Web Summit · 2026

Agoris analysis · updated October 2026

Key takeaways

• Web Summit is Europe's largest tech conference, founded in 2009 in Dublin by Paddy Cosgrave, Daire Hickey and David Kelly, and based in Lisbon since 2016. It is organised and operated by the company Web Summit, with no third-party co-organiser.
• Next edition: 9 to 12 November 2026 in Lisbon, at the FIL Lisboa site (Lisbon Exhibition & Congress Centre) and the adjoining MEO Arena, in Parque das Nações.
• 2025 results (figures published post-event on websummit.com): 71,386 attendees from 157 countries, 1,857 investors (up 74% on the 1,066 of 2024), 2,725 startups from 108 countries, 869 speakers and 1,519 media representatives.
• A generalist technology and digital event: early-stage startups and scale-ups, investment funds, major technology groups, media and public decision-makers all meet around a format combining conferences and a startup exhibition zone.
• It is the Lisbon counterpart within the ecosystem of Europe's major tech gatherings, in the same category as VivaTech in Paris.

Who exhibits

Typical profile

Startups in the seed and growth stages (the core of the exhibition zone), venture capital funds and investors, major technology groups, software publishers, innovation agencies and public operators, and specialist media. The visitor base is international and largely made up of decision-makers: 157 countries represented in 2025.

The startup presence is central to the event: 2,725 exhibiting startups in 2025, of which 40% were founded by women.

Notable exhibitors

The exhibitor list and the programme are published on the official website: websummit.com. Recent editions have brought together leading names in global tech alongside thousands of young companies, as well as top-tier funds among the 1,857 investors present in 2025. The structure of the exhibition relies less on long-standing brands than on a significant annual turnover of the startup pool.

Visitor quality

• 71,386 attendees in 2025, from 157 countries
• 1,857 investors present in 2025, up 74% on the 1,066 of 2024
• 2,725 exhibiting startups, of which 40% were founded by women
• 1,519 accredited media representatives

Activities & community

Conference programme

The heart of the trade show is its conference programme spread across several themed stages. 869 speakers took to the stages in 2025. The dominant themes of recent editions cover artificial intelligence and machine learning, startup funding, consumer tech and the societal challenges of digital technology. The detailed programme is published on websummit.com/schedule. The 2026 theme and programme are to be confirmed as the event approaches.

Community and networks

Web Summit relies on a matchmaking platform between attendees (with built-in messaging and connection requests) that structures networking across the four days.

The event enjoys dense international media coverage, with 1,519 publishers, executives, editors and journalists accredited in 2025. Web Summit also operates a network of international editions (Rio, Qatar, Vancouver), with the Lisbon edition remaining the original and most important one.

On site: what you need to know

Access, parking and accommodation: see the FIL Lisboa listing.

Specific to the trade show:

• Venue: the event spreads across the Lisbon Exhibition & Congress Centre (FIL) site and the adjoining MEO Arena, in Parque das Nações, in the east of Lisbon and served by the metro.
• Badge: paid access with prior online registration, several pass categories (from EUR 595 for the general pass, according to the rates published on websummit.com/tickets/). The terms and the opening of sales are published on websummit.com.
• 2026 dates: from Monday 9 to Thursday 12 November 2026.

Planning your visit

For the exhibitor

• 12 months out: monitor the opening of startup applications and dedicated programmes (PITCH, Masterclasses, Mentor Hours depending on stage).
• 9 months out: submit an application to the startup programme according to your stage of development.
• 6 months out: prepare your pitch, demos and appointment-booking strategy via the networking platform.
• 3 months out: activate your targeted investor network among the announced funds.
• 6 weeks out: finalise your appointment schedule and brief the team on the stages to target.

For the decision-making visitor

• Paid online registration at websummit.com, with several pass levels depending on profile.
• Allow 2 to 4 days depending on your objectives (startup sourcing, tech intelligence, investor meetings).
• Target the conferences and stages in advance via the published programme.
• Make use of the matchmaking platform from the moment it opens to set up your appointments.

How the trade show has evolved

Trajectory analysis

In 2025 Web Summit confirmed its status as Europe's largest tech conference, with 71,386 attendees from 157 countries. The sold-out 2024 edition had drawn 71,528 attendees (the event's record): the 2025 edition reflects remarkable stability at around 71,000 attendees. The standout development of 2025 was the strong growth in investor presence: 1,857 funds present, up 74% on 2024, against the gloomy trend in venture capital. The startup pool remains the core of the trade show, with 2,725 young companies exhibiting, of which 40% were founded by women. The 2026 edition, from 9 to 12 November in Lisbon, continues this momentum. The 2026 theme and target figures will be published as the event approaches.

Unless otherwise stated, all factual data in this listing comes from the organiser's official website (websummit.com).