Planning Guide //

Make sure to choose a venue that reflects the type and size of event you’re hosting. Here are some tips:

• Consider what you need for your event, including food, stages, presentation screens, audio/visual, seating, parking and privacy.

• Make sure your venue is easy to locate and identify. If it isn’t, consider bringing wayfinding signage to help make it easier for guests.

• Remember to communicate with the venue in the weeks leading up to the event to make

AZ Tech Week takes place from Monday, March 1 to Sunday, March 7, 2027. Events will occur throughout the state on all days. 

For your event to be approved, you must input ALL information in the Host Event form and on your event page. This includes:

• Event type

• Event title

• Event topic

• Event theme

• Event capacity

• Target audience

• Invitations (if invitation only)

• Admission fee (if applicable)

• Event date and time

• Event location/venue

• Host and Co-host info

Your event must also follow all rules listed in the AZ Tech Week Community Guidelines. Once your event is reviewed by our team, you’ll receive an email when it is approved and added to the AZ Tech Week official calendar.

AZ Tech Week uses Partiful to manage event pages, RSVPs and guest lists. Download the app now so you're ready to go once event hosting opens.

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All event types are welcome as long as it showcases Arizona’s Tech Ecosystem! You are encouraged to be creative, but some popular event types include:

Breakfast

Host a group breakfast at a restaurant, venue or park of your choice.

Lunch

Host a group lunch at a restaurant, venue or park of your choice.

Dinner

Host a group dinner at a restaurant, venue or park of your choice.

Experiential

Build community with a group activity or experiential event. (Think golf, wine tasting, hiking, etc.)

Hackathon

Create a challenge and invite attendees to solve it using the power of technology.

Happy Hour

Keep things casual and host a happy hour at a venue of your choice.

Founder/Investor Speed Meeting

Help founders find their match in a speed dating-style networking event.

Networking

Host a networking event for a specific field.

Panel Event and/or Fireside Chat

Bring together experts to discuss a specific topic. Ask them questions and guide the discussion.

Pitch Event or Demo Day

Bring entrepreneurs together to pitch ideas and/or share demos.

Other

Host an event type of your choosing. The more creative and unique the better.

To be included on the official AZ Tech Week calendar, your event must follow Community Guidelines.

To pull off a successful event, you have to stay in contact with your guest list leading up to the big day. Remember to send out details and reminders, provide any updates on your event location and encourage guests to keep their RSVPs up to date so that new attendees can fill spots if some people drop out.

You should expect some attrition to happen leading up to your event. To limit cancellations and keep your guest list as up to date as possible, remember to:

• Communicate regularly with your attendees. Send reminder emails, share details, post on social media, do whatever you can to keep your event top of mind. 

• Ask attendees to update their RSVP status as event day approaches. Kindly remind them to update their RSVP if their plans change. This will help you keep a more accurate head count and simplify planning.

• Plan for up to a 30% attrition rate. For example, if you have 100 RSVPs, expect only about 70 people to attend.

You are responsible for marketing your event. AZ Tech Week will list your event on the official AZ Tech Week calendar, but any additional promotion must be created by you. We recommend using a mix of the following to promote your event:

• Fully complete your event page. A completed page that includes photos and all relevant event information can boost attendance. 

• Create an email campaign to keep attendees engaged.

• Leverage social media: Make a page for your event on LinkedIn or Meta, invite people in your network, promote the event on your social platforms to spread the word.

All AZ Tech Week attendees agree to a photo and video release when they sign up for an event. That means that you are free to capture content from your event and share on social media platforms.

Remember to leverage social media before and after your event to build awareness and engagement. Create posts promoting your event leading up to it and share content from your event after it concludes. Be sure to tag any relevant speakers, and use #aztechweek so that everyone knows you were a part of the conference. 

Event hosts are responsible for all costs associated with their events. There is no charge to host an event. 

One event per email address can be submitted at a time. Once your first event is approved, you will be able to submit a second, and so on. If you have several events, reach out to aztw@azcommerce.com for support batch uploading. 

Yes! Submit your event and create your event page as if you were hosting an in-person event. Make sure that your event description and event pages include a link to attend your virtual event.  

Yes, we’ll be releasing a new media kit soon with logos, printing instructions and downloadable assets. 

No. Attendees are responsible for their own transportation. 

Host organizations may have their own direct sponsors and set their own sponsorship criteria; however, sponsors will only be listed on AZ Tech Week marketing and communications if they are sponsored through Arizona Commerce Authority. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please complete the form at: https://www.azcommerce.com/az-tech-week/sponsor/.