Web Summit opens in Lisbon with robot speakers and record Chinese delegation
Organisers expect close to 70,000 participants, while the conference’s location after its Portuguese contract expires in 2028 remains undecided.
Humanoid robots built in China are joining the official speaker programme for the first time at Web Summit in Lisbon, which begins on 9 November 2026. China is also sending its biggest delegation yet to the technology conference.
The four-day event will feature robots in talks and demonstrations, starting with appearances during the opening evening. Activities are taking place at MEO Arena and the Feira Internacional de Lisboa. Among the machines is a Galbot robot equipped with two arms and wheels, capable of working shifts in factories, shops and pharmacies.
Attendance is expected to approach 70,000, organisers said, with 900 speakers and more than 2,000 startups. Discussions will cover autonomous AI agents, scientific research supported by technology, digital regulation and changes to working models. Delegations from China’s Ministry of Commerce and Cyberspace Administration will also attend.
Brazil will be represented by around 300 startups, including 100 participating through a Sebrae and ApexBrasil mission. Those organisations will announce up to 20 companies chosen for a Lisbon incubation programme starting in March 2027. Portugal’s contingent comprises 78 companies, predominantly in AI and health technology.
No location has been announced for the conference beyond 2028, when its €110 million contract with Lisbon City Council and the Portuguese government expires. Web Summit co-founder and chief executive Paddy Cosgrave said negotiations involved most major European cities and that he intended to announce a decision during the 2027 conference.
