The Founder Summit: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
Germany’s largest business festival for founders and entrepreneurs, with speakers, networking, an expo area, live pitches, international show acts and an aftershow concert.
Verified ·4 official sources·Organised by The Founder Summit (the organising company or body is not named on the official pages reviewed)
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
- Apr 3–4, 2027 · The Founder Summit 2027 source
- Where
- RheinMain CongressCenter (RMCC), Wiesbaden, Germany
- Format
- in-person
- Startup pass
- Startups can apply to the Start-Up Stadium 2027; the organiser says it reviews applications to select suitable participants. No application fee or general startup/exhibitor access price is stated. source
- Start-Up Stadium
- €250,000 investment (2027) source
- Cadence
- Annual, in April
GeneralistFoundersInvestorsCorporates
Next edition
| Dates | Apr 3–4, 2027 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | The Founder Summit 2027 |
| Venue | RheinMain CongressCenter (RMCC), Wiesbaden, Germany |
How founders get in
| Startup programme | Startups can apply to the Start-Up Stadium 2027; the organiser says it reviews applications to select suitable participants. No application fee or general startup/exhibitor access price is stated. source |
|---|
Start-Up Stadium
| Prize | €250,000 investment (2027) source |
|---|
Meeting investors there
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 Start-Up Stadium.
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 8, 2026:
The Founder Summit: frequently asked
When is The Founder Summit 2027?
The Founder Summit 2027 runs Apr 3–4, 2027 at RheinMain CongressCenter (RMCC), Wiesbaden, according to the organiser's published dates.
How do startups get into The Founder Summit?
Startups can apply to the Start-Up Stadium 2027; the organiser says it reviews applications to select suitable participants. No application fee or general startup/exhibitor access price is stated.
What is Start-Up Stadium?
The Founder Summit's pitch competition. Prize as published: €250,000 investment (2027).
How big is The Founder Summit?
More than 17,000 participants over two days attendees (2027), per the organiser.