Tickets and registration
Can anyone come?
Most seats are invite-only. A limited number of public tickets are available. If you have not received an invitation, you can request one at thescaleupfest.com.
I have a ticket. Do I still need to register for the individual sessions?
Yes. Your ticket gets you into ScaleupFest; every session, coffee session and side event is a separate event with limited seats and needs its own registration. Session registration opens on 10 September. You will get the links, and Konfi can send you the right one at any time.
Can I send a colleague instead of me?
Yes. Name changes are free, but they have to be done at least 5 working days before the event. Reselling tickets is not allowed.
Can I get a refund?
Tickets are non-refundable after the 30-day cooling-off period. The full terms are at thescaleupfest.com/terms.
I need a company invoice.
Payment runs through Luma and the receipt is automatic. Company invoices are issued manually by our team. Write to hello@thescaleupfest.com with the company name, address and tax number, and we will send it.
I need a visa invitation letter.
Write to hello@thescaleupfest.com and we will issue one. We cannot influence the decision itself.
Travel, venues and stay
Where does it take place?
ScaleupFest 2026 is a city edition. Instead of one conference hall, the sessions, lunches, coffee stops and evening events are spread across venues in downtown Budapest, most of them a few minutes' walk from each other, examples are: Kluster Coworking (Károly krt 6.) or Colossyan office (Akadémia u. 6.) or BIG FISH office (Nyugati tér 1-2.) . Every session tells you its venue when you register, and Konfi will tell you where to go and how to get in.
How do I get to the different venues?
ScaleupFest takes place across several carefully selected venues in downtown Budapest, all within walking distance of each other. The short walks are part of the experience and provide additional opportunities for informal networking. Event staff, Konfi app and - at several directions - volunteers will be available to guide participants between locations.
How do I get in from the airport?
Budapest Ferenc Liszt International (BUD) is 20 to 30 km from the centre. Bus 100E runs direct to Deak Ferenc ter in about 40 minutes with no transfer; it needs a dedicated airport ticket, not a standard BKK fare. Taxis and Bolt are also available, 30 to 50 minutes depending on traffic.
Where should I stay?
We have five partner hotels in downtown Budapest, all within walking distance of the venues, with 10 to 20 percent off: Three Corners Avenue, Three Corners Downtown, Hotel Rum Budapest, Hotel GIN Budapest and NEXTO DORMERO. Ask Konfi for the discount code for the one you want.
Anything useful to know about Budapest?
The currency is the Hungarian Forint. Cards work almost everywhere, but cash helps at smaller places. Power is EU standard, Type F, 230 V. Tap water is safe to drink. The event runs in English throughout.
Event day questions
How do I get in?
By scanning the QR code from your Luma ticket or your session registration email. That is the entry pass at every venue, not the badge. Your badge is waiting for you at the venue where you check in first.
Why does the badge matter, then?
Wear it all the way through. It is what the partner restaurants and cafes look for when they apply the ScaleupFest discount, and it is how everyone else knows who you are.
Is food and drink included?
Yes, at the venues, professional sessions: coffee, refreshments and catering during the programme. The 17th Sept lunch is a choice between the VIP Networking Lunch on the Danube and the Taste Budapest Lunch Routes, where small groups walk to nearby partner restaurants. The lunch routes are paid on the spot (self-financed), at a ScaleupFest discount. Café sessions: coffee is on us. Ruin Bar Afterparty: first, welcome drinks are on us, some snacks, sandwiches provided. Farewell Breakfast: self-financed.
What is the dress code?
Business casual. We recommend smart casual or business casual attire throughout the event.
Who do I ask if something goes wrong?
Look for the volunteers in branded ScaleupFest t-shirts, they are at every venue. Anything they cannot solve, they pass straight to the organising team. You can also ask Konfi at any hour, or write to hello@thescaleupfest.com, or call +36 20 516 3170 on weekdays between 09:00 and 17:00.
Programme and sessions
Can I ask questions in the sessions?
Yes, end your question for a specific session in advance through Konfi, and we hand it to the speaker before they go on, so the discussion starts from questions the room actually has. On the day, questions are taken from the floor with a microphone. There is no live in-app Q&A.
Are the sessions recorded? Can I get the slides?
The sessions are not recorded, none of them. That is deliberate: it is what lets people speak openly. Whether a speaker shares their slides afterwards is up to them (and we’ve been told already, some speakers plan to disclose business sensitive information, so those slides will NOT be shared), so ask us about a specific session.
What are the side events, and can I join?
On Wednesday (16 September) HunBan has two side events: the Startup Arena in the afternoon and a rooftop networking in the evening. Thursday (17 September) we start with the ScaleupRun and the ScaleupWalk, while in the evening we finish with an afterparty at Doboz. The series of events closes with a brunch/breakfast on Friday morning. All of them are open to ScaleupFest ticket holders, and all of them need a separate registration because seats are limited.
What about the dinner and the VIP lunch?
The Speakers and Partners Exclusive Networking Dinner and the VIP Networking Lunch on the Danube are primarily invite-only. A limited number of paid seats is available, subject to our approval. Invited guests get a personal access code, and we share the venue with confirmed guests only.
Is there an age limit?
Attendees must be 18 or over, unless we grant specific permission.