This year has been jam-packed with exciting food tech events, and there are lots of awesome conferences, summits meetups and more to come. Here are our top picks for kick-ass food tech gatherings this Spring and Summer. Let us know if there are any we missed in the comments below, and we’ll add them to the list.

The Greenhouse Project Benefit – April 23 – New York, NY

Join New York Sun Works for their annual benefit to help build more innovative science labs in urban schools. With your support, they can bring their Greenhouse Project Initiative, which uses hydroponic farming tech to educate students and teachers about the science of sustainability, to more schools.

Silicon Valley Meets Sacramento: Hot Opportunities in AgTech – April 28 – Sacramento, CA

Moderated by Roger Royse, founder of Silicon Valley AgTech and organizer of RoyseLaw AgTech Incubator and the RoyseLaw Silicon Valley AgTech Conference, this panel will discuss the current opportunities, successes and challenges, specifically, the drought in the Central Valley, dominating the AgTech space. Panelists include John Matthesen, Jack Coots, Ephraim Lindenbaum, Patrick Dosier and Bob Adams. Get tickets here.

Meat Matters – April 28 – New York, NY

Join Chefs Collaborative for a rare opportunity to explore the Food Network Kitchen with great chefs and great food. Meat Matters will feature 5 nationally-renowned cooks, 5 cooking stations, a butchery demonstration, beer and wine as well as signature cocktails from New York Distilling Co. All proceeds benefit Chefs Collaborative. Get tickets here. 

Food+Tech Fundraiser Partay for Jimmy’s No. 43 – April 29 – New York, NY

Help jimmy’s no. 43 get back on its feet after the recent E Village explosion! Join us on 4.29 for a Food+Tech Meetup/fundraiser/celebration of owner and local food hero Jimmy Carbone. They’re be lots of networking, local snacks from Quinciple, Food360 and Made by Lukas and drinks from The Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn Winery, Brooklyn Farmacy and Hella Bitters. 100% OF THE PROCEEDS will go to Jimmy’s. RSVP here!

Fresh Food: The Prescription for a Healthier America – April 29 – Philadelphia, PA

Organized by St. Christopher’s Foundation for Children, the 3rd bi-annual FreshRx symposium will gather experts in the health and nutrition fields to discuss the powerful link between health and diet. It will be held at the Urban League in Philadelphia. Register here.

Strategy to Shelf: An Insider’s View on Bringing Food Products to Market – May 7 – Cambridge, MA

Hosted by Northeast Les Dames d’Escoffier, The Food Loft and Massachusetts Specialty Foods Association, this panel will offer advice on everything from product development, packaging and manufacturing to distribution and finance and will share best practices and helpful tips for building a sustainable, profitable food product business. RSVP here.

NRA Show – May 16-19 – Chicago, IL

Join the 44,000+ attendees at this year’s National Restaurant Association Show to learn more about the challenges, opportunities, trends and topics  in the hospitality and foodservice industry.  Learn more and register here.

Tech To Table – May 20 – New York, NY

Featuring Sarah Sclarsic of Modern Meadow, Jared Koch of Clean Plates, Christopher Washington of Radicle Farms, Rachna Govani of Foodstand and moderated by our creative and editorial lead Nina Meijers, this panel will discuss the booming opportunities and challenges in the food technology world. Purchase tickets here.

Eat Retreat Bite – May 21 – Philadelphia, PA

Brought to you by Squarespace in partnership with Fair Food Philly, Eat Retreat will host its first ever community pop-up! Chat with local bakers, farmers, roasters and distillers while snacking on olive oil, cheeses, oysters and ice cream. As a member of our community, get $10 off with the code “SQSPBITE” here.

TECHmunch NYC – May 21 – New York, NY

Organized by BakeSpace.com, this traveling conference teaches food and lifestyle bloggers how to take their blogs to the next level. Over 20 TECHmunch conferences have been held in cities all over North America but this event marks the fifth visit to New York.  Join  200+ food and lifestyle bloggers, culinary media and expert panelists for this must-attend event for bloggers. Get your tickets here.

RootedNY: Farmstead Cheese – May 24 – New York, NY

Join RootedNY for a day trip to Sprout Creek Farm in Dutchess County for an informational farm tour, cheese tasting and a farm-to-table lunch. Your ticket includes round trip transportation from Manhattan. Sign up here.

Foodstand Spotlight – June 1 – New York, NY

In partnership with Slow Money NYC, Foodstand invites entrepreneurs, creators and innovators in the food space to its monthly event series. The night will feature five 5 minute demos, a panel of experts, audience collaboration and networking opportunities. Get your ticket or sign up for the livestream here.

Agri Investment Forum – June 3-4 – Toronto, Canada

This two day, annual conference unites agri-entrepreneurs, corporate strategics and investors from all across North America to discuss the growth and potential of agri-businesses. Attendees will explore an array of categories in the agri-business space, including agricultural waste management, aeroponics & agriculture, bio industrial products, biofuels & renewable feedstock, crop science & precision farming, forestry products & management, livestock & animal health and nutraceuticals & functional foods. In addition to moderated discussions, panels, keynote addresses and networking opportunities, 15 companies will present their business models and investment opportunities.  Register now.

Slow Living Summit – June 3-5 – Brattleboro, VT

Presented by Strolling of the Heifers, the 5th annual Summit will explore “the journey of food” through its five Summit tracks: food entrepreneurship, food systems, nourishment and wellness, food justice and access and food policies. Learn more and get tickets here.

Take Photos Like a Pro, Without Being a Pro – June 5

Presented by Foodstand, NYC based food photographer Evi Abeler invites you to a virtual workshop where she will teach you the ins and outs of taking beautiful food photos. From restaurants to markets to your plate, Evi will explore the most common settings for taking food photos. All levels welcome. Register here.

Edible Business at Stony Brook Southampton – June 5-7 – Southampton, NY

Hosted by The Food Lab at Stony Brook Southampton, this event will bring together today’s leading thinkers in food business, media and policy to discuss the path towards healthy regional food systems. This three day event features tastings, dynamic discussions, networking sessions, as well a pitch/feedback session with investors. Learn more and get tickets here.

Bite Silicon Valley Conference – June 5-7 – Palo Alto, CA

This three day conference at the Levi’s Stadium unites the food tech world in Silicon Valley. Featuring keynote addresses from José Andrés of ThinkFoodGroup and Josh Tetrick, CEO of Hampton Creek, this inaugural event will explore how we can use cutting edge technology and prior knowledge to secure a safer future of food. Our founder Danielle Gould will be moderating “The Renewed Debate About GMOs” panel. Get tickets here.

FTC is thrilled to be partnering with BITE SV for an informal happy hour immediately after the conference on Saturday, June 6. You’ll have a chance to meet and network with our speakers and other attendees to continue the conversation about the days thought-provoking topics. Wine and light bites will be served. As a member of our community, get 20% your happy hour ticket with code “FOODTECHCONNECT” here.

FMI Connect – June 8-11 – Chicago, IL

Join  400 retailer companies and 12,500+ professionals at FMI Connect 2015. Featuring 40+ education sessions, 700+ exhibitors and much more, this three day conference seeks to unite food retail professionals to discuss emerging trends,  view new products in the market and connect producers with suppliers. Register for tickets here.

Balle Conference – June 10-12 – Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix will host the 13th annual Balle Conference, bringing together business owners, social entrepreneurs, community funders, policy makers, conveners, network builders and local economy leaders. This year’s conference will explore the trends, challenges and lessons learned in local economies. You can get your ticket here.

THINK&ACT: The Future of Food – June 10 – San Francisco, CA

The THINK&ACT series seeks to create connections between startups and large organizations. Featuring demos from Pantry, Kite Hill, Orange Chef, FarmX, Sereneti, Bitty Foods, Kuli Kuli, Revive Foods, Sourcery and 6Sensor Labs, this event will focus on successful food startups in the booming industry. Snag an early bird FREE ticket here.

Change Food Facing Factory Farms Salon – June 16 – New York, NY

Join 2015 TEDxManhattan speakers Kendra Kimbirauskas of the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project and Michele Merkel of Food & Water Justice at this salon to discuss ways to increase public awareness and to combat factory farms. Purchase tickets here.

Food+Tech Meetup: How Nutrition Tech Personalizes Eating – June 16 – New York, NY

Join us and host R/GA Accelerator at our Meetup to hear from nutrition tech companies on how they operate and feed the diverse preferences of consumers. The Meetup will feature presentations from Victor Penev of Edamam, Taryn Fixel of Ingredient1, Patrick Smith of Power Supply and delicious bites from Ox Verte and Meal Maison. Snag a ticket here.

Techstars METRO Accelerator is the world’s first technology accelerator focused on improving every aspect of the hospitality and food value chain. From now until August 3rd 2015, interested teams can apply online at www.techstarsmetro.com.

Menus of Change – June 17-19 – Hyde Park, NY

Menus of Change, the Business of Healthy, Sustainable, Delicious Food Choices, is an initiative developed by the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in collaboration with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This three day summit unites culinary, business, public health and environmental science leaders to tackle issues such as sourcing, healthcare and food supply. Learn more and register here. 

RootedNY: Blue Point Oysters and Beer – June 20 – Brooklyn, NY

Join RootedNY for a trip to Blue Point, Long Island to visit local producers Blue Island Oyster Company and Blue Point Brewery. Learn how they grow their oysters and brew their beer (and of course have a tasting along the way!). Snag a ticket here.

The Seed Experience – June 20-21 – Brooklyn, NY

Join 100+ exhibitors, world renowned speakers, doctors, nutritionists and athletes who are looking to lead healthier and eco-friendly lifestyles at the Brooklyn Expo Center for the fourth annual expo and conference. The festival will feature cooking demonstrations from top chefs, various workshops and screenings of award-winning films. Tickets include 30 days FREE membership to FMTV. Reserve yours here.

Who Moved My Plate? – June 23 – London, UK

Brought to you by Grubpreneurs, this networking event will explore how technology is disrupting the food and food tech space. Featuring talks from Hussein Kanji, Founding Partner of Hoxton Ventures and Oli Ashness, founder of Simply Cook, Who Moved My Plate? will tackle food tech trends, subscription services and mobile discovery. Snag a ticket here.

FOOD IT 2015: Macro to Micro – June 24 – Stanford, CA

Featuring 30+ speakers and judges, the second annual FOOD IT conference will unite startups, VCs, IT innovators and food and ag sector players to discuss the biggest challenges in the industry. The conference is organized by the Mixing Bowl, a business-focused forum that connect innovators in the tech, food & ag sector, in collaboration with FEED Collaborative. Get your ticket here.

FoodBytes! 2.0 Summit – June 25 – San Francisco, CA

Join investors, technologists, media and others to see live demonstrations from innovative startups in the food industry such as Ipiit, Back to the Roots, Noble Brewer, Thistle, No Food Waste and more. Reserve your ticket here.

Summer Fancy Food Show – June 28-30 – New York, NY

Hosted by the Specialty Food Association, the SFFS is the largest specialty food trade show in North America. It will feature 180,000+ products, 25,000+ buyers and 2,500+ exhibitors. Learn more and register here. 

Foodstand Spotlight – July 6 – Brooklyn, NY

In partnership with Slow Money NYC, Foodstand invites entrepreneurs, creators and innovators in the food space to its monthly event series. This month, hosted at Brooklyn Brewery, the night will feature five 5 minute demos, a panel of experts, audience collaboration and networking opportunities. Get your ticket or sign up for the livestream here.

33entrepreneurs’ #33USTour – July 8-30 – Various Cities

33entrepreneurs will be hosting 10 StartUp Contests across the country this July on a quest to find the most innovative companies working in wine, food & beverages and travel tech. Three finalists from each city will be brought to Bon AppeTech, for food and beverage startups, or Phocuswright, for travel tech startups and the top three startups will be given $100,000 in equity investment plus a three-month acceleration program in France. Find the city nearest you and apply here.

IFT15 – July 11-14 – Chicago, IL

Join 23,000+ food scientists and tech professionals from 90+ countries to learn about the recent trends, the latest products and the newest innovations that are driving food science. Not to mention, you will have access to 1,000+ exhibitors and 1,000+ technical research presentations. Register here.

Palo Alto Food Startup Bootcamp – July 18 – Palo Alto, CA

Local Food Lab’s one-day intensive workshop will teach you everything you need to know to get your food startup off the ground. You’ll learn everything from customer discovery, market and industry analysis, financial forecasting, sales and marketing strategy, development of a social mission statement, fundraising and pitching. Learn more and sign-up here. 

Intro to Food Processing: Licensing and Selling – July 20 – Brooklyn, NY

Learn first-hand how to comply with federal regulations needed to launch your food business at Brooklyn Grange. This workshop will feature panelists Rob Dondorf, Chief Food Inspector at NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Peter Trunk, Food Specialist at the FDA and be moderated by Robin Puskas, Chef/Owner of NYC Kitchen Co. Reserve you spot here.

Food & Agri Business Management Program – July 21-31 – Ithaca, NY

Hosted by Cornell University and Sathguru Management Consultants, this program will explore the economic, social and environmental issues that impact the agribusiness industry. Learn more here.

Restaurant Tech: From Sourcing to Reservations – July 22 – New York, NY

Join our Meetup to get an inside look at how a handful of startups are working to improve restaurant operations and optimize the dining experience. You’ll hear from founders from Bento Box, Improvonia, Reserve and Dig Inn. Learn more about our Meetup and snag a spot here.

The Power of Produce – July 23

During this free webinar, Anne-Marie Roerink from 210 Analytics, LLC will explore the biggest insights from The Food and Marketing Institute’s inaugural report, The Power of Produce 2015. The report features data on the produce retail industry, path to purchase, mega trends, shopper suggestions and more. Register here.

Los Angeles Food Startup Bootcamp – July 25 – Los Angeles, CA

Local Food Lab’s one-day intensive workshop will teach you everything you need to know to get your food startup off the ground. You’ll learn everything from customer discovery, market and industry analysis, financial forecasting, sales and marketing strategy, development of a social mission statement, fundraising and pitching. Learn more and sign-up here. 

Spoon University Brainfood Conference – July 25 – Brooklyn, NY

Join Spoon University for the 2nd annual Brainfood conference. Topics will include food and technology, female food entrepreneurs, new food startups and sustainability and food sourcing plus a live food demo from Michael Cirino. Added bonus, FTC’s very own Nina Meijers will be speaking! Snag a ticket here.

IAFP 2015 – July 25-28 – Portland, OR

Hosted by the International Association for Food Protection, this meeting unites 2800+ industry, academic, governmental food and safety professionals from six continents to discuss current and emerging food safety issues. Learn more and register here

Ag Supply Chain School and Field Tour – July 28-30 – Visalia, CA

This tour unites agri-business and food industry specialists for a unique opportunity to see and experience the extensive on-farm practices of one of the most intensive agricultural regions in the world and learn first-hand from growers, consultants, scientists and local agri-business experts. Register here. 

Global Sustainability Summit – August 19-21 – Denver, CO

Developed by The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), the Summit was created to help companies incorporate sustainability into their business models. It will address emerging issues and trends, technology and innovation, packaging and waste, education and communication, natural resource challenges, sustainable supply chain and sourcing and sustainable agriculture.  Learn more and register here.

Ag Innovation Showcase – September 14-16 – St. Louis, MO

In its seventh year, the Showcase seeks to bring together ag’s biggest names, innovators and investors to explore the convergence of ag and tech. Presenting companies in the past years have raised $430m post-showcase and 6 have been acquired. Register now.

Expo Milano 2015  – May 1-October 31 –Milan, Italy

Taking place in Milan, Italy from May through October, Expo Milano is the first world’s fair devoted entirely to food. It’s expected to draw 20 million visitors and exhibitors from 140 countries to showcase and explore how technology can help guarantee healthy, safe and sufficient food for all.

Amongst the many exhibits, the USA Pavilion will showcase the United States as a food, culture, science and business innovator and collaborator. Using interactive exhibits and state-of-the-art digital media, the pavilion will highlight products and companies that are working at the forefront of sustainability, nutrition and health, technology and innovation. The USA Pavilion is also hosting a food tech startup accelerator called Feeding the Accelerator. Learn more and apply here.

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