Music conferences 2025: how startups can network and build industry connections

Music conferences 2025: how startups can network and build industry connections 🎶

Attending a music industry conference 🎤 is an investment. Whether you’re a startup founder, an entrepreneur, or a music professional, these events offer unmatched opportunities to build connections, gain insights, and position yourself in the global music business. Without a strategy, it’s easy to leave with little more than a stack of business cards and no real outcomes.

This guide will help you approach music conferences with a clear plan, ensuring you maximise every opportunity and turn connections into meaningful business growth.

Why music conferences matter for startups and professionals  🌍

Music industry events and conferences are key industry touchpoints where:

✔ Music startups can meet investors, partners, and clients 🤝

✔ Entrepreneurs can validate business ideas and gather market insights 💡

✔ Industry professionals can grow their network and position themselves as industry leaders 🚀

A clear conference networking strategy turns conferences into a launchpad for real business growth.

Choosing the right music conference: where should you go? 📍

With so many music business conferences happening worldwide, deciding which ones to attend can feel overwhelming. Each event offers different opportunities depending on your goals, location, and music sector.

How to choose the best music industry conference for you

The best approach is to align your choice with your business goals, genre focus, and target market. 

Are you in electronic music? 🎧 IMS Ibiza or ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event), focus on electronic music trends, DJ culture, and music technology.

Are you in metal? 🎸 Bloodstock Open Air (UK), Hellfest (France), and Inferno Metal Festival (Norway) cater to metal industry professionals.

Are you targeting South-Eastern Europe? Athens Music Week, Mastering the Music Business (MMB) in Romania, and PIN Conference in North Macedonia are great for regional networking.

Are you focused on music tech and startups? 🖥 MIDEM+, Wallifornia Music & Innovation Summit, and Music Tectonics bring together music tech startups, innovators, investors, industry disrupters, and tech companies.

New to the industry and looking to listen and learn? Events like Most Wanted: Music (Germany), BBC Introducing Live (UK) and NY:LON Connect provide insights on music business fundamentals, emerging trends, and career development. 

Do you want broad industry networking? SXSW, Eurosonic, and Reeperbahn offer broad access to music industry executives, managers, and decision-makers.

Are you targeting film, gaming, or sync opportunities? 🎬 The Great Escape, Sync Summit, and SoundTrack Cologne focus on music licensing, sync deals, and partnerships with media industries.

Or do you want a mix of everything? Festivals like Eurosonic, Athens Music Week, Waves Vienna, By:Larm and Tallinn Music Week offer a blend music showcases, industry panels, and networking opportunities across multiple genres and sectors.

Using a conference calendar to plan your year 🗓

Instead of making last-minute decisions, map out key music conferences ahead of time based on their timing, location, and relevance to your business.

📅  Global music industry event calendar 2025 (with thanks and credit to Karma Bertelsen)

How to make the most of a music conference

1️⃣ Define your goals before you attend 🎯

A successful music conference networking strategy starts with clear objectives. Are you:

✔ Looking for funding from music investors?

✔ Searching for strategic music business partnerships?

✔ Aiming to increase brand visibility in the music industry?

✔ Trying to expand your music business network?

2️⃣ Research speakers, attendees, and companies 🔍

Most music industry conferences publish a list of speakers, exhibitors, and attendees. Use this information to prepare a targeted networking plan:

✔ Identify key people you want to meet, such as music investors, label executives, tour agents, and potential collaborators.

✔ Research their background so you can approach them with relevant insights.

✔ Use social media, including LinkedIn, to engage before the event.

3️⃣ Craft a clear and memorable pitch 🎙

At conferences, first impressions matter. You need a concise and compelling pitch to explain who you are and what you do.

✔ Keep it under 30 seconds.

✔ Tailor it to your audience (investors, clients, or partners).

✔ Highlight your unique value in the music business.

🚫 “I run a music tech startup that improves audio collaboration.”

✅ “Submix helps music professionals collaborate on audio projects in real time, streamlining workflows and making remote production more efficient.”

A strong personal brand helps you stand out at music conferences. If you’re working on how to present yourself professionally, my article on Building your profile for networking in the music industry offers practical steps to position yourself as an expert in the industry.

4️⃣ Engage in strategic networking 🤝

Networking isn’t about collecting business cards. It’s about building industry relationships that lead to real business opportunities.

✔ Introduce yourself to speakers and panellists after sessions.

✔ Ask insightful questions to stand out.

✔ Use social media to connect in real time.

✔ Schedule follow-ups immediately to keep conversations moving.

💡 Tip: Don’t rely on chance meetings. Identify exclusive networking events, industry happy hours, and invite-only gatherings, happening alongside the conference.

Networking at a music conference isn’t just about meeting people—it’s about making meaningful connections. If you want to refine your approach, check out my guide on Professional networking in the music industry for strategies to expand your network effectively.

5️⃣ Position yourself as an expert 🎤

✔ Pitch a panel or speaking session if applications are still open.

✔ Host a roundtable discussion or workshop.

✔ Ask high-value questions during panels to get noticed.

💡 Tip: If you’ve spoken at an event, publish a recap on your website with keywords like “highlights from [conference name]” or “key takeaways from [conference session]” to attract post-event search traffic.

6️⃣. Plan your follow-up strategy before you leave ✉️

✔ Organise contacts and categorise plans based on business potential.

✔ Send follow-ups within 48 hours to maintain momentum.

✔ Schedule post-conference meetings or calls to turn connections into real business discussions.

🚀 Pro tip: Use LinkedIn to stay connected and engage with their content. This keeps you top of mind.

7️⃣ Practical conference tips: where to stay, how long to attend, and what to prepare 🏨

✔ Close to the venue 🏢 – Saves time and makes it easier to attend early sessions.

✔ Business-friendly hotels 🏨 – Staying near industry professionals  increases networking opportunities.

✔ Consider shared accommodation 🏠 – Renting an apartment with a team can be more cost-effective.

✔ Full conference vs. key days 📅 – If budget and time are limited, prioritise high-value days.

✔ Arrive early ⏳– First day industry meetups help with networking.

✔ Stay for post-event networking 🍷 – Some of the best connections happen after the conference ends.

Tailored event strategy and networking support

Attending a music business conference is only valuable with a strategy. I offer:

✔ Event selection & strategy 🏆 – Identifying the best music industry events for your business.

✔ Pre-event outreach & meeting setup ✉️ – Helping you secure key meetings.

✔ On-site navigation & networking support 🤝 – Facilitating introductions to the right industry contacts.

✔ Post-event follow-up & next steps 📩– Ensuring tangible business outcomes from your networking efforts.

📅 Need help choosing the right music conferences for your business? Schedule a time with me

📩 Learn more about my Music Industry Access service.