If you're looking for a tool that lets people self-select into groups at a virtual conference, miingl is worth a look. The company's Click-to-Cluster technology lets people self-select into groups in real time by interest. It also has a Call-to-Stage feature for discussions and an Event Forum for finding and creating public events. It's got a range of pricing options, including a free Participant plan, so it should be adaptable to your needs and budget.
Another option is Butter, an all-purpose virtual collaboration tool. It's geared primarily toward structured session planning and built-in collaboration tools like polls, flashcards and breakout rooms, but you can use it for group discussions, too. People can join sessions without an account, but hosts need a free account to set up and launch a session. It's free for up to 20 people for 60-minute sessions, and paid plans let you expand to larger sessions and add other features.
For a more interactive experience, Pigeonhole Live lets you hold real-time Q&A sessions, polls, interactive quizzes and live reactions with analytics. It can be integrated with common meeting tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Webex. It supports multiple languages with AI translation and has a range of pricing options for different needs, so it's good for small meetings or large conferences.