The biggest tech event of the year kicks off next week, and the current and a former Vancouver mayor will be helping to kick off the festivities.<\/p>\n
Web Summit 2026 begins this coming Monday, and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and former mayor Gregor Robertson, who\u2019s the current Canadian housing minister, will be sharing a stage to kick off the festivities.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s probably the biggest event of the year that isn\u2019t named FIFA World Cup, and it takes place between May 11 and May 14.<\/p>\n
Last year, Web Summit came to Vancouver for the first time, and it brought over 100 of the world\u2019s top leaders in tech to the city.<\/p>\n
The 2025 event saw over 15,000 people attend, and this year\u2019s event could draw over 20,000, along with over 1,500 startups, 700 investors, 350 speakers, and delegates from over 120 countries, according to Innovate BC<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWeb Summit 2025 was a game-changer for us! As a BC-based Indigenous tech firm, it was amazing to connect with such a diverse group of like-minded people leading up to the event. We left inspired, with new ideas and partnerships that will help us better serve our community,\u201d Eric Blesch, CEO of 7GenAioTech, told InnovateBC.\u00a0<\/p>\n Opening remarks take place on Monday, May 11, at 6 pm, and along with Sim and Robertson will be Web Summit CEO and Founder Paddy Cosgrave, and B.C.\u2019s minister of finance, Brenda Bailey.<\/p>\n Other notable speakers who\u2019ll be speaking at the event include Evan Solomon, Canada\u2019s Minister of AI and Digital Innovation. B.C. Premier David Eby will also be speaking on a panel about growing the province\u2019s tech sector.<\/p>\n Beloved physician Gabor Mat\u00e9 is also going to be in attendance as a speaker.<\/p>\n Some of the biggest brands and organizations that will be represented include Sony Imageworks, Walt Disney Animation Studios, CNN Business, Forbes, the Harvard Business Review, Aston Martin, and Microsoft.<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s Vancouver event marked the first time a North American city hosted Web Summit.<\/p>\n You can see a full list of speakers and exhibitors, view the full Web Summit schedule, and also buy tickets on the Web Summit website<\/a>.<\/p>\n