CEO says Web Summit has “the most important speakers”

O executive President (CEO), Paddy Cosgrave, said today that this year's issue of Web Summit has the most important tech speakers he's ever had, counting on the greatest Chinese presence ever.

“This year’s Web Summit certainly has in my opinion the most important list of technology speakers we’ve ever had,” said the CEO at the opening session of the summit, which takes place in Lisbon until Thursday.

Paddy also highlighted the migration of technological leaders from the United States to China, and this year the summit has the largest Chinese presence ever.

“ In the coming days [we will] have the main technology laboratories, robotic ‘startups’, automobile manufacturers, quantum computing ‘startups’, energy startups and more,” he said.

“ But they are not from California, they are from China,” the Irish CEO added. “Chinese companies are contributing more to our shared future than companies anywhere else,” he added.

Portugal, according to CEO, this year takes the largest number of ‘stratups’ ever, and “this says much of the incredible rise of Portugal in the last ten years”.

The event this year brings together companies from 164 countries, a record number, and all of Europe is represented, but “there are more ‘startups’ from São Paulo than from Paris,” said Cosgrave.

Paddy Cosgrave also mentioned that Portugal's choice was much criticized at the outset, for the country being known as a destination for surfers and travelers.

“ We have the largest number of investors in the world and these investors are here to find the future,” he said.

Web Summit runs until Thursday, at the Lisbon International Fair and Meo Arena.

The event takes place since 2016 in Lisbon, this being its tenth edition, and should continue until 2028. Paddy Cosgrave did not advance details on whether or not Web Summit will remain in the capital of Portugal after the end of the contract.