Web Summit 2018 to be 'the biggest and best'

Just a few days before Europe’s largest tech event, the Web Summit, kicks off in November, its organizers have said they hope this will be “the biggest and best” edition ever, with over 70,000 guests participating this year.

“This year, we hope it will be the biggest and best Web Summit of all time,” Web Summit’s organizers shared in a statement. “We are excited with the third edition in Lisbon and expect to receive over 70,000 participants from 170 countries.” 

This year the event will see three new stages: “Deep Tech,” focusing on the impact of technology such as computing and nanotechnology on both the industry and daily life, “UnBoxed,” where technology critics are to analyze electronic products, and“CryptoConf,” where debates on issues relating to digital currency are to be held.

All in all, there will be “25 different conferences in one only summit to discuss realities relating to technology, in areas like the environment, sport, fashion, and politics,” Web Summit pointed out.

Speakers this year include well-known figures such as Britain’s former prime minister, Tony Blair, the actress Maisie Williams, the CEO of eBay, Devin Wenig, CEO of Nestlé, Mark Schneider, fashion designer Alexander Wang and president of Microsoft, Brad Smith.

Portuguese speakers taking part include the secretary-general of the United Nations, António Guterres, European Commissioner, Carlos Moedas, Portugal’s prime minister, António Costa, and president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

Web Summit, a tech event that is to take place from 5 to 8 November in Lisbon, is to continue to be held in Lisbon annually for at least the next five years and potentially the next decade, its organizers announced recently.

The event was first held in Ireland in 2010 and moved to Lisbon in 2016.

Last year Web Summit drew some 60,000 people from 170 countries, including 1,200 speakers, representatives of 2,000 startups, 1,400 investors and 2,500 journalists.