{"id":5178,"date":"2026-09-03T16:36:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T14:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/public-anim.com\/?p=5178"},"modified":"2026-10-17T14:05:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T12:05:31","slug":"which-trade-shows-to-attend-for-an-event-startup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/public-anim.com\/en\/which-trade-shows-to-attend-for-an-event-startup\/","title":{"rendered":"Which trade shows should an event tech startup attend?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Launching an event-planning start-up requires a network. Clients do not come on their own. Neither do partners. Trade shows remain one of the best ways to get known, meet decision-makers, and understand where the market is heading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem is choice. Between generalist entrepreneur trade shows, specialized MICE exhibitions, and major international events, a young agency can easily lose focus. At Public Anim, we have been following these events for several years. Here is our selection of the trade shows you need to know, highlighting what each one truly brings to an event-planning start-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why an event start-up benefits from exhibiting at trade shows<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Build a network of referrers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An event agency lives on recommendations and direct contacts. Trade shows bring together buyers, venues, DMCs, and complementary agencies in one place. Three days at a trade show can replace several months of cold calling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Understand industry trends<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The event industry is moving fast. Hybrid formats, immersive technologies, CSR requirements: trade shows serve as a barometer. Attending conferences allows you to spot the expectations of key accounts before they become the norm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Gain credibility with clients<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Being visible at a recognized industry trade show reassures a potential client. This shows that the young agency is part of a structured professional ecosystem, and not just present on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Trade shows specializing in event management and MICE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Paris, the young start-up events industry will naturally head towards the Porte de Versailles, the meeting point for the major trade shows held in the Paris capital. It is a route worth exploring, but not one to be taken lightly, as it could mean losing a lot of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>Heavent Paris, the must-attend event in France<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Heavent Paris<\/a><\/strong> is the largest European trade show dedicated to event innovation. It is held annually at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles and brings together more than 20,000 participants and 490 exhibitors around new technologies, scenography, audiovisuals, and creative solutions for the events of tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a start-up, Heavent Paris is an excellent gateway. You meet event agencies, corporate advertisers, local authorities, and technical service providers there. It is also the place to spot rising entertainment concepts, which is useful for refining your own offering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>IFTM, to reach business tourism and MICE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

IFTM<\/a><\/strong> (formerly IFTM Top Resa) is held every September at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. It is the only French B2B trade show covering the entire tourism chain: leisure, business travel, MICE, and groups. It brings together more than 30,000 trade visitors and over 1,500 brands, featuring a pre-scheduled business appointment platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition is suitable for start-ups involved in corporate seminars, incentives, or destinations, as it brings together tourist boards, hotel groups, and MICE buyers in one place. Admission is a paid for professionals, a point to budget for before attending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>CSE Paris Trade Show, to reach works councils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A more intimate yet highly targeted trade show: SolutionsCSE Paris<\/a><\/strong>, held twice a year at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. It brings together members of works councils (CSE) looking for service providers for social and cultural activities: leisure, group travel, ticketing, and events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For an animation or team-building start-up, this is a niche not to be overlooked. Works Council representatives directly purchase leisure and entertainment services for their employees, often with a dedicated and recurring budget from one year to the next. This is a different type of buyer profile than the HR or communications directors usually met at Heavent Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>IMEX Frankfurt, to target the international market<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For an agency targeting an international clientele or foreign brands organizing events in France, IMEX Frankfurt<\/a><\/strong> is the global benchmark in the MICE sector. The trade show is held annually in Germany and brings together more than 13,000 participants from around the world, including thousands of qualified professional buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a heavier investment, in terms of both time and budget, than a trade show in Paris. It is primarily justified if the start-up is looking for partnerships abroad or international clients organizing seminars in the \u00cele-de-France region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Generalist trade shows for entrepreneurs and start-ups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>GO Entrepreneurs, to structure your project<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

GO Entrepreneurs<\/a><\/strong> (formerly the Salon des Entrepreneurs) is the premier French event for business creation and development. Held in Paris every spring, it brings together tens of thousands of visitors, hundreds of partners, banks, support networks, and financing experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This trade show is not specific to the events industry, but it remains valuable for a young company. It offers advice on financing, accounting, and legal status, as well as the opportunity to meet other entrepreneurs who may become clients or business partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>VivaTech, for tech start-ups<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If the start-up develops a digital tool for events (management platform, event app, immersive solution), VivaTech<\/a><\/strong> worth the detour. Held in Paris every summer, it is Europe's largest tech and startup event. Investors, major corporations, and media all cross paths there\u2014a rare mix for a young company looking for visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


How to choose the right trade shows when starting out<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Align the salon with its target customer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An agency specializing in team building and corporate entertainment does not have the same needs as a start-up that sells a ticketing solution. The first instinct is to ask who buys our services, and then look for where these buyers can be found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objective<\/strong><\/td>Recommended salons<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team building and corporate entertainment<\/td>Heavent Paris, SolutionsCSE Paris<\/td><\/tr>
Seminars and business trips<\/td>IFTM, IMEX<\/td><\/tr>
Technology solutions for events<\/td>VivaTech<\/td><\/tr>
Company structuring, financing, local network<\/td>GO Entrepreneurs<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Prioritize one or two trade shows the first year<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Participating in a trade show requires preparation time, a booth or a minimum presence, and often registration fees. For a start-up, it is better to carefully prepare for one or two appointments than to spread oneself thin across five trade shows without a sufficient budget for each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Preparing your presence before the big day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A trade show is useless without preparation. Before going:<\/p>\n\n\n\n