Navigating Web Summit can be a challenge, but when it comes to meeting startup Founders, have no bones about it: there are few places better than Europe’s largest tech conference Web Summit! Here are my tips for getting the most out of the event.
I attended Web Summit 2022, which welcomed more startups and partners than ever before. Over 2,300 new businesses from over 100 countries took part in the event! There were digital sprinkles of everything tech-related on the table and it was great to see the entrepreneurial spirit was live and kicking.
For all its positives though, taking a stroll through the pavilions in the supersized Altice Arena in Lisbon to meet Founders and their teams can prove overwhelming at times. With such an influx of new products, services, and platforms to wrap your head around, deciding where to start when seeking out Founders to speak to is a task and a half by itself. It was encouraging to see so many emerging businesses starting out on their journey. The sheer volume of young firms vying to be the next big thing seemed like pure insanity!
Understanding where exactly individual companies are on their journey, I was pleased to find Web Summit uses a categorisation system that diivides the startup sphere into distinct categories from Alpha and Beta, to Growth. These are useful to determine the size and scale of a startup.
When trying to meet more Founders, the event app was also a welcome tool for seeking out businesses in specific industries and fields. With each stand numbered and running chronologically through the pavilions, I found the app made the task of locating people for meetings a little easier.
Overall, there was a huge variety when it came to the different profiles of startups at this year’s Web Summit. SaaS, AI and Machine Learning, E-commerce, Fintech and Marketing were among the most popular industries. For some of the newer companies I encountered, it was clear this was their first rodeo. Others possessed the capability to sell ice to Eskimos!
Catching the eye of a potential investor was high up on the wish list for most startups in attendance and everyone was there to try to make the best possible impression with the right people. A healthy combination of sales talk, bright lights, and free goodies helped startups to achieve this, leaving a mark on potential investors and Web Summit 2022 attendees alike.
