If you’re a tech professional or tech enthusiast, Web Summit in Lisbon should be a highlight on your events calendar. It is arguably the biggest tech conference in the world. It attracts over 1,000 renowned speakers and CEOs across a plethora of industries, as well as more than 70,000 visitors from all over the globe. Find out all about it here. Where it is, where to stay, how to get tickets, and who’s going to be there.
What is Web Summit in Lisbon?
Web Summit Lisbon, which was initially known as Dublin Web Summit, is an annual tech conference that has grown to become the biggest European technology conference and the largest tech innovation global marketplace in the world. It brings together stakeholders and major players on the Internet and technology industries with participants ranging from Fortune 500 companies to tech startups. It also attracts angel investors, corporate big wigs and international journalists. Web Summit Lisbon has also been hosted in Lisbon since 2015 and will continue to be hosted in Lisbon until at least 2028 as Web Summit and the Portuguese government announced a 10-year partnership.
What you can find at Web Summit?
Web Summit involves various mini-conferences which focus on different topics like marketing, music, cryptocurrency, international business, health and more. Below are some mini-conferences you will have access to at Web Summit this year.
PandaConf
PandaConf is designed generally to cater to marketers. Many speakers invited to speak for this part of the conference are usually global Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) of leading brands in the world with most of their speeches themed around marketing, branding and digital advertising.
Content Makers
Content Makers brings together the world’s most popular content creators who discuss how you can monetise your content and grow your audience.
Growth Summit
Growth Summit brings together the fastest growing companies in the world. In this section, CEOs of different companies tell their story on how they have been able to grow their businesses and the challenges they faced. Want to see who is else is going? Check out the 24 Web Summit tracks list here.
Who should attend Web Summit?
Web Summit attracts professionals in the tech world and could be of interest to the following groups of people:
- Tech enthusiasts
- Angel investors
- Tech startups
- Business owners
- Students
If you are also interested in networking or looking for some business opportunities and partnership with startups, Web Summit Lisbon is a good place to do that as well.
When is Web Summit in Lisbon?
Over the past few years, Web Summit has been held in the first week of November and it is usually for four days. The 2019 Web Summit edition is going on now, Nov. 4 through 9. Watch the official Web Summit 2019 trailer here:
How do I get a Web Summit ticket?
Plan now for 2020. For this year, a single ticket for general attendees cost €850 while tickets for executives came in at €4,850. You should also note that there is no one-day ticket for Web Summit; all tickets sold are valid for the four-day duration of the conference and they’re non-transferable.
Book early so you don’t miss out
Like we said above, it’s advisable to buy Web Summit tickets as early as possible. For Web Summit 2020, you can get a ticket discount of two for one if you pre-register for Web Summit 2020 HERE. The general attendee ticket gives you access to the exhibition floor, roundtable sessions, and the Night Summit events. You might also be interested in: 5 Incredible Business Events in Portugal You Should Attend.
Meet some of the speakers from Web Summit 2019
The following speakers will be at Web Summit 2019:
- Guo Ping (Rotating Chairman Huawei)
- Brad Smith (President Microsoft)
- Katherine Maher (CEO Wikimedia Foundation)
- Elie Seidman (CEO Tinder)
- Devin Wenig (CEO eBay)
- Jaden Smith (Co-founder 501CTHREE.org and JUST water)
- António Mexia (CEO of Edp)
- Gillian Tans (CEO at Booking.com)
- Wladimir Klitschko (Klitschko Ventures)
- Gillian Tans (Chairwoman Booking.com)
- Manik Gupta (CPO Uber)
- Melanie Perkins (Co-founder and CEO Canva)
There are many others as well. To keep up with everything happening at this year’s Web Summit, take a look at the Web Summit website. Don’t miss out on the latest tips and advice about visiting Portugal. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter here.
Where to stay during the Web Summit in Lisbon
We’re hoping you’ve already got a spot if you’re here this week. The Web Summit is hosted in the Altice Arena & FIL Lisbon center in the Parque das Nações neighborhood. Here and in the surrounding area, you’ll find a wide range of accommodations with easy access to the event — but be sure to book ahead. Here are some hotels we recommend in Parque das Nações:
You can also use Airbnb to find an apartment in any of these nearby neighborhoods:
- Oriente
- Entrecampos
- Olivias
It’s really not too soon to think about 2020 — did we mention that? These hotels fill up fast, well in advance of Web Summit. Want to see our best picks for affordable hotels around Lisbon? Check out our article on Lisbon hotels.
How to get to Web Summit from Lisbon city center
Don’t worry about getting to the event from Lisbon city center, because there is excellent public transport available. Several buses that will take you straight there, and they’re clean, cheap, and frequent. If you prefer to take the Metro, the closest station is Oriente, which is on the Red line (“vermelha”). Taxis are cheap, and there’s always Uber in Lisbon.
Is it worth attending Web Summit?
Attending Web Summit has its pros and cons, like any large event. It’s really all based on your expectations versus the price of a ticket. Generally, however, it’s an event worth attending — especially for tech industry professionals and startups looking to attract investors. So when you consider the cost of attending Web Summit, make sure you have a plan to maximize your networking and learning opportunities. Build a game plan and make sure you get the exposure you want for yourself or your business. For investors, attending Web Summit can be very positive. You’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger tech event anywhere in the world that offers the same depth of startup talent and emerging tech innovations. Plus, Night Summit — the after-dark fun offered by Web Summit — is pretty great. Because no one knows how to throw a party like Lisbon. Find out who the top startups from Portugal are. Do you have questions about Web Summit in Lisbon? Ask us – we’ve been there.
