Startup Grind Tbilisi Hosts Unprecedented Large-scale Tech Conference in Europe & Asia

While COVID-19 has us stuck at home, Startup Grind Europe and Asia Connect set to open doors to connections around the world. On December 10-12, Tbilisi virtually hosted its biggest online Startup Grind conference. Organized in partnership with Georgia's Innovation and Technology Agency, the event brought together more than 5,000 participants and startups from up to 35 countries.

The Europe-Asia Connect event included more than 20 thematic sessions, startup programs, masterclasses, and workshops. Among the speakers were the founders and investors of billion-dollar tech companies from the largest venture foundations. During the conference, startups from more than 35 countries competed with each other within the framework of the startup program. The conference also covered the topic of the changes caused by the pandemic, with prominent speakers advising startups how to adapt to the new environment. The international speakers also shared their experiences from around the world.

Steve Blank, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, hailed as the father of modern entrepreneurship, was one of the first speakers. His name unites many successful projects and companies: it was he who changed the ways industrial business is learned, modern startups are created, and science is commercialized. He developed the Lean Startup movement and published a manual guide for startups, named ‘Four Steps to Cognition.’ Companies and governments base their innovations on Mr Blank’s ideas.

Another key speaker at the Startup Grind Conference was Guy Kawasaki, a mentor and one of the most sought-after speakers on numerous platforms for innovation, technology, and startups. Mr Kawasaki is the author of fifteen books, basic textbooks for the finest academic institutions in the world, which have been among the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers. He is considered to be one of the greatest marketing experts worldwide.

The first Europe-Asia Connect was held in Tbilisi in November 2019, seeing 1,700 delegates and 40+ speakers attending. Usually, the vast majority of the speakers are globally recognized business figures, as well as local heroes, for example: Zaza Pachulia, Tamaz Giorgadze, and George Arison.

Although the Startup Grind Conference is organized in Georgia, it includes up to 90 Startup Grind offices from up to 50 countries. This is almost 50% of the countries on this continent.

Derek Andersen, the founder and CEO of Startup Grind, was also one of the key speakers at the event this year.

Startup Grind, a community of over 300 Chapters in 120 countries, is designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. Google also contributes to the establishment of the company, as it is a technological and financial supporter of the events. Since 2012, Startup Grind has hosted over 6,000 events. Every year, hundreds of events are held by Startup Grind around the world; however, the three largest take place in Silicon Valley, London and Tbilisi. All conferences have one goal in common: to share knowledge, build meaningful connections, build a startup community, and develop an ecosystem.