WebSummit Prep Workshop: Sales & Marketing, Partnerships, and Investments

📣 Ahead of Web Summit Vancouver in May 2026, we’re hosting a special workshop to help startups maximize their opportunities at this major event.

Did you know that attending a tradeshow is typically one of the largest marketing expenses that a tech startup can have in a year? Did you know that greater than 50% of the time a tech startup fails to capitalize on the opportunity due to poor planning and execution?

We are offering a fun, engaging and content filled event to help raise your ability to succeed with an event like the Web Summit (or any tradeshow critical to your industry)

The 2.5-hour workshop will feature 3 presentations and 2 expert panels with the following Agenda:

1. Tradeshow 101 - presentation (20 minutes) on best practices (based on a popular tradeshow educational seminar offered by Rocket Builders for over a decade)
2. Expert Panel on Maximizing Tradeshow ROI - panel (40 minutes) on how to maximize a successful show presence through publicity, marketing, booth exhibiting and personal selling. This expert panel features experts with decades of experience in successful tradeshows.
3. Partnering - presentation (20 minutes) on how to recruit partnerships to expand your global reach. It is really how you build the relationships you need for global revenue generation – it can also be considered maximizing the “TRADE” part of a tradeshow. (presented by Rocket Builders as part of their ongoing Strategic Partnering education program, leveraging 25 years of offering this educational content)
4. Investment - presentation (20 minutes) on being effective at engaging Investors at a tradeshow with some guidance on the differences between various investor types, including some important expert tips on making the right first impression with a Strategic Investor such as a corporate VC (presented by Garibaldi Capital as part of their ongoing educational programs on Capital Raising)
5. Expert Panel of Investors - panel (40 minutes) on guidance from investors on how they are able to assess an opportunity quickly in the ad-hoc almost “speed dating” style of meeting entrepreneurs at a busy event. These experts will also share stories of how certain entrepreneurs were able to win them over quickly at an event.

Why You Should Attend:

• Learn best practices for executing a successful tradeshow event
• Gain insight into setting the right objectives
• Hear how other companies have succeeded
• Learn the various ways to maximize the impact of your attendance and investment

What You Will Leave With:

• A better planning process for exhibiting at a show
• Ideas on gaining more than your share of awareness
• Some checklists and templates for your planning
• Great examples of effective elevator pitches for an event

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher SFU VentureLabs