Most FinTech startups, especially in their early stages, focus on developing their products, with a significant portion seeking incubation or acceleration through programs like MISK Accelerator, 500 Global Accelerator, and Code Centre Incubator and Accelerator. Participating in public events can grant FinTech startups broader exposure to financing, education, mentoring, counseling, and numerous other beneficial opportunities that are all accessible in one place from various stakeholders. Active participation is crucial to a startup's success, from strategic planning to maximizing event attendance and arranging meetings with potential investors, mentors, and advisors. Public events provide an optimal platform for startups to share their stories, primarily because large-scale events attract substantial audiences, thereby increasing the probability of encountering potential investors, co-founders, employees, or advisors. Consider events like LEAP or 24FinTech, which span five days and attract over 150,000 attendees, offering startups opportunities to: • Network with peers and potential partners • Share knowledge and insights • Showcase new products or services • Learn about emerging technologies Take the Biban24 event, scheduled from 5 to 9 November in Riyadh at the Riyadh Front Exhibition Center. "Biban" means "doors" in English, symbolizing pathways that enable startups to enhance their success potential. This year's event features 10 distinctive doors, ranging from the Start Door to the Enablement Door, each designed to support startups at different lifecycle stages or within specific sectors. Let's examine the Funding and Investment Door and explore its benefits for FinTech startups: • 125 investment opportunities in the Investors' Arena, powered by numu Angels • 25 FinTech startups presenting to angel investors on 7 November (6-10 pm) • 25 specialized workshops conducted over five days • 900 counseling sessions offered by funding and investment experts • Access to a broad network of 5,000 investors in one location • Opportunity to learn best practices and find appropriate funding partners • More than 45 entities recruited to provide financial solutions for startups FinTech startups need to become more extrovert when it comes to participating in public events, but they need to carefully balance the benefits of increased exposure against the potential drawback of losing focus on developing their core business and products. Events like Biban24 offer unprecedented opportunities, but startups must approach them strategically. The key is to: • Selectively choose events that align with specific startup goals • Engage purposefully with a clear plan • View public events as doors of opportunity, similar to Biban24's "10 doors" concept • Treat events as part of a broader growth strategy, not just networking opportunities By approaching public events strategically, FinTech startups can transform these platforms from networking spaces into powerful growth catalysts opening doors of opportunity while maintaining focus on their core business fundamentals.
