The back half of 2025 is packed with opportunities to super-charge your digital transformation knowledge. Whether you’re seeking high-level vision (hello, Gartner and Dreamforce), broad tech ecosystem exposure (Web Summit and DT Week), or deep dives into AI (AI Expo and AI Summit), there’s an event tailored for you.
We’ve found the best IT conferences that won’t have you contemplating an escape through the fire exit after the first keynote. Here’s our handpicked selection of digital transformation events worth your time (and expense account) in the rest of 2025.
Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo – Orlando (Oct 20–23, 2025)
This is Gartner’s flagship gathering, bringing together over 1,500 CIOs and senior IT executives to explore the tech trends shaping the future of business.
Gartner’s own thought leaders dominate many sessions, but the keynote stage will feature outside visionaries too. Confirmed 2025 keynotes include entrepreneur Peter Hinssen, Harvard prof-turned-author Arthur Brooks, and humor-in-business expert Naomi Bagdonas – a lineup poised to spark both insight and a few laughs.
What makes this conference special (beyond the Florida sunshine) are the tailored experiences Gartner builds around the content. Attendees can book one-on-one meetings with Gartner analysts, hit up “Ask the Expert” roundtables, and join small-group workshops to solve real-life challenges with peers. There’s even an “Executive CIO exchange” where you can chat cloud strategy over coffee with fellow CIOs from Fortune 500s. One attendee described it as having “all of the CIOs in the world, all together.”
The networking is as premium as it gets: think exclusive receptions, impromptu hallway debates, and maybe a handshake with a Gartner VP or two. The audience here skews C-level and senior IT leaders, so the scale is big, but the focus is tight on enterprise needs. In short, Gartner Symposium is where tech strategy meets business leadership. Plus, rumor has it there’s often a nifty closing party – after days of intensive learning, even CIOs might welcome a little R&R (it is Orlando, after all).
Ticket price: From ~$5,000 (based on past years)
Digital Transformation Week Europe – Amsterdam (Sept 24–25, 2025)
Next up, we hop to Amsterdam for Digital Transformation Week Europe, a two-day conference that basically gives you six digital transformation seminars for the price of one. How so? It’s co-located with a half-dozen other tech expos covering Edge Computing, IoT, AI & Big Data, Cyber Security & Cloud, and more. The result is a mega event at RAI Amsterdam expected to draw around 7,000+ attendees and 250 exhibitors across all tracks.
What sets DT Week Europe apart is its breadth and the energetic mix of people. You’ll rub shoulders with IT architects, innovation leads, digital product managers, and startup folks all under one roof. The event promises “inspiring speakers sharing expert knowledge and real life experiences” and plenty of networking with like-minded peers leading digital change.
Past editions have featured everyone from global bank CTOs to gov-tech innovators. Unique perks? How about deep-dive sessions on niche topics (such as quantum computing’s role in DX) and a chance to explore the sprawling expo. With 40+ exhibitors focused on transformation tech (from cloud platforms to AR/VR solutions), the expo hall itself is an education. Also, being in Amsterdam, don’t be surprised if networking carries on over Dutch beer in the evening. This conference’s big differentiator is that you get a comprehensive view of the entire digital ecosystem. It’s like the ultimate crash course in what’s driving digital transformation now, all condensed into two lively days.
Ticket price: Free expo passes; paid passes €399–€599
Web Summit – Lisbon (Nov 10–13, 2025)
Web Summit in Lisbon isn’t marketed strictly as a “digital transformation” conference, but let’s face it, everything here is about pushing tech and business into the future. Besides, it’s arguably the world’s largest digital transformation summit, period. How large? Think 70,000+ attendees flooding Lisbon’s Altice Arena and pavilions, representing 160+ countries.
It’s a beast of an event: 4 days, 15+ content tracks, and over 1,000 speakers ranging from tech CEOs and startup founders to celebrities and policymakers.
If Gartner Symposium is a gathering of suits and strategists, Web Summit is more like a rock festival for the tech ecosystem, complete with big stage lights, hype music, and so many people.
The content sprawls across themes: you’ll find stages dedicated to AI, SaaS, fintech, marketing tech, green tech, and even sports innovation. In 2024, for instance, attendees witnessed a lively debate on AI ethics featuring an MIT professor and a Hugging Face founder, followed by a session where Pharrell Williams (yes, the musician!) discussed culture and commerce.
There’s Night Summit, the nightly series of networking parties/pub crawls through Lisbon’s neighborhoods, ensuring that even after the daily talks end, the conversations (and fun) continue into the wee hours. The organizers also tout their exclusive event app: a bit of matchmaking software that helps attendees connect (because finding specific people in a crowd of 70k is a challenge in itself).
Ticket price: Early passes €850+, standard €1,200+
Dreamforce – San Francisco (Oct 14–16, 2025)
Dreamforce is a longtime staple in the tech conference circuit. Organized by Salesforce, this digital strategy event is a unique blend of tech conference, motivational rally, and a rock concert (literally). It’s known as the “world’s largest AI event” these days, according to Salesforce’s own tagline.
The 2025 edition is set to double down on AI after Salesforce’s big push into AI agents (Agentforce). This three-day San Francisco takeover gathers tens of thousands of professionals (more than 45,000 attended in 2024), including Salesforce customers, developers, partners, and plenty of C-suite execs looking to infuse their business with that Salesforce magic.
The content? Expect keynotes and product announcements each morning, followed by 1,500+ breakout sessions covering every product, role, and industry you can imagine. Whether you’re into CRM, analytics, marketing automation, or how AI is being baked into customer service, there’s a session for it. They also don’t shy away from inspirational guests: last year’s agenda featured luminaries like Dr. Jane Goodall, actor Matthew McConaughey, and comedian John Mulaney alongside tech leaders.
Attendees (a.k.a. “Trailblazers”) can join hands-on training labs, certification sessions, and even volunteer opportunities (past Dreamforces have had parks cleanup or philanthropy events). And then there’s Dreamfest, the huge concert/party that Salesforce throws for attendees to unwind while raising money for charity. In 2024, Dreamfest’s headliners were none other than Pink and Imagine Dragons, turning the baseball stadium into a techie rock festival for a night.
Ticket price: ~$1,799+ (early registration)
MSP GLOBAL – Barcelona (October 22–23, 2025)
MSP GLOBAL isn’t your typical “three days trapped inside a fluorescent-lit hotel ballroom” kind of event. It’s a tech conference meets theme park takeover. Organized by the team behind CloudFest, MSP GLOBAL flips the usual script, bringing serious managed services and cloud leaders to sunny Barcelona to discuss cybersecurity, automation, scaling operations, and the future of MSPs.
Confirmed Speakers: Heavy hitters from Google Cloud, Sophos, Acronis, and other tech titans usually anchor the keynotes. Expect real operator-led case studies instead of generic trend forecasting.
Why it’s unique:
- Held inside PortAventura’s resort. Yes, you can hit a keynote and then a roller coaster.
- High-end networking events for vendors and top MSPs.
- Workshop track for mastering AI integrations and service automation.
- Evening parties and entertainment that go way beyond boring buffet mixers.
Ticket price: €399 standard pass; €999 VIP Pass or Vendor Pass and €1,999 VIP Vendor pass.
Which one(s) will you pick?
From Amsterdam’s canals to Orlando’s theme parks, these 2025 digital transformation conferences are where real conversations about AI, data, automation, and business reinvention are happening. They’re where you’ll hear how digital transformation projects actually succeed.
Pick the digital innovation event that aligns with your 2025 goals, grab your ticket early, and get ready to come back smarter, faster, and about ten LinkedIn posts ahead of your peers.
