Consult just about any guide about how to build a tech startup and one of the very first pieces of advice you’ll be given is: Talk to Your Customers. If your target market just so happens to be Python-fluent developers, data scientists, researchers, students, and open-source software enthusiasts, there’s probably no better place than PyCon US to share your startup’s products and services with the Python community.
If you’re a founder of an early-stage startup that’s building something cool with Python and want to apply for free (yes, free) booth space, conference passes, and (optionally) a table at the PyCon US Job Fair for your team at PyCon US 2026 in lovely Long Beach, California this upcoming May, we have some great news for you: Applications for booth space on Startup Row are open, but not for long…
Applications close Friday, January 30, 2026. You’ll hear back with an acceptance decision from us by mid-February, so you’ll have plenty of time to book travel and get your booth materials together in time for the conference.
TL;DR: How/where to Apply. For all the action-oriented types who want to skip the rest of this post and just get to the point, here’s the Startup Row page again (where you can find eligibility criteria, etc.) and a direct link to the application form (for which you’ll need to be logged in or create an account to access). Good luck! We look forward to reviewing your application, and hope to see you at PyCon US 2026.
What Startup Row Companies Receive
Since 2011, organizers of PyCon US set aside a row of booths for early-stage startups, straightforwardly named: Startup Row. The goal is to give early-stage companies access to the best of what PyCon US has to offer.At no cost to them, Startup Row companies receive:Two included conference passes, with additional passes available for your team at a discount.
- Booth space in the Expo Hall on Startup Row for the Opening Reception on the evening of Thursday May 14th and for both days of the main conference, Friday May 15th and Saturday May 16th.
- Optionally: A table at the PyCon US Job Fair on Sunday May 17th. (If you’re company is hiring Python talent, there is likely nowhere better than PyCon US for technical recruiting.)
- Placement on the PyCon US 2026 website and a profile on the PyCon US blog (where you’re reading this post)
- Eternal glory
If your company is building something cool with Python, it’s hard to beat PyCon US for sharing your work and meeting the Python software community. Startup Row is where some companies launch publicly, where others find their earliest customers and contributors, and where attendees can discover exciting, meaningful job opportunities.
What kinds of companies get a spot on Startup Row?
Python is a flexible language and has applications up and down the stack.Over the years, Startup Row has featured software and hardware companies, consumer and enterprise offerings, open-source and proprietary codebases, and teams from a surprisingly broad range of industries—from familiar categories like developer tools and ML frameworks to foundation model developers and the occasional wonderfully weird idea (think: an e-ink portable typewriter with cloud sync, or an online wedding-planning platform).
Want recent examples? Take a look at the PyCon US blog announcements for the 2025, 2024, 2023, and 2022 batches.
When scoring applications, the selection committee is encouraged to weigh:
- Market upside: could this be a big business?
- Problem/solution fit: does the product truly address the stated need?
- Team strength: does the founding team have the credibility and capability to execute?
- “X factor”: would appearing on Startup Row materially accelerate outcomes for the company and/or the Python community?
Comments