Where tech leaders now choose to meet

For a long time, tech events were built around scale. The bigger the crowd, the stronger the perception of success. Attendance numbers became a proxy for impact, and festivals grew year after year because that was what the industry expected.

That model no longer fits how tech leaders work today.

Over the past years, I have spent time in conversations with founders, executives, and operators who carry real responsibility inside their organizations. As a community builder, I often speak with them before they commit to attending events. Their questions are direct. They want to know who will be in the room, how discussions are structured, and whether the environment allows honest exchange.

Almost none of them ask how many people will attend.

This is a meaningful signal. Leaders who run companies do not optimize for visibility. They already have it. They want rooms where time leads to insight, clarity, and ...