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While tech-events like SIME and LeWeb attract thousands of internet and telecom venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and journalists eager to learn from some of the world's top speakers, it's also a golden opportunity for startups and organisations to network and promote their services and businesses.

Mattias Durnik, project director of Stockholm IT Region, a unit of Stockholm Business Region, said he and his colleagues frequently attend both events in order to meet investors and representatives to promote the city's vibrant business environment.

"Our main goal is to meet foreign investors and create match-making opportunities between Stockholm-based ICT companies and investors," he told The Swedish Wire.

SIME is northern Europe’s largest conference about internet and digital opportunities, with events this year in Vienna, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Stockholm. It provides a setting for top executives, marketing professionals, aficionados and members of the press to come together to discuss "how digital opportunities can convert to new business, a better world and a lot of fun".

Stockholm Business Region has been collaborating with SIME Stockholm since 2009 and takes an active role at the event with its own meeting area and breakfast seminars.

Paris-based LeWeb is one of the world's premier startup conferences. Started seven years ago, the event claims to be the industry’s most international coming together. It’s now about to see its first spin-off, to be held in London this month, with Swedish Skype co-founder Niklas Zennström one of the keynote speakers.

"We pre-book meetings with investors and other parties at LeWeb," Durnik said. "Thanks to its efficient match making system we can identify venture capitalists who we'd like to talk to and invite to SIME in Stockholm."

Last year's SIME event in Stockholm broke the record for new visitors, with some 1.800 people attending – up 50 percent on the year before.

"It once again highlights Stockholm's role as a hotbed for new technology," the head of the event, Ola Ahlvarsson, told The Swedish Wire at the time.

Mattias Durnik said that Stockholm-based ICT firms and startups are gaining more and more attention from international investors. Sectors gaining extra attention at the moment include mobile payment solutions and video game developers.

"Stockholm's internet industry has reached a critical mass and proximity between companies that creates various of benefits, such as networking opportunities and prospect of finding talents and future partners," Durnik said.

Dates for SIME and LeWeb:

• Leweb London (June 19-20)

• SIME Barcelona (June 14

• SIME London (early October)

• SIME Stockholm (November 13-14)

• LeWeb Paris (December 4-6)

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This article was published in collaboration with Stockholm Business Region.

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