals. The format is centred on the exhibition booth and pre-arranged conversations rather than a published talk or workshop programme. Attendees can schedule dedicated time with the Polarise team to explore partnership opportunities and discuss how its infrastructure could support the delivery of cutting-edge AI services. The booth number has not yet been announced. For a focused conversation during the event, book a meetup with the Polarise team at the booth.… Register for this event

⌖ New York · Javits Center

Hosted by CREtech

CREtech New York 2026 is the flagship commercial real estate conference where 3,000+ industry leaders converge to explore AI's transformative impact on the built environment. Taking place October 20-21, 2026 at the Javits Center in New York, this two-day event serves as the defining gathering for real estate professionals navigating the AI revolution. The Industry's Largest Meetings Program At the heart of CREtech New York is the industry's most ambitious networking initiative: over 20,000 pre-scheduled 1:1 meetings facilitated through CREtech Meetup, the conference's proprietary meetings platform. This isn't networking by chance—it's strategic matchmaking at scale, connecting owners, developers, occupiers, investors, brokers, tech leaders, and advisors for high-value conversations that drive measurable ROI. Who Should Attend This conference brings together the complete real estate ecosystem: - Property owners and developers seeking AI-driven competitive advantages - Real estate investors evaluating PropTech opportunities - Corporate occupiers optimizing workplace strategy with AI - Brokers and advisors staying ahead of technological disruption - Technology leaders and innovators shaping the industry's digital future Conference Highlights 150+ Expert Speakers deliver insights across multiple stages, including the Main Stage and Innovation Stage, covering AI implementation strategies, emerging technologies, and industry transformation. 200+ Sponsors showcase cutting-edge solutions in the Tech Discovery zone, where attendees explore the latest AI tools and platforms revolutionizing real estate operations. NYC Real Estate Week Flagship — CREtech New York anchors NYC Real Estate Week, establishing itself as the must-attend event for the industry's annual gathering. Content & Learning The conference agenda addresses the most pressing questions facing real estate in the age of AI: How are leading firms implementing AI? What are the measurable impacts on operations, valuations, and tenant experience? Where are the opportunities—and risks—in this rapid transformation? Sessions range from strategic overviews to tactical implementations, with peer-to-peer roundtables enabling intimate discussions among industry equals. Attendees gain access to session recordings, webinars, and ongoing insights through CREtech Plus, extending the learning experience beyond the two-day event. Maximize

⌖ Barcelona · L'illa Auditorium

Hosted by CIDAI / Eurecat

AI Congress Barcelona 2026 brings AI and business together at L’illa Auditorium in Barcelona, from 20–22 October 2026. The three-day, English-language conference offers an opportunity to explore artificial intelligence through a business-focused lens while connecting with Catalonia’s wider AI ecosystem. Catalonia’s leading AI and business conference Now entering its 12th edition, AI Congress Barcelona is organised by Eurecat and CIDAI as part of the Catalan government’s AI strategy. Its established place in the regional technology calendar makes it particularly relevant for people who want to understand how AI intersects with business, innovation and the development of Catalonia’s AI landscape. The congress takes place entirely on site at L’illa Auditorium, giving attendees three days in a dedicated conference environment rather than an online or hybrid experience. Although the published event information does not yet identify individual speakers or provide a session-by-session agenda, its central theme is clear: the role of AI in business. Who should attend? The event is suited to professionals and organisations interested in the practical and strategic implications of artificial intelligence, including: - Business leaders and decision-makers following AI developments - Innovation, digital transformation and technology teams - AI practitioners, researchers and ecosystem participants - Founders and product professionals exploring business applications of AI - Public- and private-sector stakeholders interested in Catalonia’s AI strategy No specific experience level or technical prerequisite is stated. As a conference rather than a workshop, it should appeal most to attendees looking for business context, sector insight and in-person industry connections. The English-language format also makes the programme accessible to an international audience visiting Barcelona. Essential information - Dates: 20–22 October 2026 - Venue: L’illa Auditorium - City: Barcelona, Spain - Format: On-site conference - Language: English - Organiser: CIDAI / Eurecat… Register for this event