Web Summit 2024 breaks record with 71,528 attendees
CEO and founder Paddy Cosgrave said that the summit “fits perfectly with Lisbon” and that he hopes it stays in the Portuguese capital “forever”.
What?
The Web Summit 2024 wrapped up with 71,528 attendees from 153 countries, showcasing a sold-out exhibition floor of 3,050 companies and featuring 953 speakers.
Speaking at a press conference on the second day of the event, which took place on November 11-14, the Web Summit’s CEO and founder Paddy Cosgrave said that the summit “fits perfectly with Lisbon” and that he hopes it stays in the Portuguese capital “forever”.
He argued that “in the last nine years Lisbon has been transformed.”
Since its start as a small conference in Dublin in 2009, Web Summit has evolved into a global gathering for founders, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders.
Web Summit continues its global expansion, with events planned in Rio and Qatar, and a new addition, Web Summit Vancouver, set to launch in May 2025.
My personal take
It’s already the fifth time that I attend the Web Summit - and this year, for the first time, I attended with a media ticket. So what do I make of it?
I must confess that, before attending Web Summit for the first time, I too had my reservations about the event. I thought it was too expensive, too chaotic, too flashy, too superficial, and, quite simply, too full of itself.
I still feel there’s some truth to each of these adjectives but I keep returning every year. Here’s my unsponsored and unfiltered reason why:
I relish the opportunity to listen live to a diverse and eloquent set of speakers. Web Summit meets this condition like few other events in Portugal. This year, I particularly wanted to hear speakers about the US elections and the media, but I also got to hear interesting talks about AI, education and sustainability.
I’ve come to the conclusion that the best part of Web Summit is not the talks but the people you meet. This year, I greatly enjoyed talking to the people on the stands of the impact startup programme - the startups working to have a positive impact on their communities, industries and ecosystems - and learning about their ideas and projects. It’s a good source of inspiration. I also attended a few “Meet Ups” for the first time and got to meet fascinating people living and working across Portugal.
One of the things I enjoy most about Web Summit is its sheer size and diversity. Rather than feeling stressed or overwhelmed by the wealth of talks and information, I try to keep things simple: I select two or three must-see talks each day and then let the rest unfold naturally. This approach gives me the freedom to enjoy spontaneous moments - whether it’s meeting someone interesting or stumbling upon a great session by chance. Web Summit is great at creating the opportunities for these chance encounters.
The nitty-gritty
The event hosted 62 trade delegations from 36 countries, with strong representation from Germany, Brazil, and Ukraine, highlighting some of the world’s most innovative startups.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged as the most represented industry, with a 16% increase in presence. A recent Web Summit x Crunchbase report showed that AI startups at last year’s event collectively raised $72.6 million, demonstrating the sector’s strong momentum.
AI was followed by SaaS, fintech, healthtech, and clean tech among the top industries represented.
The summit attracted 1,066 investors from 58 countries, overseeing a total of $14.7 trillion in assets.
Major sovereign wealth funds such as the Qatar Investment Fund and leading VCs like Khosla Ventures participated. Thousands of investor-to-startup and investor-to-investor meetings took place, providing valuable networking and mentoring opportunities.
Notably, 44% of the startups exhibited were women-founded, the highest proportion to date. Women also made up 42% of attendees and 37% of speakers, highlighting significant strides in diversity.
The event featured high-profile speakers, including Grammy-winning artist Pharrell Williams, Manchester City star Rúben Dias, Microsoft President Brad Smith, Bumble CEO Lidiane Jones, and NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony. Over 2,005 media representatives from 76 countries covered key topics such as AI, venture capital, regulation, and the impact of the US election results.
Top industry partners, including IBM, Adobe, Meta, Huawei, SAP, DELL, and Qualcomm, participated in the event. Thousands of community meetups facilitated networking and the creation of new connections, making this the largest Web Summit to date.