Web Summit Opens in Lisbon Without Israeli Startups and Highlighting China

The Web Summit technology conference opened in Lisbon under the shadow of controversy, featuring prominent participation from tech giants Google, Meta, and Apple, but entirely lacking Israeli representation. The event, founded by Irish entrepreneur Paddy Cosgrave, has continued its course without Israeli startups following a mass boycott that erupted in October 2023 over Cosgrave's anti-Israel remarks.

Opening the summit, Cosgrave shifted the spotlight heavily toward the Chinese robotics and artificial intelligence sectors, embracing Beijing's technological ambitions. "The future of technology is predominantly Chinese, with more than 50 talents from Chinese AI laboratories participating in the conference," Cosgrave declared from the stage. He emphasized that key speakers at the event hail from China rather than California, asserting that Chinese companies are shaping the future of global tech.

The conference drew additional attention for hosting an active Palestinian pavilion alongside delegations from Paraguay and Pakistan. Casey Lau, the summit's East Asia region director, drew loud applause from the audience when he explicitly welcomed the Palestinian delegation, which includes a handful of startup companies. The pavilion features several firms, including Ramallah-based data analytics company Quazelle and various software and gaming ventures.

Tensions surrounding the summit trace back to October 2023, when Cosgrave posted statements criticizing Israel's military actions in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas terror attacks. The resulting backlash saw high-profile Israeli tech founders, including Wiz co-founders Assaf Rappaport and Yinon Costica, withdraw from the event. The boycott quickly snowballed, prompting major corporate sponsors such as Intel, Google, Amazon, and Siemens to pull their support and leading to Cosgrave's temporary resignation before his return to the helm.