Web Summit 2026 in Lisbon highlights record China presence and robot speakers debut

Published on 9 November 2026 - 10:47 GMT+1•Updated 11:03 The tenth edition of the Web Summit (source in Portuguese) in Portugal, which starts today and runs until next Thursday, once again brings the technology world together in Lisbon, but 2026 marks a new era in the event's history, with the shift to physical Artificial Intelligence (AI). ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT For the first time, humanoid robots will take on the role of official speakers, showcasing China's cutting-edge approach. The country built these machines and is bringing the largest delegation it has ever sent to this technology conference. Riding on the presence of Chinese companies, the focus of the talks will no longer be only on software that creates texts and images, but also on autonomous agents that interact directly with the public. One of the robots on show, developed by Galbot, has wheels and two arms and is capable of carrying out real work shifts in shops, pharmacies and factories. The automatons will make their first appearances on the opening night and, over the four days, as well as taking part in talks, they will give practical demonstrations at the brand stands set up at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and the MEO Arena. The Ministry of Commerce and the Cyberspace Administration of China are also sending delegations. The Web Summit programme looks at the use of AI agents, technology-supported scientific research, the challenges of digital regulation and the reshaping of work models. The organisers expect to welcome close to 70,000 participants, including 900 speakers and more than two thousand startups. The doors open at 16:30, with the first speeches on the main stage starting at 18:00, and the opening session led by the Minister Adjunct and for State Reform, Gonçalo Matias. Portuguese-speaking delegation Around 300 Brazilian startups will be present at the venue, 100 of them as part of the mission organised by Sebrae and ApexBrasil. On Tuesday, these institutions will announce up to 20 startups selected for an incubation programme in Lisbon, starting in March 2027. This will be a way of bringing Brazil's technology ecosystem closer to European investors who operate in international markets. Portugal, for its part, is sending 78 companies to this year's Web Summit, mainly from the AI and health technology sectors. Web Summit in Lisbon until at least 2028 Paddy Cosgrave, chief executive and co-founder of Web Summit, has not revealed whether the event will stay in Portugal beyond 2028, when the 110 million euro contract signed with the Portuguese government and Lisbon City Council comes to an end. In an interview with the newspaper Expresso last week, Cosgrave said that he is in negotiations with most major European cities and expressed his intention to make the announcement at the 2027 edition. The limitations of the Lisbon venue will be a factor to take into account. "We have been at the limit of capacity for years and we have built 30,000 square metres of temporary structures", he said.