LISBON – Leading lights of the tech industry met in Lisbon on Tuesday for the Web Summit, the sector’s first big event since the US election, with Donald Trump’s victory expected to be a key theme of their discussions.
The tech industry is holding its breath to see what Trump’s second term will bring when he takes over in January, especially as SpaceX and Tesla chief Elon Musk is expected to have a huge influence on the next US government.
During Trump’s last term from 2017 to 2021, big tech firms were often at odds with the president, particularly given his crackdown on immigration and ramping up the trade war with China.
The Web Summit runs until Thursday with some 3,000 startups pitching their products to 1,000 investors, and 70,000 visitors taking part in events and debates, according to the organisers.
Thousands poured through the doors on the first full day of the event, delegates from countries and local governments manning pavilions with splashy slogans and sleek logos, flanked by banks of stands devoted to startups.
Among Tuesday’s high-profile speakers was Cristiano Amon, boss of chip giant Qualcomm, who played down the impact of Trump’s election.
“We’ve done well globally regardless of the administration,” he said in a press conference, adding that his firm also was managing to thrive in China despite the current trade war with the United States.
Ukraine, whose future depends on Western support to push back against the Russian invasion, brought 24 startups to the event.
“Times are very challenging,” said Yana Hulak from the Ukrainian Startup Fund when asked about the ongoing war and the changes in leadership in Washington.
“The country’s priorities are in the military sector. We are trying to showcase civilian technology,” she told AFP.
“We’ve got startups here covering sectors from education to insurance.”
