Doha, Qatar: Web Summit Qatar 2026 concluded yesterday after four days of intensive networking, deal-making, discussions and sessions firmly cementing Doha’s position as a major global technology hub.
The third edition of the event closed with record-breaking participation, attracting 30,274 attendees, 1,637 startups, and 931 investors from 127 countries, reflecting growing global confidence in the region’s digital and innovation ecosystem
The figures underline the rapid expansion of Web Summit Qatar, which has doubled in attendance in just two years, growing from 15,000 participants to more than 30,000.
Startup participation also hit a new high, with 1,637 companies taking part, 85 percent of which were international, up from 1,520 in 2025. Investor interest grew even faster, with the presence of 931 investors marking a 29 percent year-on-year increase, as global venture capital increasingly turns its attention to the Middle East and emerging markets
Among the prominent venture capital firms represented were Amino Capital, Greycroft and 500 Global, reinforcing the summit’s status as the region’s largest technology and startup gathering.
Government engagement also expanded, with 22 official delegations attending.
Countries including Italy, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Switzerland and the United States made their Web Summit Qatar debut, highlighting the event’s growing diplomatic and economic significance
The summit’s content programme featured 427 speakers, who tackled some of the most pressing issues shaping the global tech landscape. Discussions ranged from artificial intelligence and chip geopolitics to quantum computing’s transition to commercial reality, the creator economy, fintech innovation, and the role of technology in education.
The event also attracted 841 international media representatives, ensuring global coverage of the conversations unfolding in Doha
Major global technology companies and consultancies were present as partners, including IBM, Google, Microsoft, Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, Huawei, McKinsey, Cisco and Dell, while leading international media outlets such as Al Jazeera, CNBC, Forbes, Euronews, Axios and Dow Jones provided extensive coverage throughout the four days
Networking remained at the heart of the summit, with more than 180 meetups organised using AI-driven recommendations to connect participants around shared interests.
Sessions focused on scaling technology in emerging markets, AI in education, fintech innovation, and strategies for closing the gender gap in the tech sector
Progress on gender inclusion was a notable highlight. Thirty-eight percent of participating startups at Web Summit Qatar 2026 had at least one female founder, up from 31 percent in 2024. The increase follows a focused drive linked to the 10th anniversary of the Web Summit Women in Tech programme, which continues to push for parity through dedicated networking sessions and tailored support.
One of the most anticipated moments of the summit was the PITCH startup competition, which was won by Plantaform, an Ottawa-based agtech startup. Plantaform develops smart, connected indoor gardens using fogponics, a mist-based system that delivers water and nutrients directly to plant roots. Technology significantly reduces water usage, accelerates plant growth and enables year-round food production in any climate, a solution particularly relevant to arid regions
Plantaform co-founder and CEO Alberto Aguilar said the company plans to scale rapidly across the GCC while expanding its technology into commercial greenhouses designed for desert environments. He described conversations at the summit as “hands-on and focused on real deployment and impact,” highlighting the practical value of investor engagement in Doha
Runners-up included Vancouver-based GlüxKind, a robotics startup reinventing baby strollers with AI-powered safety features, and Dubai-based &Again, a fashion-tech platform building the region’s first social marketplace for pre-loved and slow fashion
The impact of Web Summit Qatar extends well beyond the event itself. Since the 2025 edition, nearly 70 startups that participated through the summit’s Startup Programme have collectively raised $205m in funding, clear evidence of the platform’s ability to connect founders with capital and accelerate growth
Web Summit Qatar 2027 will take place from January 31 to February 3.
