Web Summit Qatar 2026 opened in Doha on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of founders, investors, policymakers and technology leaders to what organisers describe as one of the region’s largest digital economy gatherings.
Held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, the event brings together over 1,600 startups and nearly 1,000 investors from 127 countries. Attendance has doubled in two years, underscoring how Web Summit Qatar is emerging as a key meeting point connecting the Middle East with the wider global tech ecosystem.
Across the week, discussions will range from artificial intelligence and quantum technologies to tech geopolitics, climate solutions and the creator economy, as global uncertainty heightens the political and economic stakes of technological leadership.
Qatar is using Web Summit to reinforce a broader national strategy: positioning itself as a regional connector at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Global South. The country has spent the past decade expanding its influence beyond energy and mediation, using major global events to showcase its ambitions in innovation, investment and diplomacy. This is part of a deliberate effort to brand Doha as a hub where technology, politics and business intersect, a positioning similar to Azerbaijan’s recent push to leverage high-profile international gatherings to strengthen its global footprint.
Speakers include Canva co-founder Cliff Obrecht, IBM Chief Impact Officer Justina Nixon-Saintil, Twitch creator Hasan Piker, Moroccan Minister of Digital Transition Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni and senior executives from global companies including Google, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft. More than 840 international journalists are covering the event.
Working towards a diverse technology ecosystem
Germany opened its largest pavilion yet, bringing over 200 startups, investors and policymakers. “Doha today is the place to be,” Christoph Ahlhaus of the German Mittelstand said, calling cooperation between Germany and Qatar in new technology sectors “a real win-win situation.” The pavilion is focused on AI, cybersecurity, industrial innovation and deep tech.
Major global firms including TikTok, Google Cloud, IBM, Figma, Amazon and Snapchat have set up interactive booths showcasing tools and applications in areas such as AI, robotics and cloud technology. Qatar-based companies, including Qatar Airways, Ooredoo, talabat, Snoonu, PayLater and QSTP, are also presenting products and services, reflecting the country’s efforts to develop a more diversified technology ecosystem.
The summit’s 14 thematic tracks address issues shaping global innovation, including AI governance, clean energy transitions, digital regulation, robotics, health technology and the future of sport. Dedicated spaces for investors, start-ups, mentors and women in tech are intended to encourage partnerships and commercial activity.
Night Summit events and large networking zones are expected to facilitate thousands of meetings between founders and investors, as organisers seek to position Doha as a gateway for companies looking to expand across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
As the summit gets under way, technology is being framed not only as an economic driver, but as an increasingly central factor in geopolitical competition and political influence, with implications for global power and leadership.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Thursday that his recent talks with U.S. President Donald Trump would likely produce a “positive out...
The Aviators of Ganja explores how young Spanish volunteers travelled to Soviet-era Azerbaijan to train as military pilots before being drawn into the...
Iran has warned it will retaliate against any attacks on its infrastructure, saying Israel "will not be spared", according to state media. Meanwhile, ...
The Washington Agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan has sparked a mix of hope, doubt, and cautious realism among Armenians.
Documentary filmmaker Mikael Silkeberg has said that making a film exploring connections between Scandinavia and Azerbaijan helped him better understand his own mixed Nordic identity.
A documentary produced by AnewZ highlighting the Azerbaijani city of Shaki and its living heritage was screened on 21 May during the 13th Session of the United Nations World Urban Forum (WUF13).
Ukraine is facing one of the most difficult moments of the war, as a convergence of corruption scandals, political turbulence, financial uncertainty and intensifying Russian offensives places unprecedented strain on the country’s ability to defend itself.
It has been a punishing week for large parts of China, and forecasters warn the worst may not be over. After Typhoon Maysak left a trail of destruction and at least 23 people dead, Super Typhoon Bavi is now threatening the country's eastern coast.
At least 12 people have been killed in forest fires in Almeria in southern Spain, Andalucía’s emergency agency has said, as firefighters continue efforts to put out the blaze.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was "over", adding he did not want to engage with Tehran, calling the Iranian leadership "sick people".
The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has risen to 3,811, according to figures released by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday.
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
China has successfully tested an experimental rocket recovery system using a net attached to an offshore platform, marking a major step in its efforts to develop reusable rockets and compete with U.S. space technology.
OpenAI on Thursday unveiled ChatGPT Work, a new artificial intelligence agent designed to help professionals create documents, presentations and websites using advanced coding capabilities without requiring programming expertise.
A Swiss humanoid robot capable of displaying the faces of world leaders and business executives was showcased at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva on Tuesday (7 July). Developers said the technology could make human-machine interactions more natural and expressive.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that artificial intelligence is developing faster than governments and regulators can manage, calling for globally coordinated rules to reduce risks and ensure the technology is used safely, particularly by children.
Humanoid robots stumbled, collided and recovered as they battled for the RoboCup 2026 football title on Sunday (5 July), showcasing the latest advances in robotics and artificial intelligence at the world's largest competition of its kind.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment