I'm not familiar with the startup scene in London, but the tech seen was awesome. I met some great people (managed to hire some of them), had some great conversations, and learned a ton.
There was a lot of boozing, though. :)
There was a lot of boozing, though. :)
I also agree that the start up (and also the mobile) events aren't terribly useful. They are more of a nice place to relax in the company of like-minded individuals rather than places to generate business.
As for boozing... that's just London in the evening. Most people are bright enough to stick to one or two drinks and you still see everyone in the office at 7.30am the next morning.
By comparison I found events in New York to be a little free of personal interaction. You turn up, spend 5 minutes talking to 5 people, listen to a speaker, then go home. Great for collecting business cards, not so good for establishing solid relationships. Perhaps someone can suggest better events for me?
In contrast, the tech scene - something you get into by producing/shipping - has been fantastic. We don't have a full time sales person, depending on referrals and introductions.