Over the past few years, tech events have exploded across the global calendar, cropping up in every major city and spilling into tier-two towns like a startup after-party gone wild. Conferences, expos, summits, meetups, you name it. Add to that the polished award ceremonies, back-to-back panel discussions, and curated fireside chats, and what emerges is an ecosystem that, at first glance, seems to be buzzing with energy, innovation, and collaboration.

And yes, to be fair, these events have played a critical role in elevating entire industries. They’ve brought attention to emerging tech, helped startups raise funding, and created much-needed networking opportunities. 

But somewhere along the way, things are starting to drift. The core purpose, the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and genuine connections, began to fade into the background.

As someone who has spent years as a tech journalist, I have seen the tech event circuit from both sides. I have worked behind the scenes, helping organize these grand productions. I have also walked the floor as a curious attendee, notebook in hand, chasing stories. 

But currently, I am noticing a growing gap between the flashy facade and the actual substance.

And in this piece, I’m going to peel back the curtain and share an honest, unfiltered look at what tech events have become and what we’re losing in the process.

When Events Meant Something

Cast your mind back to the era when data science was the undisputed buzzword—hailed as the “sexiest job of the 21st century.” Everyone was talking about it, few truly understood it, and even fewer were actively trying to push the domain into the mainstream. That’s where the role of focused, well-crafted tech events became crucial.

One of the early movers was AIM (then Analytics India Magazine), based out of Bangalore. While the rest of the industry was still figuring out what machine learning really meant, AIM doubled down on building a dedicated ecosystem. Its flagship event, Cypher, quickly became one of the most significant gatherings in the Indian data science and AI space. Today, with the generative AI boom in full swing, AIM remains at the forefront, evolving its content, formats, and community while keeping its foundation intact.

Alongside Cypher, other notable events like MLDS and MachineCon emerged, each carving a niche and contributing to the larger narrative of machine learning and AI adoption in India.

Meanwhile, YourStory’s TechSparks grew into something of a pilgrimage for Indian startups. Beyond the spotlight and stage, the event consistently championed early-stage founders and offered a platform to voices often overlooked in mainstream tech media. Inc42, too, found its rhythm—curating high-impact discussions and reports, while hosting events that stayed grounded in real industry trends.

The Web3 Conference Scene

The world of Web3 isn’t lagging behind when it comes to making a splash with its own set of high-octane conferences. And many of these events, conferences, and gatherings genuinely serve a purpose, helping advance an ecosystem that’s still in its formative, often misunderstood phase.

Take Token2049, for instance. It has established itself as the go-to destination for the crypto and Web3 elite, setting the tone for what’s to come in the space. Then there’s Coinfest Asia, which brings together the Web3 world with a uniquely Southeast Asian flavour—grounded yet global in its curation. Consensus by CoinDesk continues to be a heavyweight, curating rich discussions and showcasing everything from blockchain policy to DeFi innovation under one roof.

The Bitcoin Conference remains the spiritual home for BTC believers, a place where ideological roots still matter. And ETH Global has consistently been a developer’s playground—building, experimenting, and shipping with purpose. Each of these events brings something unique to the table: perspective, community, and access.

I recently attended Consensus in Hong Kong, and let me say this without exaggeration—the quality was unmatched. From the calibre of speakers to the variety of projects on display, and the serious, solutions-focused crowd in attendance, it was a masterclass in how to do events right. No fluff, no fillers, just real conversations and real connections.

But not gonna lie—there’s more than just pure passion fuelling the Web3 event scene. These conferences are supremely lucrative, backed by massive sponsorships, global branding deals, and the kind of international appeal that traditional tech gatherings can only envy. 

And while I genuinely consider myself an advocate for Web3 events and the broader decentralized movement they champion, I can’t pretend the shine doesn’t come with shadows. Beneath the well-lit stages and perfectly timed networking sessions, there’s another side to this rapidly growing event circuit. One that’s harder to ignore with each passing conference.

Vanity Over Vision

Now, here’s where I think things start to fall apart.

Lately, a pattern has begun to emerge across many tech and Web3 events. Many of these events are now led not by independent curators but by ecosystem “ambassadors,” individuals or entities aligned with specific Layer 1 protocols. 

While their role is ostensibly to foster innovation and community, what often unfolds feels more like a numbers game. Events become vehicles to chase vanity metrics: headcounts, online impressions, and demo day snapshots. The deeper objective of nurturing real, meaningful innovation tends to take a back seat.

At a recent demo day hosted by one such protocol, following a bootcamp, the gap between appearance and substance was hard to miss. Bright students, many of whom had travelled across states, pitched projects that were, in most cases, variations of the same formula—air quality sensors connected to Arduino boards, with vague blockchain tie-ins. 

One participant, in fact, admitted to building his prototype in just a day. The tech felt like an afterthought. The blockchain use case was more of a buzzword than a building block.

Even the stand-up comedian who closed the event posed the question: “Where’s the blockchain, bro?” with awkward silence in response. 

It was unintentionally the most telling moment of the day.

Not long after, I came across yet another example—this time involving a set of early-stage students from IIT Bombay who were invited to showcase their “Web3” projects at a similar event. Most of the demos were hardly Web3-related, with some teams presenting basic dating apps wrapped in blockchain jargon. When asked to explain their work, many couldn’t offer even a basic articulation of the use case.

The event's so-called ambassador, who also referred to himself as the “CEO” of the ecosystem’s India chapter, ended the session not with encouragement or feedback, but by yelling at the crowd to stay back, follow the project on X, and grab a free T-shirt. Months later, nothing has moved. The projects are stagnant, the speakers unchanged, and yet the events keep rolling—for the metrics, not the mission.

The troubling part is that this isn’t isolated. It reflects a broader culture forming around certain events, where the priority is to tick the boxes rather than push boundaries.

Seen at the Event, But What Was Said?

In speaking to several founders and investors who attended an event recently in Dubai, I noticed a similar disconnect. 

Most couldn't point to a particular panel or talk that stood out to them. Instead, what stood out was the fact that the crowd had gathered in Dubai. The event, in essence, had become more about being seen at it than engaging with it. 

On X (formerly Twitter), the pattern was even more visible, endless posts geo-tagged in Dubai, loosely hashtagged with the event. It seemed to become a clout chase, a location-based badge of relevance.

This isn't to dismiss the value of gathering or networking. But if the ecosystem starts valuing visibility over vision, and buzz over substance, we run the risk of hollowing out what should be a moment of serious innovation.

There are still events doing it right, focusing on quality content, honest conversations, and real community building. But we need more of them. And we need to start holding all others to a higher standard.

Because if the events shaping the future of tech aren’t grounded in substance, how much of a future are we really building?

Edited by Harshajit Sarmah