Welcome to Web Summit 2025

The Global Tech Shift: Web Summit Qatar Highlights a Multi-Polar Future

Mr. Paddy Cosgrave, CEO & Founder of Web Summit, welcomed attendees to Web Summit Qatar, now in its third year. He highlighted its rapid growth into one of the world’s largest and most impactful technology events, noting the incredible number of people present. This expansion underscores the summit’s significant global reach and influence within the evolving tech community.

Mr. Cosgrave observed a profound shift in the global technological landscape, with the center of innovation moving. He cited Chinese companies like Unitree, demonstrating advanced humanoid robots, as evidence of rapid innovation. This suggests Western companies are struggling to keep pace with advancements from the East, signaling a new competitive era and a multi-polar world.

The speaker declared that this multi-polar state, a rupture in the traditional global order, was recently noted by Mark Carney, identified as the Prime Minister of Canada. Web Summit Qatar exemplifies this new reality, hosting attendees and official trade delegations from over 120 countries, including India, Singapore, China, Poland, Nigeria, and Palestine, eager to forge new relationships and alliances.

A recent tech phenomenon, the app “Upscrolled,” was highlighted. Unknown just a week prior, it rapidly became the most downloaded application globally, surpassing Instagram, ChatGPT, and TikTok. This meteoric rise demonstrates the unpredictable and fast-paced nature of digital innovation. Upscrolled was founded by Issam Hijazi, a Palestinian-Jordanian engineer, who will make his first public appearance as the final speaker.

The summit features a record 1600 exhibiting startups over the next three days, representing an astonishingly diverse global group. A significant 85% of these startups originate from outside Qatar, while the 15% from Qatar itself underscore the nation’s strong determination to shape its own technological destiny and foster local innovation and entrepreneurship.

Investors are crucial for nurturing entrepreneurial dreams. Despite recent challenges in the venture capital sector, Web Summit has observed a counter-trend: a 227% increase in attending investors, reaching nearly 1000. These investors are actively embracing global opportunities, recognizing that the future of technology extends far beyond Silicon Valley’s traditional dominance.

Mr. Cosgrave expressed optimism about this profound global shift, viewing the new multi-polar world order not with fear, but as the biggest global opportunity in centuries. He extended gratitude to all Qatari partners for their welcome, support, and dedication, specifically thanking His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar, and Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jaber Al Thani, Director of the Government Communications Office.

He concluded by reiterating a warm welcome to all participants—ministers, dignitaries, startups, and even the Chinese robots—from every corner of the world. Web Summit Qatar stands as a testament to global collaboration and the boundless potential of technological advancement in this new era, inviting everyone to experience its transformative power.