What separates great tech events from average ones?

With Toronto Tech Week still fresh in mind, I am reflecting on the events I attended and what made some stand out more than others.

Here are some of my thoughts:

• Careful curation of attendees is super powerful as it helps gather people with similar interests in the same room and spark great discussions. I witnessed events that did this very well and those events were much more valuable for me to attend.

• Many events allowed you to work out while networking which is a great habit stacking if you enjoy both things. I found myself joining 2 founders runs throughout the week and had a memorable time. From the other events I saw on offer there was something for everyone from pilates to paddle.

• I also enjoyed events that promoted discussion and sharing rather than just passively listening to a lineup of speakers demo their products. For example, one event hosted a science fair where product builders could demo their product in a room between the main presentations, where attendees could approach the tables with the products they want to interact with.

What tech event surprised you the most recently? And why?