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<p>Web Summit runs the world’s largest technology events, connecting people and ideas that change the world.</p>
<p>Web Summit’s mission has been to create software that enables meaningful connections between the CEOs, founders, investors, media, politicians and cultural figureheads who are reshaping the world.</p>
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Centre Stage during the opening night of Web Summit 2021 at the Altice Arena in Lisbon

<p>Web Summit was founded in Dublin by Paddy Cosgrave. It started as a 150-person tech conference in October 2009.</p>
<p>Since then, Web Summit has gathered together over a million business people from around the world. Its flagship event is <a href="https://websummit.com/">Web Summit</a> in Lisbon, which takes place every November.</p>
<p>Web Summit now hosts events around the world, including <a href="https://rio.websummit.com/">Web Summit Rio</a> in South America, <a href="https://qatar.websummit.com/">Web Summit Qatar</a> in the Middle East, and <a href="https://vancouver.websummit.com/">Web Summit Vancouver</a> in North America, and <a href="https://riseconf.com/">RISE</a> in Asia.</p>


Our story

Our global events

<h5 class="FourColumn__FourColumnTitle-sc-cb4cd4b-5 eLFSDB"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: 300;">November 9-12, 2026</span></h5>


Web Summit Lisbon

Web Summit Vancouver

Web Summit Rio

<p>January 31 &#8211; February 3, 2027</p>


Web Summit Qatar

They’ve spoken at our events

Sam Altman

Co-founder

Alexis Ohanian

Co-founder & CEO

Anton Osika

Artist & Entrepreneur

Pharrell Williams

Secretary-General

António Guterres

Tennis Champion

Serena Williams

President

Ursula von der Leyen

Actor & Entrepreneur

Ryan Reynolds

Godfather of AI

Geoffrey Hinton

Managing Partner

Doug Leone

Actor & Comedian, Founder & CEO

Kevin Hart

Sport Legend

David Beckham

Actor & Musician

Will Smith

Co-founder & Executive Vice Chairman

Joseph Tsai

Chairman

Peter Thiel

Founder

Elon Musk

Author & Presenter

Trevor Noah

Co-founder 

Seth Rogen

Author

Margaret Atwood

Influencer & Content Creator

Khaby Lame

Theoretical physicist

Stephen Hawking

CEO & Partner

Michael Seibel

Chairman & Publisher

A.G. Sulzberger

They've attended

<p>Big ideas from the worlds of tech, business and society.</p>


The Web Summit blog

<p>We are committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as guiding principles for our own sustainability initiatives.</p>


Impact

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<p>Since starting out in 2009, Web Summit has grown to become “The world&#8217;s largest tech conference.” (TIME). Want to be part of the talented team behind it all?</p>
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