START Summit: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
Europe's largest student-run entrepreneurship conference, bringing together Europe's leading investors and best talents.
Verified ·7 official sources·Organised by START Global (student-run initiative founded by students at the University of St. Gallen, HSG)
The essentials from the organiser's own pages: when, where, how big, and how founders get in. Speakers, investor lists and past editions are on the official site.
- Next edition
- Mar 18–19, 2027 · START Summit 2027 source
- Where
- St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Format
- in-person
- Tickets
- CHF 399 (startup ticket, 2026) to CHF 899 (investor ticket, 2026) source
- Startup pass
- Startups buy a Startup ticket through the official ticket shop; the 2026 startup ticket was listed at CHF 399 (Phase 4/4, Main Sale). Startups can also apply for pitching competitions and START Fair booths. source
- Cadence
- Annual, March (2026 edition 19-20 March; next 18-19 March 2027); first summit 1997
AIDeeptechHealth & biotechFintechClimateB2B SaaSRoboticsPre-seedSeedSeries AFoundersInvestorsCorporatesStudents
Next edition
| Dates | Mar 18–19, 2027 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | START Summit 2027 |
| Venue | St. Gallen, Switzerland |
| Tickets | tickets.startglobal.org source |
How founders get in
| Startup programme | Startups buy a Startup ticket through the official ticket shop; the 2026 startup ticket was listed at CHF 399 (Phase 4/4, Main Sale). Startups can also apply for pitching competitions and START Fair booths. source |
|---|
Pitching Competitions
Meeting investors there
Founders book 1:1 meetings with investors through the START Summit matchmaking app and can join investor side-events and the Investor Lounge. source
| Investors attending | 1,000+ investors (2026) source |
|---|
Before you go: the hub's cold email to VCs playbook covers the pre-event outreach that fills a meeting calendar, and Causo matches your stage and thesis to the funds in its database so you know who to ask for a meeting.
Official links and socials
Apply
Prepare for it
- How to cold email VCs — book the meetings before you land.
- The 12-slide seed deck — what to have ready when a partner says "send me the deck".
- Pitch Deck Roaster — a slide-by-slide pass before you submit to Pitching Competitions.
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 26, 2026:
START Summit: frequently asked
When is START Summit 2027?
START Summit 2027 runs Mar 18–19, 2027 at St. Gallen, according to the organiser's published dates.
How much does START Summit cost?
Published ticket prices run CHF 399 (startup ticket, 2026) to CHF 899 (investor ticket, 2026). Startups: Startups buy a Startup ticket through the official ticket shop; the 2026 startup ticket was listed at CHF 399 (Phase 4/4, Main Sale). Startups can also apply for pitching competitions and START Fair booths..
How do startups get into START Summit?
Startups buy a Startup ticket through the official ticket shop; the 2026 startup ticket was listed at CHF 399 (Phase 4/4, Main Sale). Startups can also apply for pitching competitions and START Fair booths.
How many investors attend START Summit?
The organiser reports 1,000+ investors investors for the 2026 edition. Founders book 1:1 meetings with investors through the START Summit matchmaking app and can join investor side-events and the Investor Lounge.
What is Pitching Competitions?
START Summit's pitch competition.
How big is START Summit?
7,000+ participants attendees (2026), 1,350+ startups startups, per the organiser.