One of the things I love about FieldHouse is the opportunities it brings to meet new people and learn something new every day. Events are a huge part of what we do and where our clients see real value, and I was lucky enough to make my way to Lisbon last week with my colleague Damilola for Web Summit!
I’ve been to many events in London, both big and small, but Web Summit is an entirely different ball game. Every year, 70,000 people from all over Europe and the US make their way to the capital of Portugal for a jam-packed week of networking, learning, and deepening connections.
This was my first time at Web Summit (and my first event abroad!), so there was a lot of information to take in. Not only is the venue huge but there are more side events than I’ve had hot dinners.
So, as a first-time Web Summit-er, here are my top tips and takeaways:
Go through the agenda thoroughly
It might sound like an obvious one to do with any event but with 15 tracks and over 1000 speakers, there is a lot to sift through. Web Summit attracts some incredible speakers from across the tech industry but sadly you’re not going to be able to make it to every single one.
The app is really user-friendly and allows you to create your personal agenda. Make it realistic (factoring in that you often bump into people from your network or new faces who fancy chatting for a while) and include your priority talks.
It’s also really easy to dip in and out of stages. I found myself walking past a talk that wasn’t on my schedule but listening nonetheless.
The evenings are just as busy as the days
If you think your schedule is busy in the day, the nights are no different.
Half of the reason most people go to Web Summit is for the evening mixers and side events. Not only is there the Night Summit for mixers hosted by the organisers, but lots of VCs, community networks, and tech companies host their own events. Most of these are free to attend but make sure to reserve your place ahead of time if it’s a popular event.
One of the things the Summit does really well is drilling down into sectors. There was a Night Summit for every industry and community group you could imagine. From speaking to attendees, this is particularly great for early-stage startups looking to make connections in their industry.
Be flexible
One of the biggest things I learnt while at the conference and from colleagues who have previously attended is the importance of being agile. As much as it’s important to plan, when meeting lots of new people, you will often be invited to other events you might not even know about!
These more spontaneous meetings are sometimes where you make the best connections. If you get a feel for what events most people are attending, you won’t miss out on interesting and important conversations.
Making the most of post-Web Summit
It’s inevitable that you will meet lots of people, and it’s difficult to keep track of all of your new connections – and this is why LinkedIn was created!
Everyone is there to network so don’t be afraid to ask for someone’s contact details. The week itself is very busy, so take the time following the Summit to go through your connections and deepen those relationships. For those based near you, grab a coffee or interact with their LinkedIn account.
Thoughts for next time
We had the most amazing week (and not just because we were in a country that didn’t have snow!) and can’t wait to do it all over again next year. For lots of the startups we spoke to, this was also their first time attending and they all had such positive experiences.
As always, it was a pleasure to support our clients out there who were speaking and enjoy all of the wonderful things Lisbon has to offer (notably the exceptional pastel de natas).
For startups, VCs, and professional services operating in the high growth tech ecosystem, Web Summit is such a great opportunity to showcase your business.
See you next year!
