Introduction: My Web Summit 2023 Experience

In this post, I write about my experience attending Web Summit, one of the world’s largest and most prominent technology conferences. I had the pleasure of attending ten technology-focused tracks. What did I learn? Was Web Summit useful for me?

What Is Web Summit?

Web Summit is one of the world’s largest technology conferences, bringing together startups, investors, and tech and business leaders to discuss and showcase trends across AI, cybersecurity, fintech, and more. It’s built for a genuinely wide range of people: developers and engineers picking up new tools, founders and investors finding each other, executives tracking disruptive technology, marketers and researchers, policymakers, students and educators, journalists, and plain tech enthusiasts. If you’re job-hunting, you might even land an interview :)

Web Summit in Lisbon

Altice Arena

Web Summit 2023 was held at the Altice Arena in majestic Lisbon. That location provided the space and inspiration for sharing ideas and networking.

Wear comfortable shoes, though — there’s a lot of walking for the best experience. I hit my daily step count just at Web Summit.

Me with the Princess of Darkness, and new ideas

Food

With so many food options on offer, you won’t go hungry at Web Summit. That said, expect queues for the best stalls — I enjoyed freshly made pancakes after just a two-minute wait.

Web Summit 2023 Tracks

Web Summit 2023 ran 27 tracks across some genuinely varied and exciting topics. I made it to ten of them, tied to my own interests.

AI Academy

AI Academy covers the latest in AI, from neural networks to data ethics, with talks from people working at the sharp end of it.

This was the track that mattered most to me, since keeping up with what’s happening in AI and passing it on to you is a big part of what I do. I also met inspiring startups and people applying AI in their own work and keen to learn more.

Audio Waves

Audio Waves brought together people from music, podcasts, and audio tech to talk about how sound is made and consumed today.

Content Makers

Content Makers looked at the future of content creation and influencer marketing — strategy, brand collaborations, and the attention economy.

DeepTech

DeepTech covered some of the more fundamental technological breakthroughs shaping the wider tech sector, including new angles on AI.

FullSTK

FullSTK is Web Summit’s developer conference — coders, data scientists, and engineers talking about the wider impact of what they build.

Machine

Machine looked at the future of transportation, sustainability in the automotive sector, smart cities, and AI and robotics — and what all of that means for how we work.

Q&A

On the Q&A track, you’re in charge of the conversation: you ask the questions, and founders, astronauts, and other guests answer them directly.

SaaS Monster

SaaS Monster is where SaaS founders and builders swap ideas on the tools reshaping everyday work.

Startup University

At Startup University, you learn from founders who’ve already built big companies.

Verified

Verified is where online creators explain how they actually built their audiences.

Networking at Web Summit

Beyond staying current on tech and AI, Web Summit is where a lot of the real value happens: in the conversations. You get genuine opportunities to talk with people shaping our world and to hear their honest take on AI and its impact on society.

Conclusion: Is Web Summit Worth Attending?

Web Summit is a genuinely exciting opportunity to network, share experiences, and keep up with what’s happening in tech. What do you think?

References

1. Web Summit

2. About Web Summit — “the world’s largest technology events”

3. Discover Web Summit’s tracks

4. Web Summit 2023 official numbers (PDF)

5. New Chat (chatGPT by OpenAI)