Web Summit is the biggest technology conference in the world held in Lisbon, Portugal and every year it brings together some of the best people from different business and tech areas. Our team couldn't miss the opportunity to come there too and to breathe in some inspiration from leads of the most successful companies in the world. By the way, did you know that Web Summit was originally held in Dublin, Ireland until 2016 before it was permanently moved to the capital of Portugal.

The main reason we decided to come was mainly to inspire ourselves but also for networking and creating new opportunities and clients. During our 5-day stay, we had many important meetings one of which was also the one with European Commissioner Věra Jourová. It was a huge pleasure and a great experience to meet her in person so we took a chance and asked her many questions about the current situation of startups in the EU and her opinion about their future. Apart from that we also had a chance to visit the Czech embassy in Portugal where we could pitch Qusion along with other Czech startups and tell others about our work and upcoming plans. 

Top leads of well-known companies

Web Summit always presents many leads to some of the most famous companies in the world. This year visitors had a chance to hear many inspirational talks, one of which was the one from CTO of Amazon Werner Vogels or Revolut CEO Nikolay Storonsky. And it wasn't only about male leads this year, we also heard many female leaders talking. The top one for me was an interview with Kate Brandt from Google about how important is the role of every stakeholder in building a more sustainable world.

My key takeaways? 

One of the things I had a chance to experience at this year's Web Summit is definitely the fact that if you're starting your own company, this is an amazing opportunity for you to find an investor to start with. Also, I must say that in my opinion, the conference is much more business-oriented than I expected. If I was to advise to anybody from the tech field planning to go there, it may not be the right thing for you. I would recommend it mainly for people interested in business. 

  

Otherwise it is by all means a very important way to meet new interesting people and a great opportunity to start your new project and find the right people who'll help you. 

I must also mention huge Web Summit parties following every day full of truly inspirational keynote speakers which is a great networking opportunity. The parties are well-known thanks to the fact that they take place in different parts of the city each day and also in different streets. Every night there's a street full of bars and clubs open for Web Summit visitors where they can have a good drink and network with others.