After 10 years of chasing Wi-Fi signals from Australia to Europe and across five continents, working alongside entrepreneurs and governments to build coworking ecosystems—especially in regional areas—I’ve picked up a few insights about what helps entrepreneurs truly thrive.

As a co-founder of a travel tech startup with Mark Phillips, we make it a priority to attend as many nomad and entrepreneurial events as we can.

In fact, as you can see from the photo, Mark recently spoke at Nomad Fest in Bansko, Bulgaria, sharing his expertise on crossing borders, taxes, adventure travel, and more. Through these experiences, we’ve come to a humble but enthusiastic conclusion: digital nomad festivals are some of the best ecosystems for entrepreneurs.

They’re not just places where it’s perfectly normal to pitch your startup idea over a coffee or a beer—they’re safe spaces for creativity, fresh ideas, and expanding your perspective in every direction.

Pic: Mark the Founder Nomadstays.com on Stage at Bansko Nomad Fest Bulgaria

 

Here’s why:

 

1️⃣ The People Are the Product

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn

 

At a nomad festival, your five people might change daily. You could join every Slack group on Earth and still not find the magic you get from a nomad festival crowd. It’s like LinkedIn went offline, took a shot of espresso, and decided to throw a party in the mountains.

Where else do you find a crypto founder, a freelance UX designer, and a permaculture expert sharing a table—and not just networking, but actually helping each other?

 

2️⃣ Serendipity Has a Schedule

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” – Seneca

 

Most conferences follow a rigid script of keynotes, panels, and a sad networking session in a hotel lobby. Nomad festivals, on the other hand, have hikes, beach cleanups, salsa nights, and impromptu co-creation workshops where you can brainstorm your next pivot while hiking to a waterfall. Serendipity isn’t left to chance—it’s baked into the agenda.

 

Pic: from the team at BNF 

3️⃣ Vulnerability is Valued

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.” – Brené Brown

 

Let’s face it: entrepreneurship can be lonely. In nomad festivals, though, you meet people who’ve also had clients ghost them, passports expire at the worst time, or crypto wallets hacked at 2 am. We don’t just celebrate each other’s wins—we swap stories of spectacular fails. That vulnerability creates deep connections you don’t get in most startup ecosystems.

 

4️⃣ Energy That Can’t Be Zoomed

“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” – Henry Ford

Sure, remote work is great. But you can’t replicate the collective buzz of hundreds of creative minds in one place. It’s the kind of environment that makes you want to open your laptop and build something—even if you’re not sure what yet.

 

 

5️⃣ Diversity is the Norm

“Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” – Verna Myers

Digital nomad festivals attract folks from dozens of countries, countless industries, and every lifestyle imaginable. That diversity forces your ideas to evolve beyond your bubble—and let’s be honest, if your startup can make sense to a DJ from Argentina and a data scientist from South Korea, you’re probably onto something.

 

More Nomad Fests & Product for Nomads

6️⃣ Age is an Asset

“Age is no barrier. It’s a limitation you put on your mind.” – Jackie Joyner-Kersee

 

Contrary to the old cliché of nomads as 22-year-olds with backpacks, the average age of a digital nomad is now 35–65. These aren’t just travelers; they’re experienced professionals—consultants, founders, executives—who bring decades of insights to every conversation. That maturity means deeper discussions, better advice, and connections that go beyond surface-level “what do you do?” small talk.

 

Connection vs. Clique – How Do You Navigate a Fest Like Bansko Nomad Fest?

As Pele Philipp Alexander Weber, owner and operator of Bansko Nomad Fest, beautifully explained in a linkedIn post, there’s no single right way to experience an event like this:

 

“At every big gathering, there’s this quiet tension: Are you the type who wants to meet as many people as possible? Or do you prefer to find your small circle and go deep? Both are valid. Both have beauty. But they offer very different experiences.”

At Bansko Nomad Fest, the options are endless:

 

• • Inspiring speeches
  • 100+ unconferences
  • Mentorship meetups
  • Community dinners
  • Panels
  • Yoga sessions
  • Cold plunges
  • Hot Springs
  • Or just a spontaneous deep chat in the grass

Whatever you choose—you will meet people. The question is how.

🌊 Some surf the surface: 200 hellos, 20 WhatsApp groups, 5 Instagram collabs.

🔥 Others drop anchor: hours with a few, diving into ideas, fears, and dreams.

As Pele shared from his own experience:

 

“I try to talk to as many people as I can—even briefly—to ask: How are you doing? What’s been your highlight? How can I support you? At dinner, I switch tables to keep moving, keep connecting. But of course, that means I sometimes miss deeper connections. And that’s okay. Because the beautiful thing is: Nomad Fest doesn’t just happen once. The community keeps moving—and so do we.”

He reminds us to find our purpose: Are you here to expand, to rest, to build, to reconnect, to reset? Adapt your strategy. Be open. Most importantly: feel comfortable, and mind your energy. Because there is no one right way to do a fest. Only your way.

 

Why Ecosystems Matter

Every organism, idea, and individual intention needs the right ecosystem to thrive. A fish out of water doesn’t stand a chance—and neither does an entrepreneur surrounded by fear focused naysayers or lazy apathy. At nomad festivals, the ecosystem is tailor-made for creative risk-takers: supportive, diverse, and filled with people who understand that unconventional paths can lead to extraordinary places.

The Humble Takeaway

As digital nomads who’s spent the past decade living and working across over 100+ countries—and spoken at Tirana Albania Digital Nomad Fest, Bansko, Istria Croatia and Plitvice Nomad Fests, Swiss Alps, and invited to speak in Portugal, Morocco and coming up in Armenia and as the founders of Nomad Stays Mark Phillips & Linda McCall—we can confidently and collectively say: if you’re an entrepreneur craving inspiration, honest feedback, and a community that gets you, skip the generic startup events. Go to a digital nomad festival instead. 

Just remember to pack extra electrolytes, because networking at altitude is not for the faint of heart.

 

Where to Next?

Community is always a good way to start and if you are looking to travel to a new continent try going for a digital nomad Festival and the go exploring from there because opportunities will open up at the festival and you will begin to thrive. If you haven’t done so already join our Digital Nomad Founders Network on LinkedIn and FB and the Digital Nomad Explorers community on FB. Another way to find an inner circle is to become an Ambassador for Nomad Stays. Become part of a niche community of entrepreneurs passionate about helping others thrive as they travel.

 

STAY innovative and adventure on!

By Linda the Cofounder of Nomad Stays

Contemporary nomad of 10 years and not stopping any time soon. Travel is her passion so I have always designed a lifestyle to feed curious nature for nature and adventure and to see what is possible. 

 

 

 

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