Tech conferences serve as a crucial platform for industry professionals, experts and enthusiasts to network, learn and explore the latest trends and new developments in technology. Organising a successful tech conference can be stressful and a lot of work as it demands meticulous planning and excellent attention to detail.

In this guide, we will look at the key aspects of planning a tech conference, what makes a good conference, and how The Brewery might be the perfect venue for your next tech conference.

What do I need to consider when planning a tech conference?

Planning a tech conference can be a huge undertaking and if you haven’t organised a conference before, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are our top considerations for planning your tech conference.

Defining the purpose and audience

The first step in planning a tech conference is clearly defining its purpose and identifying specific objectives, such as knowledge sharing, networking, product launches, or fostering innovation. In addition, determine the target audience so you can tailor each part of your conference to their individual needs such as developers, entrepreneurs, executives, or a broader tech community.

If you’re looking to target a particular section of the tech world, such as AI or cloud computing, this also needs to be considered before you move on to the next part of planning.

Selecting the venue

Choosing the right venue is crucial for creating the right atmosphere and accommodating attendees comfortably. Consider factors such as capacity, food and drink options, accessibility, technical infrastructure, and the availability of breakout spaces for workshops and networking. You also need to consider what the venue offers itself, such as location and proximity to public transport and accommodation if your delegates could be potentially travelling from afar in order to attend.

Here at The Brewery, we are an extremely flexible conference venue that offers a variety of layouts that can be linked or used as breakout spaces – perfect for all aspects of your tech conference. Located in the heart of London, within the creative hub of Shoreditch, we are also very accessible by public transport and have plenty of accommodation options nearby. Plus, our fantastic team of highly skilled and passionate chefs will work with you to create food and drink menus with high-quality restaurant options, focused on seasonality and ingredients sourced from local suppliers.

Building an engaging program

To attract delegates, a diverse and engaging program is essential. Invite influential speakers, thought leaders, and industry experts who can share valuable insights and experiences within the tech industry or a specialist subject area. Ensure a mix of keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops, and interactive sessions to cater to different learning styles and interests to keep your delegates interested and engaged.

Also, consider whether your conference needs to have an online-only element for people who would like to attend but are unable to travel. This can also help widen your reach and attract more potential delegates as they can attend at their leisure. We’ve partnered with Encore, which uses technology to help bring the live and virtual worlds closer for hybrid events that enhance your live event at the venue and help you reach and engage with a wider online audience.

Fostering networking opportunities

Networking is a key component of any tech conference. Provide designated spaces and activities where delegates can connect, exchange ideas, and build relationships. You should also consider arranging networking events, social gatherings, and interactive activities to encourage meaningful interactions among participants that aren’t only based around work, and instead allow for relationships to be built in a more relaxed environment.

Showcasing innovations

Highlight and showcase the latest innovations, technologies, and products relevant to the conference's theme and subject area. Organise an exhibition space where companies and individuals can showcase their offerings, allowing delegates to explore and experience cutting-edge solutions first-hand. Encourage exhibitors to provide interactive demos and opportunities for hands-on experiences, information packs that can be taken away for later reading and promotional swag that can act as a brand awareness tool.

Embracing diversity and inclusivity

Ensure your tech conference embraces diversity and inclusivity to really be successful and as valuable to your delegates as possible. Encourage participation from underrepresented groups and strive for a balanced speaker line-up to ensure the tech community is fully represented.

Also look at how you can implement accessibility measures to accommodate delegates with different needs, such as providing captioning services or accessible seating areas. Discuss these needs with your venue to leverage their experience and how they have previously worked to make their events accessible.

Seamless logistics and event management

Pay careful attention to logistics and event management at your venue to ensure a smooth experience for delegates. Coordinate your registration processes, manage tickets, and provide clear communication channels for enquiries so your delegates have one seamless experience and less unnecessary communication. Consider using an app to ensure all the delegates have the information to hand as they need it.

At the event, ensure there is reliable internet connectivity, quality audio-visual equipment, and comfortable seating arrangements that can be easily adapted for the different types of break-out spaces and interactive sessions.

Gathering feedback and continuous improvement

Even after your conference has taken place, your planning shouldn’t stop there! Collect feedback from delegates to understand their experiences and areas for improvement for future events and conferences. Consider using surveys, encourage social media engagement, and provide channels for direct feedback so there is no reason your delegates don’t feel comfortable providing their feedback.

Analyse the feedback to make informed decisions for future conferences, aiming for continuous improvement and ensuring your event continues to grow and get better every year.

What makes a good tech conference?

A good tech conference stands out by offering a range of essential elements that combine to create a valuable and memorable experience for attendees. Here are some key factors that contribute to making a tech conference successful:

Relevance and timeliness

A good tech conference focuses on the latest trends, innovations, and challenges in the industry. It addresses topics that are relevant to the current landscape and provides insights that delegates can apply in their professional lives. Keeping the content up to date and aligned with the rapidly evolving tech industry ensures that attendees find value in attending the conference.

Quality speakers

The speakers play a crucial role in delivering valuable content at a tech conference with good conferences inviting renowned experts, thought leaders, and industry influencers as speakers. These individuals should possess deep knowledge and experience in their respective specialist areas, offering unique perspectives and actionable insights.

Variety of content formats

A good tech conference provides diverse content formats to cater to different learning preferences as many of your delegates will take in information in different ways. Keynote speeches inspire and set the tone for the event, while panel discussions encourage lively debates and different viewpoints to be shared. Lightning talks and demos allow for quick and concise presentations of emerging technologies that are easy to digest and ideal for time-poor delegates.

In addition, workshops, demos and interactive sessions provide hands-on experiences and opportunities for skill development. They go beyond theoretical discussions and offer delegates the chance to interact with new technologies, products and prototypes. This allows them to gain practical insights and understand potential real-life applications. Offering a variety of formats keeps the conference dynamic and engaging.

Post-conference resources

A good tech conference goes beyond the event itself by providing valuable post-conference resources to all your delegates. These may include access to session recordings, presentation materials, and supplementary resources shared by speakers. Providing these resources allows delegates to revisit and reinforce their learning, even after the conference has ended, as well as showcase the value of the conference and encourage future attendance. Are you attending to a tech conference? Read our guide on How to Prepare for a Tech Conference and be prepared. 

Is The Brewery the perfect venue for my next tech conference?

One of the UK’s leading corporate event venues, The Brewery is a truly unique venue for your next tech conference that offers a mix of historical charm and state-of-the-art facilities, all in a superb location – what more could you want!? We are also able to:

• Accommodate over 1,000 attendees.
• Conveniently located in the City, near the creative community of Shoreditch as well as London’s financial district, Tech Hub in the nearby Old Street, making the venue easy to access using trains, tubes and from nearby airports.
• Offer use of our high-quality in-house facilities including audio-visual and IT, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi.
• Ensure you have one consistent point of contact throughout the conference planning process so nothing gets missed.
• Allow you access to each of our 6 spaces to ensure there is plenty of room for breakouts and other individual events.
• Work with you to design amazing menus of delicious food to cater for all your delegates.

Get in touch with our team today to start planning a tech conference your guests will remember.

Back to blog