The 2026 edition of Web Summit Qatar officially opened on Sunday, February 1, setting new records for scale and global reach as more than 30,000 participants converged on Doha’s Exhibition and Convention Centre.
Organisers confirmed that 30,274 attendees, 1,637 startups, and 931 investors from 127 countries are taking part in the four-day event, making it the biggest Web Summit Qatar since its launch.
Attendance has doubled in just two years, rising from 15,000 in 2024, underscoring Qatar’s growing pull as a meeting point for global technology, capital, and innovation.
Opening Night highlighted Qatar’s ambition to become a leading innovation hub. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar’s Prime Minister, used the platform to announce an expansion of the Qatar Investment Authority’s Fund of Funds Programme to $2 billion, alongside the introduction of a 10-year visa for international entrepreneurs.
Sharing the stage was Issam Hijazi, founder and CEO of the fast-rising social platform UpScrolled, which has surged to the top of US app download charts in recent weeks as users seek greater transparency in social media. Also addressing the audience were ElevenLabs co-founder Mati Staniszewski, who spoke on the future of human-like AI voice technology, and Amino Capital founder Larry Li, who outlined shifting global investment trends.
Okay News reports that the scale of participation reflects a decisive shift in global tech momentum. This year’s event features 22 government delegations, with countries including Italy, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Switzerland, and the United States making their Web Summit Qatar debut. A total of 427 speakers are scheduled across 14 tracks, tackling issues ranging from artificial intelligence and chip wars to quantum computing, tech geopolitics, and the creator economy.
Startups remain at the heart of the summit. Of the 1,637 companies exhibiting, 85 percent are international, representing 87 countries. Founders have arrived from across the globe, including Australia, Nigeria, Colombia, Poland, Spain, Albania, and the Philippines. Artificial intelligence dominates the startup landscape, followed by healthtech, fintech, SaaS, and education, signalling where the next wave of innovation is gathering pace.
Investor presence has also surged, rising 29 percent year-on-year to 931. Global firms such as Amino Capital, Greycroft, 500 Global, Peak XV, Initialized Capital, and Gobi Partners are joined by regional players including BECO Capital and Plus VC, alongside Qatar’s own sovereign investment entities. With capital increasingly flowing beyond traditional tech hubs, Doha has become a focal point for deal-making.
Reflecting on the summit’s rapid growth, Paddy Cosgrave, CEO of Web Summit, said the event’s impact now rivals the world’s most influential technology gatherings. He noted that the diversity of founders and investors on the ground reflects a broader shift toward a multipolar global tech ecosystem.
Beyond the main stages, 180 meetups powered by AI-driven recommendations are connecting attendees around shared interests, from fintech and education to AI ethics and gender inclusion. More than 60 meetups will take place during the Night Summit programme, extending discussions into Doha’s social scene.
Gender inclusion remains a central focus. Organisers said 38 percent of startups at this year’s summit have at least one female founder, up from 31 percent in 2024, building on a decade-long push through the Web Summit women in tech programme.
Media interest has matched the scale of the event, with 841 international journalists in attendance. Coverage partners include Al Jazeera, Euronews, Forbes, CNBC, Axios, Dow Jones and Okay News.
With record participation, expanded investment commitments, and a truly global mix of voices, Web Summit Qatar 2026 has firmly established itself as a key bridge between the Middle East and the world’s technology and innovation economy.
