One of the world’s largest technology conferences, Web Summit, has announced it has sold out tickets for its first event in South America, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro next month.
Web Summit expects more than 20,000 people to attend the four-day event originally planned for 5,000 delegates. With ticket prices ranging between 2,045 reais ($404) for access to the exhibition floor only, all the way to the chairperson ticket type, which at 49,995 reais ($9,888) includes speaker evening receptions and investor lounge access, the Rio conference sold out faster than any other event under the Web Summit brand, the organizers said.
The list of technology, business, politics, and cultural leaders that will discuss the latest trends and innovations in tech includes Nubank founder and chief executive David Vélez, and Rio de Janeiro’s Mayor Eduardo Paes, whose administration has been trying to position the Brazilian city as the country’s new tech and innovation hub.
Other speakers include the president at Signal, Meredith Whittaker, and KondZilla, who owns the largest YouTube channel in Brazil and Latin America and the third largest music channel globally, with 65.9 million subscribers.
“Our goal next year is to hit the 30,000 mark comfortably, making Web Summit Rio the preeminent and defining tech gathering in South America,” said Paddy Cosgrave, Web Summit founder and chief executive.
Since its inception in 2009, Web Summit has grown from a small get-together of tech enthusiasts in Dublin to an umbrella of international conferences attracting tens of thousands of attendees globally. As well as the flagship conference in Lisbon, Web Summit is also the organizer of Collision in New Orleans, and RISE, held in Hong Kong.
The event in Rio de Janeiro is the latest move in Web Summit’s global expansion strategy, which includes plans to launch events in Tokyo and Toronto in the coming years, in addition to emerging markets worldwide, including a conference in Qatar scheduled for early 2024.
In addition to its events portfolio, the company has also launched other initiatives to foster innovation and entrepreneurship and tackle the digital divide in emerging economies. These include the Women in Tech Initiative and the Road to Web Summit program, which provide funding and support for female technologists and startups in developing countries.