Large platforms, lesser effect.

      For years, the tech industry defined success as achieving scale—bigger venues, larger audiences, more branding, more panels, and more chaos. Five thousand attendees grew to ten thousand, and that number became the target. At some point, this logic began to falter. Founders and executives didn’t formally boycott these events; they merely stopped attending.

      What we observe now isn’t a dismissal of events but a recalibration in how those who truly lead companies opt to utilize their time. This change is subtle yet consistent: fewer large conferences, more intimate, curated meetups, increased private gatherings, more dinners, and more tables of twelve.

      Large tech events struggle because they prioritize visibility over utility. A founder doesn’t require three days of generic presentations, numerous panels lacking genuine interaction, or networking opportunities where relevance is left to chance.

      When scaled up, everything tends to become superficial. Conversations shorten, access diminishes, and the meaningful exchanges are drowned out by the format itself. What founders seek is straightforward: context, trust, direct access, and dialogues free from the pressure to perform. They desire environments where honest discussions can occur, away from public scrutiny.

      Even when larger conferences are appropriate, there is a noticeable psychological threshold—typically around a thousand participants, in rare cases. Past that, maintaining quality becomes unmanageable. The event shifts from a setting for decision-making to a product meant for mass appeal.

      In the tech sector, especially among founders and executives, it no longer operates like a mass industry but rather resembles a precision-focused one. This is why smaller, niche conferences consistently outperform larger ones across all relevant metrics. Having ten pertinent individuals in a room generates far more value than a thousand irrelevant participants in an auditorium.

      In an intimate setting, access is organic. There’s no need for anyone to pursue another. Trust develops more swiftly, and authentic conversations take place without an audience to impress.

      The most significant discussions in tech have never occurred on stage; they unfold before the lights shine and once the microphones are turned off.

      Alongside this transformation, we are in the process of creating a private community exclusively for one thousand founders and executives. It is by invitation only—not a platform, nor a public group, and not meant for scaling but for relevance. The quality is safeguarded through its limitations.

      One thing that can be shared publicly is that TNW will host an event in 2026. The specifics, format, and official announcement will follow soon, but not here. What’s crucial is that this return will not replicate the previous model; it will reflect the industry’s current functioning.

      Big events aren’t vanishing; they simply are no longer the environments where critical decisions occur. The industry is already experiencing this change. There are smaller venues, more focused conversations, and the presence of individuals who genuinely need to attend.

      Most people just haven’t recognized this shift yet.