On May 4-7, 2024, Qatar will become the first Middle Eastern country to host one of the world’s largest technology conferences. Web Summit, founded in 2009, is among the most popular expos on emerging digital technology and venture capitalism and is expected to draw 7,500 participants, as well as legions of journalists and investors.

Hosting the Web Summit event is highly significant for Qatar, as digital transformation and technology are at the center of the country’s national and global ambitions, with the sector contributing over $3 billion annually to GDP. Officials and investors alike hope that the conference will help to cement Qatar’s position as an important Middle Eastern startup and tech hub.

“Qatar has proved during the World Cup that it can host world-class events. The world now sees Qatar as a sports and tech powerhouse that is not only interested in investing in technology externally but also to accelerate digitization locally,” says Jamal Bdeir, Small and Medium Business Lead, Middle East Cluster, at Microsoft.

The summit should open up an array of opportunities for local startups. At the same time, the Qatar Science & Technology Park will allow international tech firms to learn more about the country’s wide-ranging entrepreneurship ecosystem that supports new businesses using a mixture of tax reductions and modern legislation.

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Besides attracting big tech firms, the upcoming Web Summit has created a considerable buzz in Qatar’s local startup space. Many Doha-based startups that haven’t had the opportunity to showcase their solutions on the global stage will now gain a worldwide platform without having to worry about physical travel.

Ramzan Al Naimi, the founder of local startup hub the Innovation Café, is an enthusiastic supporter of the event, noting: “The conference provides Arab youth and local talent the opportunity to connect with global companies and experts in the technology field, learn from them, and access job and training opportunities”.

The widespread optimism surrounding the event seems to be well-founded. Lisbon has greatly benefited from being a host city and local technology hub, drawing several investors and upcoming startups to Portugal due to the buzz created by the Summit conference.