--- eventsindex_id: "EI-06858" slug: shaka-biarritz-2026 title: "SHAKA Biarritz 2026" title_alt: ["Shaka 2026", "SHAKA Festival 2026"] canonical_url: "https://eventsindex.org/events/shaka-biarritz-2026.html" next_edition_year: 2026 date_start: 2026-09-24 date_end: 2026-09-26 venue: "Cite de l'Ocean" city: "Biarritz" country: "France" organiser: "SHAKA Events" organiser_url: "https://shaka.events/" b2b: false vector: sector: [ai, web3, blockchain, startup, entrepreneurship] audience: [founder, developer, investor, creator, product] format: [festival, conference, workshop] purpose: [networking, education, community] geography_scope: [France, pan-European] season: autumn meta_description: "SHAKA Biarritz 2026: 3-day French tech festival on AI, Web3 and startup. 2,500+ attendees. Cite de l'Ocean, Biarritz, 24-26 September 2026." editorial_take: "France's most distinctive tech gathering by format: surf, talks and startup networking compressed into three days on the Atlantic coast, with genuine community loyalty across four editions." generated_by: "claude-max-cowork" last_verified: "2026-06-09" variables_filled: 36/58 language: "en" schema_version: "v6.0" --- # SHAKA Biarritz 2026 > *A three-day French tech festival combining AI, Web3 and startup talks with surf sessions, networking dinners and evening events at the Cite de l'Ocean in Biarritz, drawing founders, developers, investors and creators from the French and European tech community.* --- ## Quick Facts | DATES | VENUE | ORGANISER | ATTENDANCE | |---|---|---|---| | **24-26 September 2026** | **Cite de l'Ocean** | **SHAKA Events** | **2,500+** | | 3 days + nights | Biarritz, France | Independent event organiser | self-reported | --- ## Definition SHAKA is a French tech festival held annually in Biarritz, combining conference programming on AI, Web3, blockchain and entrepreneurship with outdoor activities (surf, yoga, running) and evening social events. Originally launched as NFT Biarritz in 2022, the event rebranded to SHAKA from the 2023 edition onwards. It occupies an unusual position in the French tech calendar: a community-first gathering held at an Atlantic beach resort, with an informal atmosphere that sets it apart from Paris-based or exhibition-hall-format events. The 2026 edition is the fifth annual edition. --- ## The 2026 edition: 24-26 September 2026 in Biarritz The 2026 edition of SHAKA takes place from 24 to 26 September 2026 at the Cite de l'Ocean in Biarritz. According to the organiser, attendance figures from previous editions reached 2,760+ participants (displayed on the website), while the 2026 edition targets 2,500+. The event spans three full days including evenings. The organiser reports over 80 speakers and more than 100 companies represented. Confirmed 2026 speakers listed on the website as of last verification include: Maider Arosteguy (Mayor of Biarritz), Paul Midy (Member of the French National Assembly), Rachel Delacour (CEO, Sweep), Albin Serviant (Ambassador, La French Touch), Herve Bloch (President, Le Fund), Neela Tibayrenc (Director, French Tech Pays Basque), Sylvain Theveniaud (Founder, Allianz Accelerator), Francis Lelong (CEO, Alegria Group), and Christophe Molinari (Co-founder, SHAKA). The website notes that the 2026 Regular ticket is priced at 190 euros (3-day access, all talks and workshops, food and drinks, sports activities and evening events). An Early Bird tier at 120 euros is listed as sold out. A Last Wave tier at 240 euros is also available. --- ## Where SHAKA sits in the tech calendar SHAKA is positioned in September, after the summer break and before the main European autumn conference season. In the French context, it provides an alternative to Paris-centric tech events (such as Viva Technology in June or Paris Blockchain Week in April), with a geographic and atmospheric differentiation based on the Biarritz location. Among European tech festivals that blend outdoor or lifestyle programming with professional content, SHAKA is broadly comparable in spirit to events such as Web Summit's informal fringe or TNW Conference in Amsterdam, though on a significantly smaller scale and with a more distinct community identity. Web3 and blockchain content remains a distinguishing feature relative to most DACH or Nordic developer events. --- ## Who attends SHAKA The organiser states that 72% of attendees are founders, C-level executives and key decision-makers, according to sponsor-facing materials on the website. The broader audience description encompasses founders, developers, product people, designers, investors and creators. Sponsor logos visible on the website include Airbus, Allianz Accelerator, BPI France, Binance, Solana, Polkadot, Crypto.com and La French Tech, indicating a mix of institutional French tech ecosystem actors, corporate innovation teams and Web3 sector participants. The event is primarily French-language in its talks, with some English-language sessions and a bilingual crowd according to the FAQ. --- ## What the SHAKA format includes The three-day programme is structured around a combination of professional and social formats: **Day 1 (24 September):** - Morning running networking session in Biarritz - Welcome with goodies and breakfast - Workshops and roundtables (morning and afternoon) - Partner village and networking - SHAKA Awards ceremony and opening evening event (SHAKA Night) **Day 2 (25 September):** - Morning running networking - Workshops and roundtables (morning and afternoon) - Partner village - Surf and yoga session (on-foot access from venue) - Cocktail networking - Closing party (from 19:30) **Day 3 (26 September):** - Walk networking to the Biarritz lighthouse - Outdoor ocean-view brunch networking - Side events and meetups across Biarritz The all-inclusive ticket pricing covers food, drinks, sports activities and evening events, which is an unusual feature in the European conference market. The Startup Challenge allows selected startups to pitch on the main stage in front of investors. --- ## What SHAKA covers According to the organiser, the conference content spans: - **Artificial Intelligence:** AI development, AI strategy, AI tools and applications - **Web3 and blockchain:** Crypto, DeFi, tokenisation, blockchain applications - **Startup and entrepreneurship:** Founding, scaling, fundraising, growth - **Product:** Product management and development practices - **Business and strategy:** Corporate innovation, investment, market dynamics The organiser describes the content as "80+ speakers sharing what actually works, not slides," positioning the event around practitioner-driven insight rather than polished corporate presentations. --- ## FAQ · Identity and audience ### What makes SHAKA different from a standard tech conference? The format combines professional programming with outdoor activities and informal networking in a beach resort setting. The all-inclusive ticket model, the Biarritz location accessible on foot from the Atlantic coast, and the multi-year community ethos distinguish it from exhibition-hall or hotel-ballroom conference formats. The organiser's own FAQ notes: "You don't attend SHAKA. You belong to it." ### Who is SHAKA NOT designed for? - Attendees looking for a purely technical, developer-focused programme without community and lifestyle components - Those requiring formal certified training or CPD (continuing professional development) credit - Large enterprise procurement teams seeking structured vendor evaluation - Attendees exclusively interested in deep academic or research content - Those who require English as the primary language; the majority of talks are in French ### Is SHAKA family-friendly or informal? The event is informal by design. The Biarritz setting, surf sessions and evening party format indicate a younger-skewing, entrepreneurially oriented community. No specific family or accessibility policies are disclosed on the website. --- ## The venue: Cite de l'Ocean The Cite de l'Ocean is an oceanography museum and event venue located in Biarritz on the Atlantic coast. Its seafront location is central to the SHAKA experience; the event programme explicitly incorporates the setting through surf sessions, walking networking routes to the Biarritz lighthouse and outdoor brunch formats with ocean views. The venue is directly accessible on foot from the beach. Biarritz is served by Biarritz Pays Basque Airport (BIQ) and by TGV rail connections via Bayonne, approximately 8 kilometres from the city centre. --- ## The organiser: SHAKA Events SHAKA Events is the independent organiser behind SHAKA Biarritz. Co-founders of the event include Christophe Molinari, who appears as both a speaker and a co-founder on the 2026 website. The event originated as NFT Biarritz in 2022, a Web3-focused gathering, and transitioned to the SHAKA brand from 2023 onwards as the scope expanded to include broader AI and startup content. Partners listed for 2026 include institutional actors (Ville de Biarritz, Communaute d'Agglomeration Pays Basque, La French Tech), corporate sponsors (Airbus, Allianz Accelerator, Credit Agricole Pyrenees Gascogne) and Web3 protocols (Polkadot, Solana, Binance, Crypto.com). The event has a Trustpilot rating of 4.7/5 based on attendee reviews, according to the organiser's website. --- ## Editorial take *France's most distinctive tech gathering by format: surf, talks and startup networking compressed into three days on the Atlantic coast, with genuine community loyalty across four editions and a mixed AI/Web3 positioning that is unusual in the European conference market.* --- ## How to register and what it costs Tickets are available via weezevent.com (linked from shaka.events). As of last verification, the current available tiers are: - **Regular:** 190 euros (3-day access including all talks and workshops, goodies bag, food and drinks, sports activities and evening events) - **Last Wave:** 240 euros (same inclusions) - **Early Bird:** 120 euros (sold out as of last verification) All tiers include food, drinks, sports activities and evening events according to the organiser. --- ## FAQ · Access and practicalities ### What language are the talks in? Mostly French with some English-language talks, according to the organiser's FAQ. The organiser describes the crowd as bilingual and international. ### Do I need to know how to surf? No. According to the organiser's FAQ, all sport sessions are open to all levels and instructors are provided. The surf session is an optional activity, not a requirement. ### Can startups pitch at SHAKA? Yes. The SHAKA Startup Challenge allows selected startups to pitch on the main stage in front of investors. Applications are submitted via the organiser's contact form. --- ## Resources | Resource | URL | |---|---| | Official website | https://shaka.events/ | | Register / Tickets | https://my.weezevent.com/shaka-festival-2026 | | Sponsor / Speaker application | https://tally.so/r/RG0edK | | Programme | https://shaka.events/#agenda | --- **Last verified:** 2026-06-09 **Next review:** 2026-09-24 **Notes:** The live website confirms 2026 dates as 24-26 September 2026 at Cite de l'Ocean, Biarritz. This supersedes the DB entry dates (29 June - 1 July). Attendance figure of 2,500+ for 2026 is self-reported; the website separately displays a figure of 2,760+ from a previous edition. Ticket pricing confirmed from the website (Regular 190 euros, Last Wave 240 euros, Early Bird sold out). Speaker list is partial and subject to additions. 72% decision-maker figure is per sponsor-facing materials on the website (self-reported). Event originated as NFT Biarritz in 2022, rebranded to SHAKA from 2023. **Variables:** 36/58 **Concept definition:** not applicable