By Ijaz Ahmad Khan
VANCOUVER (Canada): The most awaited World Web Summit has officially kicked off in Vancouver, bringing together 15,727 attendees from 117 countries for a truly global gathering in a record-breaking 1,108 startups from 64 countries are exhibiting for three-day.
The number marks a record for any first-year Web Summit event, with a global mix that includes Canada, the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Nigeria, Germany, Pakistan, India, Brazil, Bangladesh, Ukraine, and more with over 44% of startups are women-founded, highlighting strong female representation in the global startup ecosystem.
The 159 partners, including industry leaders like Microsoft, Mastercard, Fujitsu, IBM, Talkdesk, and Figma, along with 681 investors from funds such as Thiel Capital, Khosla Ventures, 500 Global, and Initialized Capital.
A record 50 trade delegations from every corner of the globe, including South Korea, Turkiyë, Ukraine, and Nigeria, are in Vancouver to connect, invest, and collaborate besides 550 media professionals are covering every moment as 345 speakers take the stage to share what’s next in tech. Media outlets represented include The Guardian, The Financial Times, Forbes, Al Jazeera, BetaKit, Korea IT Times, Nikkei, Radio Canada, CTV, China News Service, 4th pillar USA TV, Sportslines International Sports Web USA besides 88 dedicated, individually-curated group meetups are taking place, powered by Web Summit’s proprietary Summit Engine software, which uses attendee profiles to send personalized invitations and foster networking.
It is a record-breaking 1,108 startups from 64 countries are exhibiting — the highest ever for a first year Web Summit event. Notably, 44% of these startups are women-founded, a powerful signal of growing gender diversity in tech.
The event has also drawn 159 partners, including Microsoft, Mastercard, Fujitsu, IBM, Talkdesk, and Figma, and 681 investors from leading funds like Thiel Capital, Khosla Ventures, 500 Global, and Initialized Capital. The Web Summit is hosting 50 trade delegations from around the world, including from South Korea, Turkiyë, Ukraine, and Nigeria — all here to connect and collaborate.
Paddy Cosgrave, CEO and Founder, Web Summit, was on centre stage during opening night at Web Summit Vancouver 2025 at Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, Canada, welcoming the participants.
“We’re at a pivotal moment in history – technology is advancing faster than ever, transforming how we live, work, and connect. The world is also changing, from a unipolar world to a multipolar world. And everyone’s asking: What will our future look like? And that’s why many are here. Web Summit is a window into our shared, increasingly technology-driven future. Over the next few days, we’ll welcome more than 15,000 attendees from over 100 countries, including thousands of startups,” said Web Summit founder and CEO Paddy Cosgrave when he came on the stage welcoming.
Web Summit events continue to serve as a powerful launch-pad for startups. Data from Crunchbase shows that companies which participated in last year’s Collision, Web Summit’s former North American event in Toronto, have raised a combined $1.2 billion in the 12 months since.
Startups at Web Summit Vancouver are here to connect with a wide network of partners and investors, including global firms like Thiel Capital, Kholsa Ventures, 500 Global, and Initialized Capital, along with angel investors and corporate backers such as Deloitte Ventures and GO Ventures.
Web Summit Vancouver is drawing significant media interest, with 550 members of the media from across Canada and around the world in attendance. Media outlets represented include The Financial Times, The Guardian, China News Service, Daily Hive, Al Jazeera, Cheddar News, Korea IT Times, CTV, Radio Canada, 4thpillar USA TV, Sports Lines International Wen and Sports Magazine, MIT Technology Review, and Forbes. On stage, 345 speakers will explore the future of technology, spanning AI, climate tech, fintech, and more.
Opening night featured leading voices shaping the global tech conversation. Gary Marcus, professor, bestselling author, and founder of Geometric Intelligence (acquired by Uber), spoke about the state of artificial intelligence and the path forward for the industry.
Meanwhile, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber, who leads the decentralized social media platform, spoke about whether open networks can truly reshape social media in the post-Musk era — and what’s next as Bluesky takes on the likes of X and Threads.
In a powerful demonstration of Web Summit’s commitment to ensuring opportunity is available to all, 44% of all startups at Web Summit Vancouver have at least one female founder. Web Summit supports women in tech through mentorship programs, curated networking, and discounted tickets for female attendees.
The event also collaborates with a diverse group of community partners to increase representation of traditionally underrepresented groups in tech. Partners at Web Summit Vancouver include PORCH Community, Scale Without Borders, Black Engineers of Canada, TOAST, The Forum, Vancouver Startup Week, and Latincouver. These partnerships help shape inclusive programming and foster meaningful connections.
In addition, six Impact Master-classes led by community partners explore key topics such as Indigenous tech, digital rights, immigrant tech talent, and women in leadership. Web Summit is also running an Indigenous Attendee Program to highlight First Nations, Inuit, and Métis entrepreneurs and build stronger, more respectful relationships with Indigenous communities in Canada.
Web Summit Vancouver welcomes a record 50 trade delegations from around the world, including representatives from South Korea, Austria, Turkiyë, Ukraine, Colombia, Japan, and more. The strong turnout highlights growing momentum around global tech collaboration in the wake of shifting global trade alliances, significantly up from last year’s Collision in Toronto.
Notable delegations such as Startup Portugal, City of Lisbon, Italian Trade Agency, Enterprise Greece, KOTRA, and Uruguay XXI are presenting up-and-coming startups, many featured on dedicated Partner Startup Islands. Canadian regional groups like Ville de Montréal, Invest Nova Scotia, and the Government of Yukon are also taking part, aiming to open new international business channels.
While trade delegations are a familiar part of Web Summit’s global events, this year’s scale reflects a marked rise in cross-border interest, with both governments and entrepreneurs looking to expand their global reach.
Web Summit Vancouver is hosting 88 dedicated, curated meet-ups designed to spark conversations and connect attendees with shared interests. These sessions are curated using Web Summit’s proprietary Summit Engine, which analyzes attendee profiles to send personalized invitations based on industry, expertise, and community ties. Attendees can also join meet-ups through the app, space permitting.
This year’s meet-ups cover a wide range of topics, including quantum optimization, AI ethics, entrepreneurs in entertainment, music and tech innovators, AI in healthcare, and gaming.
In addition to industry themes, there are also meet-ups connecting attendees from different regions, with dedicated gatherings for communities from China, the USA, Italy, and beyond, fostering international exchange and cross-border collaboration.
