Choosing the right user experience conference to sponsor is a critical, data-driven decision. Beyond the allure of a high-profile speaker list, the real ROI is rooted in understanding an event's audience demographics, historical attendance data, and existing sponsorship ecosystem. Generic lists often fail to provide this granular detail, leaving budget allocation to guesswork. As the leading aggregator of conference and sponsorship data, we cut through the noise to deliver actionable intelligence.

This ranked roundup leverages our proprietary data to provide a clear, analytical view of the top UX conferences for 2025-2026. Each entry includes detailed metrics and direct links to help you evaluate opportunities efficiently. Use this guide to discover high-value sponsorship opportunities, benchmark potential investments, and connect with the audiences that matter most to your brand. We provide the specific data points needed to build a compelling business case for sponsorship and maximize your event marketing spend.

To effectively leverage this data for sponsorship intelligence, it's crucial to first understand the fundamental approaches on how to get event sponsors and secure funding.

1. Flupa UX Days – Sponsors, Speakers & Partnership Intelligence

For sponsorship managers and marketing leaders, evaluating a user experience conference requires more than just a speaker list. You need quantifiable data to build a business case, and that’s where our ConferenceDatabase profile for Flupa UX Days excels. Instead of merely listing the event, this resource serves as a comprehensive intelligence briefing, transforming a top-tier European UX conference into a set of actionable partnership metrics.

Our platform moves beyond basic event details by packaging the "who, what, and when" with critical sponsorship analytics. Flupa UX Days is a significant event on its own, attracting an estimated 850 attendees with its hands-on workshops and a lineup of over 35 speakers. We enrich this information with proprietary data points that are indispensable for strategic sponsorship decisions.

Key Features & Strategic Advantages

This profile is engineered to give marketing teams a competitive edge in sponsorship acquisition. It provides a multi-dimensional view of the event’s value and ecosystem.

• Sponsorship Metrics: Gain immediate access to estimated sponsorship costs, total revenue projections, and a list of past sponsors. This allows you to benchmark your budget and prioritize outreach to companies already invested in this audience.
• Audience & Scale Analysis: With data on historical attendance, venue capacity, and speaker counts, you can accurately gauge the event’s reach and influence. The focus on UX methods, design thinking, and user research confirms a specialized, high-engagement audience.
• Proprietary QualityScore: Our unique QualityScore provides a standardized metric to compare Flupa UX Days against other events in the UX space, removing guesswork and enabling data-driven event selection.

Practical Implementation for Sponsorship Teams

The true value of our platform lies in its application. It’s not just data; it’s a toolkit for action. For example, a field marketer can use the average sponsor cost to propose a realistic budget to stakeholders. A sponsorship sales team can identify and track top sponsors, monitoring their behavior across other events to anticipate their next move. A simple sign-up unlocks deeper pricing breakdowns and company tracking, allowing you to convert these insights directly into targeted partnership outreach. While some granular data points are behind a registration wall, the initial free-to-access intelligence provides a robust foundation for evaluating any user experience conference.

Website: https://www.conferencedatabase.com/conferences/flupa-ux-days

2. SmashingConf New York (Smashing Magazine)

SmashingConf, organized by the highly respected Smashing Magazine, offers a meticulously curated experience that prioritizes depth over breadth. This user experience conference distinguishes itself with a single-track format, ensuring every attendee shares a cohesive learning journey. For sponsors, this single-track model creates a highly focused and engaged audience, eliminating the divided attention often found at multi-track events.

The event is structured as a two-day conference with an optional two days of intensive, hands-on workshops. This hybrid format, offering both in-person and online access, significantly expands its reach to a global audience, providing sponsors with broader visibility and more lead generation opportunities. The digital component extends the value for remote teams and international attendees.

Sponsorship & Audience Analysis

SmashingConf attracts a dedicated community of senior-level UX designers, front-end developers, and product managers. Our data indicates that attendees here are often decision-makers or key influencers within their organizations, particularly in sectors like tech, e-commerce, and digital agencies.

• Audience Profile: Primarily senior practitioners and team leads with purchasing power.
• Key Topics: UX research, accessibility (A11y), design systems, and advanced front-end development.
• Sponsorship Value: High-quality lead generation from a technically proficient and influential audience. The focused environment facilitates meaningful conversations rather than just surface-level interactions.

The conference's emphasis on community, with extras like speaker chats and social events, provides unique networking opportunities for sponsors to build authentic relationships. While the single-track format means fewer parallel sessions, it guarantees a captive audience for every presentation, maximizing the impact of sponsored content and brand visibility.

Access and Practical Details

Tickets are tiered, with early-bird pricing offering significant savings. The conference-only pass is the baseline, while bundles including workshops represent a higher investment for attendees seeking deep-skill development.

Sponsor Tip: The workshop days offer a strategic sponsorship opportunity. By aligning your brand with a specific workshop topic, you can target a niche group of professionals actively looking for solutions in that area, leading to highly qualified and relevant engagement.

Website: https://smashingconf.com/ny-2025

3. UXDX USA

UXDX USA is a prominent user experience conference dedicated to dismantling the silos between Product, UX, Design, and Engineering. Its core philosophy centers on fostering cross-functional collaboration to improve product delivery. For sponsors, this integrated approach attracts a diverse and influential audience of decision-makers from multiple departments, creating unique cross-selling opportunities.

The conference is structured as a hybrid event, offering in-person attendance alongside a robust online experience with on-demand replays. It features a packed agenda with over 40 talks and dedicated workshops. This dual-access model significantly widens the audience reach, allowing sponsors to connect with a national and international pool of professionals interested in bridging the gap between design and development.

Sponsorship & Audience Analysis

UXDX USA attracts a unique mix of mid-to-senior level professionals across the product lifecycle, including Product Managers, UX Designers, Researchers, and Lead Engineers. Our data shows attendees are often team leads and department heads from enterprise-level companies like Capital One, IBM, and Uber, actively seeking solutions that improve team alignment.

• Audience Profile: A cross-disciplinary blend of practitioners and leaders from product, UX, and engineering.
• Key Topics: Product strategy, UX research integration, design systems at scale, and Agile development practices.
• Sponsorship Value: High-potential for lead generation across multiple verticals within a single organization. The focus on collaborative problem-solving means sponsors can position their tools as the connective tissue for high-performing product teams.

The conference's emphasis on actionable case studies ensures that networking conversations are grounded in specific, real-world challenges. This allows sponsors to engage in highly relevant discussions about how their solutions can directly address the operational pain points of potential clients.

Access and Practical Details

Ticket options are tiered, with comprehensive passes for the full in-person experience, including workshops, positioned at a premium price point. Online-only and conference-only passes provide more accessible entry points for a wider audience.

Sponsor Tip: The cross-functional nature of the audience is a key advantage. Instead of focusing on a single persona, frame your solution as a bridge between departments. Sponsoring a track that covers both design and development, for example, allows you to capture leads from both sides of the product equation.

Website: https://uxdx.com/usa/2025/

4. ConveyUX (Blink UX)

Organized by the renowned consultancy Blink UX, ConveyUX is a user experience conference with a strong focus on applied research and design. The event distinguishes itself by prioritizing practical, real-world case studies, making it a go-to for practitioners seeking actionable methods. For sponsors, this focus attracts a highly skilled audience dedicated to improving their craft with new tools and techniques.

ConveyUX operates on a hybrid model, combining an in-person event in Seattle with a robust virtual platform that includes session replays. This dual-access format is a significant advantage, broadening the potential audience for sponsors beyond geographical limits. The program often features dedicated tracks on UX research, accessibility, and the intersection of AI with user experience.

Sponsorship & Audience Analysis

ConveyUX attracts a mature audience of UX researchers, designers, and product leaders. Our data shows attendees are often practitioners from enterprise-level companies and established agencies looking for specific solutions to complex problems. The community-oriented features, such as sponsor lounges and networking events, create an environment for genuine engagement.

• Audience Profile: Mid-to-senior level UX researchers, product designers, and managers with decision-making influence.
• Key Topics: Applied UX research methods, accessibility compliance (A11y), AI+UX integration, and hands-on design workshops.
• Sponsorship Value: High-quality lead generation from professionals actively seeking tools and services. The focus on research and accessibility provides a prime opportunity for sponsors in the user testing, analytics, and compliance sectors.

The conference’s long-standing reputation, built by a leading UX agency, lends credibility to its sponsors. Our analysis of past events indicates a high attendee satisfaction rate, which translates to a more receptive audience for sponsor messaging.

Access and Practical Details

Tickets are typically offered in tiers for in-person and virtual access, with early-bird options providing the best value. Registration opens in cycles, and popular workshops can fill up quickly.

Sponsor Tip: The dedicated sponsor lounges (like the Figma lounge mentioned in past events) are a powerful branding opportunity. Sponsoring one of these spaces allows you to create an immersive brand experience and facilitate informal, high-value conversations away from the main conference floor.

Website: https://conveyux.com/

5. axe-con (Deque Systems)

Axe-con, powered by digital accessibility leader Deque Systems, has rapidly become a cornerstone user experience conference focused entirely on inclusive design and development. As a free, multi-day virtual event, it removes budget barriers and democratizes access to critical accessibility knowledge for a global audience. For sponsors, this model translates into massive reach and the opportunity to engage with a diverse, highly motivated community dedicated to building a more accessible web.

The conference features multiple tracks tailored to different roles, including designers, developers, and researchers, ensuring the content is relevant and practical. Its commitment to accessibility is evident in its platform, offering robust support like live captions and ASL interpretation. All sessions are recorded and made available on-demand, extending the event's lifecycle and providing lasting value for sponsors long after the live dates.

Sponsorship & Audience Analysis

Axe-con attracts a vast and varied audience, from individual practitioners to entire enterprise teams. Our data shows a significant presence from professionals in regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and government, where compliance is a key driver. Attendees are actively seeking tools, training, and services to implement accessibility best practices.

• Audience Profile: A broad mix of UX/UI designers, front-end developers, QA testers, product managers, and accessibility specialists.
• Key Topics: WCAG compliance, ARIA implementation, inclusive design systems, and automated accessibility testing.
• Sponsorship Value: Unparalleled brand exposure to a massive, global audience. Sponsoring axe-con positions a brand as a leader in the critical and growing field of digital accessibility.

The virtual format allows for scalable lead generation through digital booths, sponsored sessions, and resource downloads. For more data on how specialized accessibility events perform, you can review our analysis on related conferences.

Access and Practical Details

Registration for axe-con is completely free, making it an essential event for teams of any size. This presents an enormous top-of-funnel opportunity for sponsors.

Sponsor Tip: The multi-track structure allows for highly targeted sponsorship. Sponsoring the design or development track enables you to align your product directly with the professionals most likely to use it, ensuring your message resonates with a pre-qualified and engaged segment of the audience.

Website: https://www.deque.com/axe-con/

6. ACM CHI (Human Factors in Computing Systems) 2025

ACM CHI stands as the premier international user experience conference for Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research, presenting a rigorous, peer-reviewed program. It sets itself apart by focusing on cutting-edge academic research that shapes the future of UX practice. For sponsors, CHI offers a unique opportunity to connect with the vanguard of the UX and HCI community, including influential academics and corporate R&D leaders who are defining future industry standards.

The event features a flagship program of research papers, case studies, and interactive demos, providing deep insights into emerging technologies. With robust options for both in-person and remote attendance, CHI extends its global reach, allowing sponsors to engage a diverse, international audience. Its strong focus on student programs also provides a direct pipeline to the next generation of top-tier talent.

Sponsorship & Audience Analysis

CHI attracts a highly specialized audience of PhDs, corporate researchers, senior UX practitioners, and academic leaders from top universities and tech companies. Our data shows attendees are deeply involved in long-term R&D and strategic innovation. This is not a typical practitioner conference; it is a hub for the foundational research that will drive product development in the years to come.

• Audience Profile: Primarily academic and corporate researchers, senior HCI scientists, and UX strategists.
• Key Topics: Novel interaction techniques, AI in UX, ethics in computing, accessibility research, and user behavior modeling.
• Sponsorship Value: Brand alignment with academic excellence and cutting-edge innovation. Ideal for companies focused on R&D, talent recruitment from elite programs, and influencing the future direction of technology.

The academic nature of CHI means conversations are substantive and forward-looking. For more details on its audience and past performance, you can review our data on other leading academic-focused events like those featured in our analysis of the Interaction Conf series.

Access and Practical Details

Registration is tiered for ACM members, non-members, and students, with both full conference and workshop-specific passes available. The global rotation of host cities is a key consideration for sponsors.

Sponsor Tip: Sponsoring the student design competitions or doctoral consortiums offers unparalleled access to emerging talent. It positions your brand as a key supporter of academic and professional development, building long-term loyalty with future industry leaders.

Website: https://chi2025.acm.org/

7. Research Week / UXRConf by Learners (joinlearners.com)

Learners has carved out a distinct niche with its community-driven, research-focused events like UXRConf and Research Week. This user experience conference series is anchored in San Francisco but extends globally through a highly accessible hybrid model. It prioritizes depth in UX research and leadership, making it a prime target for sponsors aiming to connect with dedicated research professionals.

A key differentiator is its commitment to accessibility, frequently offering free livestreams for its sessions. This model dramatically expands its audience beyond physical attendees, giving sponsors exposure to a large, engaged, and highly targeted remote audience.

Sponsorship & Audience Analysis

Our data shows that the Learners community consists almost entirely of UX researchers, research ops specialists, and product leaders who directly manage or influence research budgets. This is a high-value, niche audience that is often difficult to reach through broader design conferences.

• Audience Profile: UX Researchers, Research Managers, Heads of Research, and Research Ops professionals with direct purchasing influence.
• Key Topics: Research methodologies, leadership development, AI in UX research, and scaling research operations (ResearchOps).
• Sponsorship Value: Direct access to a concentrated pool of research decision-makers. The event’s reputation for curated, high-quality content lends credibility to its sponsors, positioning them as partners to the research community.

The primary drawback is the limited availability. In-person tickets and even free livestream slots are capped and sell out quickly due to high demand. This scarcity, however, also enhances the value for sponsors by creating a highly committed and focused participant base.

Access and Practical Details

Access is a mix of limited, paid in-person tickets and free (but capacity-limited) online streaming. This hybrid approach offers flexibility, but early registration is critical. The high demand signals a vibrant and active community—a positive indicator for potential sponsors.

Sponsor Tip: The focus on leadership and specialized research tracks presents a strategic opportunity. Sponsoring a specific track, such as AI in UX or the Leadership Summit, allows you to align your brand directly with the key challenges and interests of senior-level decision-makers.

Website: https://joinlearners.com/

7 UX Conferences Comparison

Event	Complexity & Access 🔄	Resources Required ⚡	Expected Outcomes ⭐📊	Ideal Use Cases 💡	Key Advantages
Flupa UX Days — Sponsors, Speakers & Partnership Intelligence	🔄 Moderate — in-person UX event; deeper sponsorship data gated by sign-up	⚡ Moderate — travel/attendance costs; extra for subscription to full analytics	⭐⭐⭐ — actionable sponsorship metrics and benchmarking for outreach	💡 Sponsorship evaluation, partner prioritization, market benchmarking	Clear sponsorship metrics, QualityScore, speaker & attendance signals
SmashingConf New York (Smashing Magazine)	🔄 Low — single-track hybrid program with recordings	⚡ Moderate — tickets + optional workshop fees	⭐⭐⭐ — practical UX/accessibility takeaways and recorded content	💡 Practitioner upskilling, team training with remote attendees	Curated single-track, strong accessibility focus, community extras
UXDX USA	🔄 Moderate–High — hybrid, cross-functional agenda and workshops	⚡ High — premium in-person pricing; popular tracks may sell out	⭐⭐⭐ — outcome-focused case studies for product delivery	💡 Breaking silos between Product, UX, and Engineering; process adoption	Cross-disciplinary case studies, industry speakers, reusable reports
ConveyUX (Blink UX)	🔄 Low–Moderate — hybrid, research-focused program with replays	⚡ Moderate — travel to Seattle or virtual access	⭐⭐⭐ — applied UX research methods and accessibility practices	💡 UX research methods, accessibility, AI+UX sessions for practitioners	Strong applied research focus, hands-on workshops, sponsor/networking lounges
axe-con (Deque Systems)	🔄 Low — fully virtual and open access	⚡ Very Low — free registration; on-demand recordings	⭐⭐⭐ — deep, practical accessibility knowledge and resources	💡 Accessibility training at scale, budget-conscious teams	100% free, accessible platform with live captions and ASL support
ACM CHI 2025	🔄 High — peer-reviewed academic program and global rotation	⚡ High — registration, potential travel, and time for academic sessions	⭐⭐⭐⭐ — highest-signal HCI research and long-term insights	💡 Senior researchers, leaders tracking cutting-edge HCI/UX research	Peer-reviewed proceedings, academic rigor, broad research coverage
Research Week / UXRConf (Learners)	🔄 Low–Moderate — multiple curated events, some free livestreams	⚡ Low–Moderate — many free/limited livestream slots; some paid in-person	⭐⭐⭐ — concentrated, actionable UX research and leadership content	💡 Research leadership development, focused practitioner takeaways	Exceptional cost-to-value, curated industry speakers, leadership tracks

Transforming Conference Data into Sponsorship Wins

The landscape of user experience conferences is rich with opportunity, but navigating it effectively requires a data-driven strategy. This analysis demonstrates that the "best" conference is entirely dependent on your specific sponsorship objectives. A high-attendance event like axe-con isn't necessarily superior to a niche gathering like Research Week / UXRConf if the latter offers a more concentrated, relevant audience. The key is to move beyond surface-level metrics and dissect the underlying data to find the perfect alignment for your brand.

By leveraging detailed analytics on past sponsorship revenue, speaker influence, and audience demographics, you can transform your sponsorship budget from a speculative expense into a predictable, high-return investment. This data-first approach allows you to anticipate ROI with greater accuracy, ensuring every dollar is allocated for maximum impact.

From Analysis to Actionable Strategy

The data provided for each user experience conference serves as a launchpad for a more sophisticated sponsorship selection process. To translate this intelligence into tangible results, your team should focus on three core activities:

1. Build a Prioritized Shortlist: Start by segmenting the conferences based on your primary goals. Are you aiming for broad brand awareness? Target large-scale events like ACM CHI. Is your focus on lead generation within a niche research community? An event like Research Week / UXRConf offers a higher concentration of qualified prospects.
2. Define Your Metrics for Success: Before committing to a sponsorship, establish clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These could include the number of qualified leads generated, meetings booked with key accounts, or specific brand-lift metrics.
3. Craft a Targeted Outreach Plan: Once you've identified your ideal conference targets, the next step is effective engagement. Your approach to securing a partnership needs to be as strategic as your selection process. For those ready to move from intelligence to action, this complete guide on sending cold emails for sponsorships offers practical strategies to secure partnerships.

Choosing Your Path Forward

Ultimately, the goal is to create a symbiotic relationship where your brand provides genuine value to the user experience community while achieving its own marketing objectives. A deep-dive event like Flupa UX Days offers a different strategic value than a globally recognized research hub like ACM CHI. Your final decision should be a calculated one, based on a comprehensive understanding of each event's unique ecosystem.

Use the data in this report not just to pick a user experience conference, but to build a compelling business case for your sponsorship. Presenting a data-backed proposal that aligns sponsorship costs with projected audience engagement and lead value will secure internal buy-in and set your team up for a successful and measurable outcome.

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Ready to stop guessing and start making data-driven sponsorship decisions? ConferenceDatabase provides the most comprehensive intelligence on thousands of events, including every user experience conference that matters. Use our platform to discover hidden opportunities, track competitor spending, and build a winning sponsorship strategy for 2025 and beyond.