Side Events
Side events for VBW27 (June 2–3, 2027) will be announced closer to the event. For reference, this was the VBW26 side-event programme – summits, roundtables and curated networking.
INSIDEOUT Summit 2026
A curated innovation event as part of ViennaUP, combining technology, entrepreneurship, and human development.
With 300+ attendees from over 10 countries, the event brings together founders, investors, corporate innovators, and ecosystem leaders working on meaningful and purpose-driven innovation.
Key Facts
Date
May 21, 2026
Location
weXelerate, Praterstraße 1, 1020 Vienna
Attendees
300+
International Reach
10+ countries
Format
Conference + interactive sessions + curated networking
Part of
ViennaUP 2026
Organized by
tech2impact
Topics & Focus Areas
- Human 2.0 & personal growth
- Purpose-driven innovation
- Future leadership & resilience
- Authentic connections & new networking formats
- Intersection of tech, impact, and society
What makes it different
INSIDEOUT goes beyond traditional conferences:
- ✓Interactive formats like small group discussions and workshops
- ✓Moderated networking instead of transactional exchanges
- ✓Integration of art, music, and immersive experiences
- ✓Strong focus on mental health and sustainable entrepreneurship
Audience
DeFi under MiCA: Shaping the Next Framework
An exclusive senior-level roundtable held as part of the Vienna Blockchain Week side events.
This session brings together key stakeholders from regulation, legal, industry, and academia to discuss the future of DeFi within the evolving European MiCA framework. At its core, the event addresses a critical open question: What will a future regulatory framework for DeFi in Europe look like – and who will shape it?
Key Facts
Date
May 21, 2026
Time
09:00 – 12:00
Location
Dr.-Karl-Lueger-Platz 2, 1010 Vienna
Format
Closed-door roundtable (Chatham House Rules)
Access
Application required, limited capacity
Series
Policy Nexus Table (Pilot Edition)
Topics & Focus Areas
- DeFi within the MiCA regulatory landscape
- ESMA centralisation approaches
- Classification of perpetuals and derivatives
- DLT Pilot Regime and market integration
- Future regulatory frameworks for DeFi
- Role of regulators, industry, and academia
Format & Highlights
- ✓Curated, high-level roundtable discussion
- ✓Conducted under Chatham House Rules
- ✓Participation from senior experts across sectors
- ✓Post-event briefing paper summarising key insights
- ✓Focus on in-depth dialogue over traditional panels
Audience
Hosts
Nathalie Boyke
nucleus42
Oliver Völkel
Cerha Hempel
Crypto Compliance & Legal Roundtable | Vienna
An exclusive, invitation-only roundtable bringing together compliance and legal leaders, regulators, and policy experts during Vienna Blockchain Conference.
Hosted by Solidus Labs and EY & EY Law Austria, this in-person session focuses on advancing global crypto compliance through practical discussion, sharing best practices, and identifying actionable solutions to today's most pressing regulatory and compliance challenges.
Key Facts
Date
May 18, 2026
Time
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location
Am Hof 8 – Private Members Club, 1010 Vienna
Format
Closed-door roundtable
Access
Registration with host approval required
Hosted by
Solidus Labs & EY / EY Law Austria
Programme & Topics
- Supervisory priorities and FMA's view on financial innovation (Dr. Stefan Tomanek, FMA)
- MiCAR Done Right? Why Austria attracts international crypto leaders
- Achieving MiCA Readiness: Practical compliance challenges and solutions
- Global crypto compliance: best practices and actionable solutions
- AML / market abuse monitoring in crypto
- Regulatory frameworks for crypto firms in Europe
Agenda
- ✓17:00 – Registration
- ✓17:30 – 19:00 – Discussions: best practices, challenges, actionable solutions
- ✓19:00 – Networking
- ✓Senior speakers from regulation, legal, and industry
- ✓Limited seats – registration subject to host approval
Audience
Hosts
Solidus Labs
Compliance & Trade Surveillance
EY & EY Law Austria
FinTech & New Technologies
Impact Days 2026
Impact Days invites a different way of engaging with the future: not by predicting it, but by shaping it consciously within the real limits of our time.
'Holding Tensions, Creating Impact' is the guiding idea for Impact Days '26. Three core tensions – Nature & Technology, Stability & Change, Value Extraction & Regeneration – shape the programme. The conference gathers entrepreneurs, investors, leaders, and system builders ready to engage with responsibility over certainty.
Key Facts
Dates
May 18–19, 2026
Day 1
Mon, May 18 | 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Day 2
Tue, May 19 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location
Rathaus Wien (City Hall), Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz 1, 1010 Vienna
Ticket
Paid ticket required
Organiser
Impact Hub Vienna GmbH
Topics & Formats
- Nature and Technology as a navigable tension
- Stability and Change in balance
- Value Extraction vs. Regeneration
- Pitch Competition & Matchmaking
- Panel discussions & Deep Dive Sessions
- Part of ViennaUP 2026
Highlights
- ✓2-day conference at Vienna City Hall
- ✓Deep Dive Sessions across Vienna on Day 2
- ✓Wheelchair-accessible venue
- ✓Mix of pitches, panels, and interactive workshops
Audience
ViennaUP Coffee House Sessions 2026
Selected startups meet experienced investors and industry experts at hand-picked Viennese coffee houses for honest conversations and connections that move ventures forward.
The Vienna Business Agency curates participants after registration to ensure the right mix of people and topics – so every seat at the table matters. Set in iconic Viennese coffee houses, where big ideas and bold decisions have always belonged.
Key Facts
Date
May 18, 2026
Time
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location
Various Viennese coffee houses
Format
Curated round tables
Ticket
Free (application required)
Organiser
Vienna Business Agency
What to Expect
- Curated matchmaking by the Vienna Business Agency
- Honest conversations with experienced investors
- Strategic sparring with industry experts
- Network building as part of ViennaUP
- Ideal for startups fundraising or scaling
Highlights
- ✓Invitation-style round table format
- ✓Iconic Viennese coffee houses as the setting
- ✓Wheelchair-accessible venues
- ✓Application and confirmation required
Audience
Fundraising Secrets – The Complete Masterplan
Stop chasing buzzwords and start building real investor connections. A hands-on workshop based on three successful funding rounds across Austria, Germany, and the USA.
Florian Kandler shares his personal, battle-tested roadmap: how to determine if an investor is the right match, how to engage in eye-level conversations built on credibility, and how to foster lasting partnerships rather than just chasing a check.
Key Facts
Date
May 18, 2026
Time
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location
Near Vienna Central Station / Südtiroler Platz (exact address shared after booking)
Format
Interactive workshop
Ticket
Paid ticket required
Organiser
Accomenda GmbH
Workshop Topics
- Determining whether an investor is actually the right match
- Engaging in eye-level conversations beyond the hype
- Building lasting investor partnerships
- Personal battle-tested roadmap (3 funding rounds)
- Actionable techniques to apply immediately at ViennaUP
What to Expect
- ✓No theoretical lecture – real-world fundraising reality
- ✓Wheelchair-accessible venue
- ✓Universal blueprint for local and international founders
- ✓Interactive format led by Florian Kandler
Audience
Startup World Cup Austria 2026
The Austrian final of the world's largest startup competition – with a chance to win up to USD 1 million in investment and a spot at the Silicon Valley Grand Finale.
The Startup World Cup, hosted by Pegasus Tech Ventures, runs in 70+ countries. The Austrian final brings the best startups from regional pre-events onto the WKO Vienna stage for the ultimate pitch showdown.
Key Facts
Date
May 18, 2026
Time
1:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Location
WKO, Wiedner Hauptstraße 63, 1040 Vienna
Format
Pitch Competition & Matchmaking
Ticket
Free entrance
Organiser
invest.austria
Programme
- Fireside chat with international ecosystem leaders
- Final pitch competition before a high-level jury
- Evaluated on idea, market, traction, team & pitch
- Matchmaking with investors
- Winner represents Austria in Silicon Valley
- Chance to win up to USD 1M from Pegasus Tech Ventures
Highlights
- ✓Wheelchair-accessible venue
- ✓Free entrance
- ✓Part of ViennaUP 2026
- ✓Global reach: 70+ participating countries
Audience
ViennaUP 2026 Opening Night
ViennaUP 2026 kicks off in one of the city's most magical locations – founders, investors, and ecosystem representatives from around the world gather at Vienna City Hall.
The Vienna Business Agency hosts the opening of a week of bold ideas. Featuring a special keynote by Fredrik Debong (founder of mySugr), a Viennese buffet, and much more – beneath the chandeliers of a venue that has shaped European culture.
Key Facts
Date
May 18, 2026
Time
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Location
Vienna City Hall, Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz 1, 1010 Vienna
Format
Networking & gathering
Ticket
Free entrance
Organiser
Vienna Business Agency
What to Expect
- Special keynote by Fredrik Debong (founder of mySugr)
- Viennese buffet & networking
- Inspiration, substance & surprise moments
- Connections from the international startup ecosystem
- Official opening of the ViennaUP 2026 festival week
Highlights
- ✓Unique setting at Vienna City Hall
- ✓Wheelchair-accessible venue
- ✓Free entrance (registration required)
- ✓Community-driven festival opener
Audience
The Female Founders Experience Vienna 2026
Europe's leading founders, investors, and leaders come together to learn, exchange openly, and build relationships that last a lifetime.
FFX is a space for trusted, authentic, and lasting connections. In partnership with ViennaUP, the event brings the Austrian and European ecosystems together – with a clear focus on community, strength, and radical change. Yes, this is a women-only event.
Key Facts
Dates
May 19–20, 2026
Day 1
Tue, May 19 | 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Location
The Social Hub Vienna, Nordbahnstrasse 47, 1020 Vienna
Format
Conference, workshops, matchmaking, panels
Ticket
Paid ticket (application required)
Organiser
Grow F GmbH
Topics & Formats
- Trusted, authentic, and lasting connections
- Founders and investors exchanging openly
- Workshops & meet-the-experts sessions
- Matchmaking & panel discussions
- Intersection of ViennaUP & the European ecosystem
Highlights
- ✓Women-only event
- ✓Wheelchair-accessible venue
- ✓Mix of conference, workshops & matchmaking
- ✓In partnership with ViennaUP 2026
Audience
Salon Future: Connecting Startup Ecosystems
A unique platform designed for city representatives, startup ecosystem builders, and organisations committed to fostering thriving startup communities.
Salon Future connects peers from cities around the globe, creating space to share experiences, tackle challenges, and explore innovative solutions for startup ecosystems. Please note: Salon Future is NOT an event for startups.
Key Facts
Date
May 19, 2026
Time
9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Location
Secret venue, 1010 Vienna
Format
Panels, interactive sessions, networking
Ticket
Free (registration / waiting list)
Organiser
Vienna Business Agency
Topics
- Building and nurturing entrepreneurial communities
- Attracting international startups to your city
- Forward-thinking policies to support startup growth
- Dynamic panel discussions & interactive sessions
- Peer learning between cities worldwide
Highlights
- ✓Wheelchair-accessible venue
- ✓Free entrance
- ✓For ecosystem builders only – not for startups
- ✓Waiting list registration – curated attendance
Audience
Human×AI Conference
A medium for ideas, vision, partnership, and collaboration – bringing together the brightest minds at the intersection of artificial intelligence and European ambition.
Human×AI Europe is the platform for the conversation that matters most: how we build Europe's next era. Founders, investors, businesses, policymakers, and cities come together to shape a future that's prosperous, sovereign, and human – by design.
Key Facts
Date
May 19, 2026
Time
12:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Location
mumok Hofstallungen, MuseumsQuartier, Museumsplatz 1, 1070 Vienna
Format
Conference, networking, expert sessions, panels
Ticket
Paid ticket required
Organiser
Visibilio.ai Ltd.
Topics
- European strategic autonomy in technology
- Security & innovation ecosystems
- Partnerships between founders, investors & cities
- Human-by-design AI development
- Pilot launches & commitment-driven formats
- Europe's role in the global AI landscape
Highlights
- ✓Unique setting at mumok, MuseumsQuartier Vienna
- ✓Wheelchair-accessible venue
- ✓Senior speakers from founding, investment & policy
- ✓Focus on European AI sovereignty
Audience
COMETS Builders Meetup in Vienna
Vienna's blockchain and AI builders are gathering for conversations that go beyond surface-level networking.
COMETS hosts builder-focused events across Central and Eastern Europe for conversations that go beyond surface-level networking. This time, we're coming to Vienna for an evening with the people actively shaping the intersection of AI and Web3.
Key Facts
Date
May 17, 2026
Time
6:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Location
Latidos, Ungargasse 2, 1030 Vienna
Attendees
38+
Format
Panel + Networking
Organized by
COMETS
Ticket
Free (approval required) or €10
Program
- 6:30 PM – Event opening
- 7:00 PM – COMETS presentation (by Daiana M., Founder)
- 7:30 PM – Panel discussion: AI Meets Web3 – How Artificial Intelligence is Reshaping Blockchain Development
Who should attend?
This meet is built for:
- ✓Blockchain developers & AI engineers
- ✓Web3 founders & ecosystem operators
- ✓Anyone serious about building at the intersection of AI and Web3
Audience
Yat Siu: Crypto and Web3 as Infrastructure for an AI Agent Economy
Yat Siu, Co-Founder & Chairman of Animoca Brands, on one of the most disruptive topics in fintech today – live at WU Vienna.
ABC Research presents a WU Talk / Austrian Blockchain Talk featuring Yat Siu, Co-Founder and Chairman of Animoca Brands – often described as the "Berkshire Hathaway of Web3" and among the most influential figures in the global Web3 and crypto ecosystem. The session explores how AI agents are reshaping the economy and the role of Web3 and crypto as foundational infrastructure for the agentic economy.
Key Facts
Date
May 21, 2026
Time
10:00 AM
Location
WU Festsaal, LC.0.100, Vienna
Speaker
Yat Siu (Co-Founder & Chairman, Animoca Brands)
Language
German (English slides)
Ticket
Free (registration required, first come, first served)
Organiser
ABC Research
Topics & Focus Areas
- How AI agents are reshaping the economy
- Web3 and crypto as foundational infrastructure for the agentic economy
- Opportunities emerging for students and young founders
- Animoca Brands as a global Web3 investor
- The intersection of AI, crypto, and tokenisation
About the Speaker
- ✓Yat Siu – Co-Founder & Chairman of Animoca Brands
- ✓Animoca Brands is often called the "Berkshire Hathaway of Web3"
- ✓Among the most influential figures in the global Web3 & crypto ecosystem
- ✓Talk delivered in German, with English slides
- ✓Limited seats – registration via Eventbrite