Top 15 best in-person tech conferences in the US & Canada in 2024

Lauded as the most influential tech event in the world, CES 2024 promises to bring back all of the learning and networking opportunities it has become known for. The conference will feature keynotes on software’s role in making AI more accessible and building smart infrastructure for a more sustainable future, and many a symposium. You’ll also get to hear insights from experts covering a range of topics, from 5G technologies and IoT and sensors to cybersecurity, food tech, and more. Plus, brands like Google and Amazon Web Services (AWS) will be there representing purpose-built solutions for the automotive, mobility, transportation, and manufacturing industries. This global expo promises to bring together some of the greatest minds in tech from around the world. You won’t want to miss it!

For the creative industries, SXSW is a must-visit technology conference. It’s an incredible opportunity to hear about cutting-edge ideas, network with a pool of like-minded professionals, and immerse yourself in breakthroughs in tech, film, culture, and music. Past keynote speakers have included Barack Obama, Olivia Wilde, and Esther Perel, among many other star-studded names!At the 2024 edition, you’ll be able to choose from a number of tracks to follow such as advertising and brand experience, the creator economy, and immersive breakthroughs in virtual and augmented reality. Sound too good to be true? Well, it’s not. Head on down to Austin for an unmissable experience!

This conference is considered one of the most significant social gatherings of thought leaders in the space and satellite industries. The aim is to bridge the gap in the digital divide, improve access to space, cultivate innovation, and look to solve relevant global challenges. This event has a history of being one of the largest events every year, bringing in speakers like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.Several significant themes will be covered at this year’s conference, including closing the digital divide, new business models, startup expectations across the industry, and AI-enhanced data processing, among many other fascinating topics. Put simply, it’s a showstopper of an event that anyone interested in this field should strive to attend.

Head over to the City of Angels for this immersive conference that brings together blockchain, crypto, and NFT professionals from all over the world! With live music, inspiring talks, glitzy entertainment, and parties only a city like LA can offer, this is the ultimate go-to event for anyone working in these innovative industries. After a star-studded lineup of speakers last year, which included Steve Aoki, Mark Cuban, Tatiana Demaria, and Nicole Buffet, we’re on the edge of our seats waiting for this year’s roster to be announced! 

Ready to head over to the heart of Silicon Beach to learn about the next generation of Internet, mobile, martech, adtech, and SaaS technology? Yeah, we bet you do. So head on over to TECHSPO’s, Los Angeles’ exciting technology exhibition!Prepare to be inspired, learn from leaders from some of the world’s top brands, take advantage of the conference’s interactive nature to network, and explore all that this glamorous city has to offer. This conference is the place where business, tech, and innovation collide, so don’t miss out on your chance to be part of it.

Are you a digital marketing professional looking to explore the best practices, latest trends, practical solutions, and exciting strategies in your industry? Then look no further, DigiMarCon 2024 is where you need to be. This year’s edition of the conference will deep dive into geo-targeting and proximity marketing, “smarketing” and customer experience, neuromarketing, growth hacking, and so much more. With a roster of past speakers from some of the big names in marketing like Microsoft, Hubspot, Hootsuite, and Facebook, you won’t want to miss this incredible conference in the Big Apple.

The country’s top security conference is back with a bang, taking place in San Francisco from the 6th to the 9th of May, 2024. You’ll gain hands-on knowledge about the latest trends taking place in the world of security, with interactive programs like RSA’s Learning Labs, training sessions, and a range of hands-on activities conducted by industry leaders and providers. Don’t forget to secure your spot now, tickets do tend to run out quickly!

The Open Data Science Conference in Boston is the must-attend event of the year for anyone interested in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, open-source tech, data analytics, and machine learning. Experts from Microsoft, Salesforce, UC Berkeley, and Red Hat are just a few of the thought leaders who have spoken and shared their knowledge at the conference.This community-focused event gives you the opportunity to engage with others in your field, build new relationships, and learn from world-class experts. If you want to take a huge leap forward in your career, this conference is where you should start.

The world’s leading AI and big data event, this two-day expo will knock your socks off. You’ll have the opportunity to learn from over 250 area experts across several fields within the technology industry, including manufacturing, transport, supply chain, government, legal, financial services, energy, utilities, insurance, healthcare, and retail, to name a few. It really is the mother of all tradeshows and will cover 18 different conference tracks, including demystifying AI, decision science, computer vision, and more.

The world’s largest technology event dedicated to DTC subscriptions, SubSummit 2024 is where world leaders come together to discuss the future of consumer behavior and e-commerce. This year the conference will take place in its homestead of Dallas, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn about optimizing your business model, developing long-lasting relationships, and understanding the evolution of the subscription industry.You’ll cover topics like how to optimize your subscription-based business model, how to diversify revenue, and how to use AI in subscription models. 

A music festival. A coding festival. Full of waffles and wings. Could you ask for much more? This is one of the most exciting software engineering conventions out there, bringing together over 80 speakers from some of the world’s tech industry leaders. Hear from developers from GitHub, engineers from MeetUp, founders, CIOs, DevOps professionals and so many more at this cutting-edge event. This is more than a tech conference, it’s a place to go to build memories.

Often referred to as North America’s fastest-growing startup summit, this event is the self-proclaimed Olympics of tech! Created by the team behind Web Summit, this is an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors to come together and build the next big thing, no matter whether you’re building a groundbreaking app or a robot.The conference’s impressive list of past speakers includes Nicole Kidman, Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, the CEO of PayPal, the Mayor of Toronto, and many more. 2024 promises an equally exciting line-up of speakers to enlighten you on digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and more. So why not head over there, meet like-minded professionals, and visit CN Tower while you’re at it?

Held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and returning for its 27th year, Black Hat USA is the place to go for the cybersecurity community. Featuring training, briefings, business halls, and keynote speeches, this is an event not to be missed for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the latest trends and insights from the field. You can attend this event live and in person in Las Vegas, or you can decide to join it remotely if you prefer.

As one of the world’s largest tech events, the Mobile World Congress (MWC) is the place to learn about cross-industry digital transformation. You can expect the event to showcase the hottest trends in 5G acceleration, the age of AI, connectivity, and mobile innovation. You’ll learn about automation, smart cities, connected consumerism, robotics, the future of healthcare, and inclusive technology, among many other things. Hear from world-class innovators from disruptive companies and get ready to step into the future. 

Higher education professionals, listen up! Educause has a history of featuring outstanding speakers, including individuals from esteemed institutions like Princeton University and Paul Quinn College. While last year’s event took place in Chicago, this year the conference moves to San Antonio, Texas, where you can participate in talks, case studies, and roundtables on topics like the future workforce, cybersecurity, emerging technologies, high-performance computing, and much, much more.