Microsoft Build Joins Wave of Tech Conferences Leaving Longtime Host Cities

Microsoft is ending its nearly decade-long run of hosting the Build developer conference in Seattle, signaling a potential shift in the company’s event strategy and adding to a growing trend of tech events leaving traditional host cities.

The news of Microsoft moving its flagship conference came days before the company confirmed roughly 9,000 layoffs, including 830 in the Washington state, in a regulatory filing. Since May, the software company has shed more than 15,000 staff, over 3,000 of those in its home state.

The most recent Build conference was held May 19–22 at the Seattle Convention Center. It drew 3,200 in-person attendees and more than 100,000 participants online. Build, which launched in 2011, has taken place in Seattle since 2017 and has regularly attracted tens of thousands of developers, engineers, and technology partners.

“Our plans for Build 2026 have changed, our vision to empower builders and developers at a major event next year remains the same,” a Microsoft spokesperson said. “We thank the city and the community for their support over the years.”

Microsoft Build Conference Important to Seattle

Visit Seattle did not respond to a request for comment. According to industry estimates, the event has generated roughly 9,300 hotel room nights per year, an economic impact the city will now lose.

Seattle’s proximity to Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters made it a logistically convenient location for the company’s engineers and executives. While Microsoft has not disclosed the reason for the move, a spokesperson said it was not related to conditions or experiences during this year’s event.

In addition, the spokesperson said, “We do not have anything further to share about our plans for Build 2026.”

Shift in Tech Event Geography

Microsoft is not alone in changing the location of its flagship gathering. Across the tech industry, companies are re-evaluating how and where they host major events, driven by rising costs, shifting audience expectations, and strategic goals around reach and visibility.

HubSpot’s INBOUND conference, held in Boston since its launch in 2012, will move to San Francisco for a one-time edition. The event is scheduled for Sept. 3–5 at Moscone Center. HubSpot said the change reflects feedback from a growing global community and an effort to meet customers where they are. The plan is for the conference to return to Boston in 2026. 

The 2024 event at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, attracted approximately 12,000 attendees.

Other major tech conferences have made more permanent changes. Google Cloud Next relocated from San Francisco to Las Vegas in 2024, with events now confirmed at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center through at least 2026.

Oracle also moved its flagship CloudWorld conference from San Francisco to Las Vegas after its 2022 event. This year’s edition will take place Oct. 13–16 at The Venetian Conference and Expo Center.

Canva shifted its annual Canva Create conference from Sydney to Los Angeles in 2024. Held at Hollywood Park—home to SoFi Stadium and the YouTube Theater—the event drew more than 4,500 attendees, with 100 speakers and 60 sessions.

Apple, meanwhile, has transitioned its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) to a primarily digital format since 2020. While the event remains free and globally accessible online, Apple now includes a limited in-person experience at its Cupertino campus. Attendance is by invitation or lottery and capped at a small number of developers, students, and media.

What It Means

Microsoft’s departure from Seattle reflects a larger redefinition of how tech companies engage developer and partner communities. As event formats, audiences, and expectations evolve, even long-standing location ties are no longer guaranteed.

For destination marketers and convention centers, the message is clear: competition for major conferences is intensifying, and loyalty to place is giving way to flexibility, scale, and strategic alignment.