AI Conferences for Startups and Growing Businesses

For startups and small and medium businesses (SMBs), conferences offer more than inspiration — they provide you with tools, invaluable insights, and direction. You’ll see how real businesses use artificial intelligence (AI) for sales, services, marketing, and commerce — and that’s just the beginning. These AI events give you access to innovative new technology, expert advice, hands-on demos, and real-world sessions you can bring back to your team.

According to the latest State of the AI Connected Customer report, more than 89% of customers want to know if they’re speaking to a person or an AI — making trust a top priority for your business today. And with these AI event recommendations, you’ll learn how to build that trust while exploring automation and personalization. Here’s a list of annual conferences that are held at all different times of the year — let’s dig in.

What we’ll cover:

• What is an AI conference?
• Dreamforce
• Connections
• AI: Smart Business and Entrepreneurship Summit 
• HumanX 
• Startup Grind Tech Summit 
• Generative AI Expo
• Agentforce World Tours
• eMerge Americas

What is an AI conference?

An artificial intelligence (AI) conference is an event dedicated to sharing the latest innovations, technological advancements, and expert insights to business owners all over the world. These events are more than just a place to hear big ideas. AI conferences are where hundreds of small business owners, change-makers, and people just like you come together to explore what’s possible with smart intelligence, learn from real-world examples, meet future collaborators, and walk away with tools that change how you do business.

If you’re running a small business or growing a startup, these events offer both vision and action. You’ll see how AI is already shaping industries and how you can apply it to your own goals. Here’s how to get the most value out of these events.

How to get the most value out of your AI conference

Whether you’re attending an event in person or joining virtually, a little intention goes a long way. What you get from your AI conference depends on how you show up, what you choose to focus on, and how you follow through.

Start by choosing sessions that speak to real challenges that you face as a business owner. You might be looking to speed up your customer service or optimize your online store. Find your must-see talks, follow speakers, message peers, and build a schedule that fits your goals.

Want to have more meaningful conversations at AI conferences? Start by putting all your customer data in one place. A customer relationship manager (CRM) like Starter Suite helps you track who you met, what they care about, what questions they’re asking, and which AI tools they’re exploring.

When you show up with the right context — like recent interactions and business needs — you’ll have deeper, more relevant conversations. With everything connected in your CRM, you’re not just collecting contacts‌ — ‌you’re building momentum

Here are some of the most popular AI conferences to attend: 

Dreamforce

Dreamforce is the world’s largest and most trusted AI event, and could quite possibly be where your next business chapter begins. Live from San Francisco — or from anywhere virtually with Salesforce+ — you’ll connect with people shaping the future of business with AI. You’ll learn tools to grow your revenue and sessions built for small teams like yours. Along with high-energy musical performances and exciting interactive activations, you’ll meet people who could become lasting partners for life. 

At Dreamforce you’ll learn how Salesforce is transforming all aspects of business — sales, services, marketing, commerce, and productivity for real businesses. You’ll also get an inside look at Agentforce and how to build AI agents to maximize efficiency for the future.

Highlights of Dreamforce

You’ll choose from multiple experiences designed just for growing business: inspiring sessions, practical demos, AI tool demos, and real stories from teams like yours. Here are a few highlights from Dreamforce events: 

• Learn how Salesforce AI helps small businesses sell faster, serve better, market smarter, and simplify work
• Explore Agentforce with Trailhead: build and deploy AI agents tailored to your startup’s specific needs
• Hear from leading experts on productivity tools, CRM features and workflows built for small teams
• Interact with real-world demos showing how data and AI power sales, services, marketing, and commerce

Sessions for small businesses at Dreamforce

If you’re a startup founder or leading a small team, Dreamforce gives you the space to learn and connect with purpose. These sessions are made for founders like you — focused on real tools, not just big ideas. Here are some sessions dedicated to startups and SMBs:

For the full list of sessions, please check out the session catalog, where you’ll find every topic and speaker to help you plan your Dreamforce  experience.

AI: Smart Business and Entrepreneurship Summit

The AI: Smart Business and Entrepreneurship Summit is for you — whether you’re building something new or scaling a small business with heart. This half-day online event brings together startup founders, small business owners, growing businesses, and early-stage teams to explore how AI can make work easier and decision-making smarter. You’ll discover how trusted tools can simplify operations, personalize customer experiences, support growth, and make space for bold ideas.

Highlights of the AI: Smart Business and Entrepreneurship Summit 

• How AI can simplify your daily tasks and shape your long-term strategies
• Real stories from founders using AI for content creation, campaign testing, and automation
• Steps to build AI you can trust — with transparency, inclusion, and responsibility at the center

Registration for this online event is now open through the AI: Smart Business and Entrepreneurship Summit 2026 page.

Connections

Connections is the go-to Salesforce event for marketers and small business teams who want to connect with other leaders in the age of AI. It’s a conference dedicated to exploring how agentic AI is reshaping marketing — and how you can use it to create smarter, more connected experiences across sales, service, and commerce.

Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just stepping into the digital world, this is your place to learn and connect. With hundreds of sessions and hands-on training opportunities, you’ll gain real-world skills you can bring back to your team — and a network to lean on long after the event wraps.

Highlights of Connections

If you’re a marketer, builder, product manager, or early adopter, exploring what’s next in AI, Connections gives you the space to learn, grow, explore, and lead with purpose. These moments are built for innovators like you — focused on real tools, not just big ideas.

• Lead the way in agentic AI with thousands of fellow marketers and early adopters.
• Solve real challenges with practical tips on revenue growth, campaign performance, and customer engagement.
• Learn through hundreds of tailored sessions designed for your role and your industry.
• Get expert guidance at the Agentforce zone and Ask the Experts bar.
  

Connections is an AI conference all about people, not just platforms. You’ll leave with the skills to move business faster and the support to go further. Save your spot for Connections to be the first to get updates.

HumanX

HumanX is made for founders or small business leaders ready to build AI that’s ethical, effective, helpful, and made to last, this is where you’ll find your people. Expect real conversations (not pitches) from leaders at OpenAI, AWS, Snowflake, and Google. You’ll also get early access to workshops and roundtables designed specifically for startups and small teams.

Highlights of HumanX

• Hear from builders and operators at leading AI companies, and join Q&As and founder-led roundtables built for early-stage teams
• Explore programs like Peer [X]change and SolutionBridge to test ideas, match with providers, and uncover practical solutions
• Connect in curated spaces with investors, advisors, partners, and fellow founders who care about building with purpose and scale

You can register for HumanX directly on their website.

Startup Grind Tech Summit 

Startup Grind Tech Summit’s mission is to help you build smarter businesses and stay connected to what matters. You’ll join fellow founders and early-stage teams for real conversations about what works and how to make AI part of your momentum — not a mystery. With tracks tailored to your size and your needs, this summit focuses on reducing noise and increasing clarity. 

Highlights of Startup Grind Tech Summit

• Join founder-led sessions, investor ask me anything sessions (AMAs), and hands-on workshops designed to help you pitch better and connect deeper
• Explore the Startup Exhibition, Peer Learning Labs, and Accelerate Summit — where small teams test ideas and grow with purpose
• Take part in curated investor matchmaking, 1:1 VC meetings, and community roundtables where you can ask real questions and get honest answers

If you’re interested, you can register at Startup Grind.

Generative AI Expo

Generative AI Expo is a community of startup founders, small business leaders, researchers, and enterprise teams coming together to share real-world ways Generative AI (GenAI) is helping people today. Whether you’re building your first chatbot or scaling an AI-powered product, this three-day event is all about tools you can use and stories that inspire. You’ll leave with insights you can apply right away — and new ideas for what’s next.

Highlights of Generative AI Expo

• Explore GenAI tools for marketing and support, and test emerging applications across industries
• Learn from case studies and expert sessions designed to help you improve workflows and plan with purpose
• Get clear guidance on how to start using GenAI — with strategies for customizing, measuring, and scaling what works

Register for ITEXPO, MSP Expo, or Generative AI Expo as part of the #TECHSUPERSHOW event lineup.

Agentforce World Tours

The Agentforce World Tours bring AI and agentic technology directly to your city. These events offer an immersive, hands-on experience with Agentforce, where you’ll learn how to build and launch AI agents tailored to your business needs.

In this event, you’ll get the opportunity to engage with Salesforce experts, see live AI demos in action, and uncover practical strategies to boost productivity and accelerate growth. Happening year-round, the tour will visit dozens of major cities like New York City, Toronto, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Paris, New Delhi, and more.

Highlights of Agentforce World Tours

If you’re a small business owner or early adopter looking to use AI, Agentforce World Tours provide you with the space to learn and connect with purpose. These moments are built for teams like yours — focused on practical tools, not just big ideas.

• Lead the way in agentic AI with immersive, hands-on learning experiences.
• Solve real business challenges with demos showing how AI agents can transform sales, service, marketing, and commerce.
• Learn through tailored sessions designed for small businesses and enterprise teams.
• Get expert guidance at the Agentforce zone and connect with peers who are shaping the future of AI.

Save your spot for Agentforce World Tours to be the first to get updates and register for a city near you.

eMerge Americas 

eMerge Americas is two energizing days of learning and scaling for startups. If you’re building something new or exploring how AI fits into your small business journey, you’ll find practical inspiration across AI, fintech, healthtech, and entrepreneurship. From funding tips to automation strategies, you’ll hear directly from founders, policymakers, and investors who are shaping what comes next — and meet others on the same path as you.

Highlights of eMerge Americas

• Join tracks on AI, data, fintech, and healthtech, with insights tailored for small businesses scaling with purpose.
• Learn from hundreds of speakers and attend sessions designed around funding, product-market fit, and sustainable growth.
• Explore the Startup Showcase, SMB Growth Lab, and regional innovation strategies in Florida’s growing tech environment.

You can register for eMerge Americas here.

AI conferences are here and you’re ready

AI conferences give you more than ideas — they open doors to trusted tools and real partnerships. Whether you’re looking for product feedback or smarter ways to work, the right event can move your business forward. Dreamforce and Connections are great places to start. You’ll connect with other small businesses and find AI tools that make sense for you. Ready to go deeper? Save your seat at Dreamforce, the AI conference built for your business.

Start your journey with a free trial of Starter Suite today. Looking for more customization? Explore Pro Suite. Already a Salesforce customer? Activate Foundations to try out Agentforce today. 

AI supported the writers and editors who created this article.