Web Summit 2026

Web Summit is the largest technology conference in Europe and one of the worlds biggest startup and AI gatherings, drawing 70,000-plus attendees, 2,300 startups, 900 speakers, and 1,200 investors to Lisbon every November. Founded in Dublin in 2009 by Paddy Cosgrave and relocated to Lisbon in 2016, Web Summit has grown into a sprawling four day event spanning 20 content tracks across the Altice Arena and the adjacent FIL exhibition halls in the Parque das Nacoes district. The 2026 edition runs November 9-12.

The AI programming has become a centerpiece in recent years, with dedicated stages covering generative AI, AI agents, foundation model economics, AI policy and regulation, AI for enterprise, and the geopolitics of compute. Speakers historically include heads of state, big tech CEOs, frontier lab leaders, top investors, and household name founders. Beyond AI, the conference spans climate tech, future of work, Web3, marketing technology, healthcare innovation, and a massive recruiting track. The startup expo features companies at every stage from pre seed to late stage, with the PITCH competition serving as a launchpad for emerging brands.

The attendee mix is global and intentionally diverse: roughly half European, with strong representation from North America, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Unlike a focused research conference, Web Summit is fundamentally a networking and business development event. Side events, hosted dinners, investor matchmaking, and night summit parties across Lisbon make the four days feel more like a tech festival than a conference. For founders raising capital, salespeople hunting enterprise leads, or anyone wanting a panoramic view of the global tech industry, Web Summit is unmatched.