Doha, Qatar – December 18, 2023 – Web Summit Qatar, in a new collaboration with The FutureList, announces an initiative to bring 100 of the most innovative early-stage African tech founders to the international stage. This initiative is part of Web Summit Qatar’s commitment to attracting founders from underrepresented regions to the Middle East and connecting them with global opportunities and resources.
Scheduled from February 26-29, 2024, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), Web Summit Qatar is an extension of the globally renowned Web Summit series, events renowned for their influence and impact in the global tech landscape over the past decade. Joining the ranks of Web Summit in Lisbon, Web Summit Rio, Collision in Toronto, and RISE in Hong Kong that collectively host 140,000 attendees every year, this new event in Doha promises to be a landmark in the tech world, and is poised to be a pivotal event for entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders, offering an array of speakers, networking opportunities, and state-of-the-art event experiences.
Web Summit Qatar aims to connect a new generation of founders from the Middle East, Africa, and beyond with unparalleled opportunities. The event is expected to host over 7,500 attendees, including a diverse mix of over 600 startups, 300 investors, and dozens of thought leaders and speakers. To ensure that the startup delegates represent a global mix Web Summit Qatar will be partnering with The FutureList to help identify 100 African startups to attend and exhibit at their event, free of charge, with complimentary accommodation throughout the summit. Web Summit Qatar’s partnership with the State of Qatar and the implementation of the Hayya card will make it a visa-free event for all participants, which presents a great opportunity to include more delegates from Africa who were mostly left underrepresented at Web Summit’s global events due to visa issues.
The FutureList is a global innovation discovery platform, with a research team and network of Innovation Scouts based around the world. They have a strong presence in the African ecosystem, having already profiled and engaged with founders of thousands of the early-stage technology startups emerging from leading hubs across the region such as Lagos, Cape Town, Nairobi and Cairo, among others.
For the 100 African startups selected by The FutureList and confirmed by the Web Summit Qatar team, each will receive a comprehensive benefits package including at least three three-day event passes, one-day exhibition space, eligibility for startup activations like the PITCH competition, company branding on Web Summit platforms, exclusive access to the Startup Lounge, use of the Web Summit apps for networking and scheduling, guidance from a startup success manager, and complimentary hotel accommodation from February 26th to 29th.
The FutureList will be curating a list to share with Web Summit for final review to confirm which startups will access these benefits. African startups interested in applying for this opportunity can learn more and register here before 15 January.
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