Unlocking Global Opportunities: How Expat Founders Can Leverage the Web Summit in Lisbon 2024 for Networking and Growth

Introduction to the Web Summit 2024

The Web Summit 2024 is a major tech event slated for November 11–14 in Lisbon, Portugal. This conference is expected to bring together more than 70,000 individuals, including world-class experts in technology, investors, and of course, startups that push the envelope in terms of innovation. The event will be held at the MEO Arena (also known as Altice Arena) and the Lisbon Exhibition & Congress Centre. More about the venue here ↗.

For the expat founders who I work with, this summit holds a tremendous amount of importance. It serves as a beautiful, albeit brief, opportunity to engage with tech industry luminaries and companies that have found success in Lisbon and beyond. The networking opportunities in this environment are simply unmatched.

Over 1,000 investors and more than 3,000 startups will be present, making this conference a place where you have to say hi and shake as many hands as you can. And what kind of conference would it be without a few big-name guests?

Pharrell Williams will be there, as will Tim Berners-Lee, who is credited with helping to create the World Wide Web. Check for updates on speakers here ↗.

Networking Opportunities for Expat Founders

Expat founders benefit greatly from the numerous networking opportunities at the Web Summit. Indeed, the conference provides the backdrop for many a first meeting and handshake.

1. Entrepreneurial Breakfast Event

   An important event for the networking space of entrepreneurs happens on none other than November 12. It's breakfast, and like the best events that happen at the Edge, it is meant for pushing startups and founders to relax and talk to one another. And why not? These are the men and women who are often cooped up in their offices with their next great idea. This breakfast club is for them.

   Founders Breakfast: Yet another one of the finest breakfast events. It provides the wonderful opportunity for connecting founders with investors and fellow business leaders. Founders come to this breakfast to share their experiences, which is what this breakfast is about. They also come to discuss their growth strategies, which is the core of what this breakfast is about.

   Vodafone Speed Networking: This event unfolds at a breakneck speed; it's a big adrenaline rush, easily the most thrilling episode of the festival. It's networking exactly as you've experienced it, except you're given only a few minutes—five or less, perhaps—to make a connection before you're farmed off to the next in a long line of strangers. And yet, here's the magic: Even in that short time, you can manage to make a meaningful connection, potentially reaching something much more rewarding in the end.

2. A Night For Founders: Founders had to have fun sometime too, right? This event was all about letting loose a bit and networking under the glow of a few friendly drinks. Much to my surprise, packed inside was an atmosphere that felt like a wholesome club—everyone dancing, singing, and mingling.

The key aim of these events is to let expat founders mingle more freely within the tech community. Taking part in these social do’s provides the opportunity to meet others in the tech space and to find new business opportunities—something many of them desperately need when their traditional support systems are located oceans away.

Up next, let's look to the main event. Here, we will consider the many good reasons for going to the Web Summit. By the time you conclude this second section, you will have a pretty good handle on why you should ship yourself—and possibly a few of your colleagues—to the event.

Benefits of Attending the Web Summit

Expat founders gain a lot from going to the Web Summit in Lisbon. At the heart of the conference is an opportunity to establish connections. Over 70,000 people attend the summit, coming from all sorts of varied backgrounds across 170+ countries. At this incredible scale, with so many prospects, the potential for founders to grow their businesses is also reason enough to make the trip.

Accessing money is another big draw. Lots of investors mill about the event, scouting for the next big thing to slip into their portfolios. Startups can pitch their ideas here, looking for the financial support needed to push their incipient businesses forward—something that surely isn’t limited to U.S. entrepreneurs.

It's significant to be seen in the tech industry, and no place offers better visibility than the Web Summit. With its prodigious media coverage, the conference provides participants, especially startup founders, with major byline potential. I can't think of another publication beyond Paula Forbes's excellent "On Mediation in the Tech Industry," which works the visibility angle so well.

It is important to interact with the other people who are at the same event. Founders can take quite a lot away from the experts who also have studios. They provide lessons in what works and what does not. They also help founders by articulating the latest trends, which gives them background for making the right decisions.

In short, the Web Summit is an unparalleled occasion for international founders. It enables them to do three things: find a network; find money to make things happen; and find an audience desperate to hear their stories. Above all, it allows them a chance to succeed, one neglected opportunity at a time.

The incredible event is just around the corner, and it serves as an opportunity for you to connect with a wide variety of people. We encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and talk to people you know and don’t know. Now don't get us wrong—we are not saying to try to speak with everyone in the building. That would be ridiculous. Fryre cites Granovetter’s research, which states that the strength of weak ties is built over a large number of people we’re acquainted with.

Effective Networking Strategies

To maximize your experience at the Web Summit, consider some of the most effective networking strategies for expatriate founders working abroad with their startup companies.

1. Define Specific Networking Objectives: Think through what you hope to accomplish before you arrive. Are you there to meet investors? Seek out like-minded folks? The wonderful part about events like these is that you can do all of the above and more. As long as you go in with a clear plan and purpose, you can focus and achieve the outcome you desire.

2. Look up those attending: First off, look at the list of speakers and participants. Next, find out whom you definitely want to meet. This allows you to prepare some questions—called good conversation starters—that you can use to engage whom you want to meet. It's almost always a good idea to know a bit about the work of the person you're talking to. That way, you've got a knowledgeable transition into conversation.

3. Craft Your Elevator Speech: Develop a brief yet captivating way to talk about yourself and your startup. A synoptic narrative. You're aiming for something your friends can relate back to when you're not around. Practice your pitch until it feels like you're just telling an interesting story.

4. Get Involved: When you meet someone, be kind and easy to approach. Don't be aloof or haughty, and don't seem to look down your nose at the person you're meeting. Be a good conversationalist. Practice keeping the conversation going in a way that makes it seem like you're actually interested in what the other person is talking about. Most of all, just be yourself, and act like you're not trying to impress anyone.

5. Connect After the Event: Remember to follow up with newly made acquaintances post-conference. Send a short message to bring up any specific topics you discussed. This solidifies the foundation of the relationship and lets the other person know you care enough to follow up post-contact.

These tactics can help you wring the most out of the Web Summit. Making effective, instant connections with other attendees can lead directly to new opportunities for your startup.

Let's turn to testimonials from past attendees of Web Summit to understand how it has benefited them.

Testimonials from Previous Attendees

The founders who have moved abroad bring back unbelievable tales of their experiences at the Web Summit. They say that the event opened up new and wonderful opportunities for them and their budding businesses. Why the euphoria? Other startup events can also deliver in this way—they bridge stories and missions with reality and resources. Still, it seems the Web Summit is better able to facilitate the next steps for founders trying to hit the ground running with their next big thing.

Aaron Cassorla, one of the co-founders of Omnix, said that attending the Web Summit allowed him to seek out collaborators and potential funders for the event that had occurred shortly before the summit in Portugal. Cassorla met with dozens of conference-goers, many of whom he would never have encountered if they had not all come to Lisbon for the tech conference. These conversations provided what could be called "seeds" for his startup. They got Omnix into a position from which it could emerge and grow into a successful Silicon Valley-like company—though based in Los Angeles.

The significance of international linkages was something many expatriate starters noted. The Web Summit made it possible for them to access international markets and not just retain a purely local image. For startups with international ambitions, which are most startups, this is a huge deal. The experience of being at the Web Summit is something most of the folks I spoke with had in common. Next, let’s examine what opportunities future events might hold.

Future Web Summit Events and Opportunities

The Web Summit events penciled in for Qatar, Rio, and Vancouver are monumental moments for "foreign" founders. The gatherings aren't individual happenings; they're interconnected opportunities, not unlike an interconnected series of power-ups in a video game. You hit one of the events, and you multiply your opportunity to connect with some of the founders and investors in some of the emerging markets of the world.

1. The Web Summit in Qatar (February 23-25, 2025) is a golden opportunity startup scene event in the Middle East. It's a chance to connect with an emerging market that expats have had more opportunities to work with in the last decade and a half. Until recently, those Middle Eastern countries could not connect with that sort of talent, especially in tech. Learn more about Web Summit Qatar here ↗.

2. The Web Summit in Rio (April 27-30, 2025) is a great soft-power event. If you're there, you have a much better chance of getting the attention of, say, the series of Brazilian companies that are starting to enjoy success using the Chicago-Edison model. More details on Web Summit Rio can be found here ↗.