The world’s largest tech conference according to TIME, announced that it has officially sold out its Lisbon flagship event with more than 70,000 attendees, a record breaking 3,000 exhibiting companies, 1,000 investors and 2,000 global media. Web Summit kicks off today, Monday November 11 with Opening Night in Lisbon, Portugal.
Event highlights include Pharrell Williams, The GRAMMY award-winning, Academy Award®-nominated musician, filmmaker and philanthropist, and Louis Vuitton menswear Creative Director who will speak on stage with Visa CMO Frank Cooper III about commerce and creativity.
Microsoft President Brad Smith, Bumble CEO Lidiane Jones, NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, Hugging Face Co-founder and Chief Science Officer Thomas Wolf, German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, Founder of World Wide Web Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès
Callamard, Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada, NPR CEO Katherine Maher, University of Massachusetts Professor of Economics Emeritus William Lazonick, Peaky Blinders creator and producer Steven Knight and many more… are among the tech, business and cultural leaders who will be speaking across Web Summit stages.
Find out more about key themes including artificial intelligence, government regulation, elections, venture capital, sustainability, and social media in our Web Summit 2024 What to Expect doc here.
Startups and investors
As well as speakers, Web Summit will gather a record breaking 3,000 exhibiting companies, 1,200 of which are women founded, and 500 of whom have attended through the Impact programme, for startups that align with the UN sustainable development goals.
1,000 investors from firms such as Northzone, Seven Seven Six, Qatar Investment Authority, 500 Global, Khosla Ventures will connect with the largest and most diverse cohort of early stage startups in the world and host thousands of investor-to-investor and investor-to-startups meetings, as well as mentoring sessions.
A new Web Summit x Crunchbase funding report shows $60.6 billion was raised by companies at Web Summit 2023 and $755 million went to Web Summit’s startup programme participants. Startups at Web Summit averaged $5.5m in annual funding, far exceeding the $3.3m industry average.
Partners
Partners include Adobe, IBM, Alibaba, SAP, Meta, Dell, Visa, Qualcomm, KPMG, Boehringer Ingelheim, Niantic, Pitchbook, EDP, Samsung Next, American Express, Invest Qatar, Togg, Hubspot, El Corte Inglés, Intercom, JC Decaux, European Commission, and many more.
Meaningful communities
This Web Summit will host hundreds of community meetups in Lisbon powered by Summit Engine. This is part of Web Summit’s renewed focus on creating meaningful communities through meetups based on shared backgrounds, interests, and goals, making events feel more intimate as the organisation scales globally.
Trade delegations
Web Summit will host up to 60 trade delegations from around 40 countries, showcasing some of the world’s most innovative startups. Countries represented will include Ukraine, Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Qatar, Cape Verde, Belgium, Hong Kong, France, Lithuania, Spain, Taiwan, Chile, Poland, Austria, Turkey, Moldova, Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, UAE, Greece, Luxembourg, Georgia, Egypt, Malta, and Angola, among others.
Germany’s delegation will feature 80 startups and include Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck. Ukraine will host a startup island for 24 companies, with Deputy Minister Alex Bornyakov speaking on Centre Stage about Ukraine on the frontlines of tech innovation. Qatar will present four standout startups in their pavilion. Brazil will bring 80 startups, while Serbia will host 24 startups with speakers including First Lady Tamara Vucic and Minister of Finance Siniša Mali. Finally, 36 Irish startups will represent Ireland’s tech innovation at Web Summit 2024 in Lisbon.
IMPACT
The conference will also tackle how technology is addressing some of the world’s most serious issues like climate change, healthcare, and education. Almost 20 percent of startups attending Web Summit will attend through the Impact programme, for startups aligned with the UN sustainable development goals. Over 100 investors attending Web Summit are classified as Impact investors, with key areas of interest including agritech, cleantech and renewables.
Earlier this year, Web Summit launched its Impact partnerships programme, emphasising climate action, diversity, equity, inclusion, and education. Impact partners at Web Summit 2024 include the United Nations Global Compact, Leonardo DiCaprio-backed conservation organisation Re:Wild, the World Climate Foundation and sustainability education platform Earthed.
Co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Twelve – the carbon transformation company that recently raised $645 million – Etosha Cave will discuss the company’s mission of decarbonising the aviation industry, turning carbon into jet fuel. Nicolaj Reffstrup, founder of Danish fashion brand Ganni and Dennis Nobelius, CEO at textile impact company Syre will discuss how the fashion industry can tackle its pollution problem. Markus Villig, CEO of Bolt – who earlier this year secured a €220m credit facility as it works towards being IPO-ready – will discuss the future of cars, and what it means for the environment and the consumer.
Night Summit
For two nights —Tuesday, 12 November, and Wednesday, 13 November— Web Summit attendees can join gatherings at 100 bars and traditional “quiosques” across five key areas of Lisbon: Terreiro do Paço, Cais do Sodré, Principe Real, Avenida da Liberdade, and Bairro Alto. It’s not about high-end venues; it’s about comfortable, laid-back places where attendees can connect like locals.
Night Summit 2024 key areas include:
– Terreiro do Paço: Iconic square with river views, perfect for gatherings;
– Cais do Sodré: Trendy nightlife hotspot with bars, clubs, and the famous Pink Street; – Principe Real: Charming area with scenic gardens and cosy cafes, ideal for relaxed meetups;
– Avenida da Liberdade: Grand avenue with luxury shops and “quiosques” for snacks. Central, elegant, and filled with great dining options;
– Bairro Alto: Lively nightlife district, known for its bars and music. Narrow, hilly streets add to its vibrant charm.
Food Summit
Food Summit brings together over 100 handpicked food and beverage vendors, offering a variety of cuisines for every taste. This year’s selection includes curated food trucks showcasing top Portuguese flavours, alongside a dedicated Healthy Food area. Portuguese highlights include bolo do caco from Madeira, prego sandwiches, and croquetes, inviting attendees to experience authentic Portuguese flavours in a relaxed setting.
Vendors include:
Pregos na Casquinha
Pregos na Casquinha brings the traditional prego sandwich to the streets with a fresh twist. They’ve reimagined classic prego and sandwich recipes using high-quality bread and ingredients, adding a touch of sophistication. The food truck serves other specialties like pork in bolo do caco and veggie burgers.
Croqueteria
Croqueteria taps into Lisbon’s love for croquetes—crispy, creamy snacks filled with meat, fish, or veggies. Everyone has a favourite, whether from a tasco, bakery, or grandma’s kitchen. Croqueteria believes theirs are among the best, offering a variety of options for every taste.
Cachorro à Portuguesa
Cachorro à Portuguesa reimagines the classic hot dog with a Portuguese twist. The restaurant offers a unique selection of hot dogs inspired by traditional Portuguese flavours. Options include sausages made from pork, chicken, codfish, or even beetroot for vegetarians.
Food Summit’s healthy section features local favourites like Fauna & Flora, known for fresh, wholesome dishes with vegan options, and Why Not Soda, a Portuguese organic craft soda brand that has won Start to Table by Startup Lisboa and has been gaining popularity in the Portuguese market.
Wine Summit
Wine Summit is a dedicated space bridging the wine industry with the fields of economy and technology, showcasing Portugal’s wine heritage and innovation as the home of Port and Vinho Verde.
Located near Pavilion 4, Wine Summit’s networking area features wine stands and food stations with Portuguese specialties like cheeses, sausages, jams, and pastéis de nata, alongside casual options like pizza and focaccia. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Happy Hours with a DJ add to the lively networking atmosphere.
Wines featured at Web Summit include selections from Herdade Grande, Adega Mãe, Sogrape, Piano, and Delância.
About Web Summit
Web Summit is a technology events company, bringing together a global community of founders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors to connect and exchange ideas about the technology
and trends shaping the world. Web Summit events – including Web Summit in Lisbon, Web Summit Rio in South America, Web Summit Vancouver in North America, Web Summit Qatar in the Middle East, and RISE in Asia – have gathered nearly one million people since Web Summit’s beginnings as a 150-person conference in Dublin in 2009. Its newest event, Web Summit Vancouver, will launch in May 2025.