Digital Samba's Journey: From Web Summit Lisbon to Qatar 2025

We have to admit it—we’re turning into Web Summit junkies! After an incredibly successful first experience at the main Web Summit event in Lisbon in November 2024, we wasted no time securing our spot for the 2025 edition. But this year, we decided to take things a step further and explore new opportunities. That’s why we also attended Web Summit Qatar 2025, which took place from 23 to 26 February at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC). The event, now in its second edition, gathered an impressive 25,000 attendees, reinforcing its growing influence in the global tech ecosystem.

At Digital Samba, as a European company committed to European security regulations and infrastructure, our primary market focus has always been Europe. However, we saw Web Summit Qatar as the perfect opportunity to explore the Middle Eastern market—and the response we received exceeded all expectations. Over three days, we showcased our video conferencing API, engaging with a highly enthusiastic audience. The interest in our solution was overwhelming, the feedback was incredibly positive, and we were thrilled by the admiration Digital Samba received. It confirmed what we already believed—leveraging 20 years of experience in video conferencing to develop our API was one of the best business decisions we’ve made. The demand for seamless, integrated video experiences is stronger than ever, and we are ready to meet it.

Table of contents

1. Industry leaders, visionary talks, and Qatar’s AI ambitions
2. Star power at Web Summit Qatar
3. A bright future ahead

Industry leaders, visionary talks, and Qatar’s AI ambitions

Web Summit Qatar 2025 featured an impressive lineup of speakers. Among the industry heavyweights who took to the stage were:

• Alexis Ohanian, founder of Seven Seven Six and co-founder of Reddit
• Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook and B Capital
• Laura Chambers, CEO of Mozilla Corporation
• Brian Robbins, CEO of Paramount Pictures
• Amjad Masad, CEO of Replit

Kicking off the event on Sunday, 24 February, Paddy Cosgrave, Founder and CEO of Web Summit, praised the efforts of the Prime Minister in bringing Web Summit to the region, calling it "the best decision we’ve ever made." He noted that while their initial ambition for the second edition was 7,500 attendees, the event far exceeded expectations, welcoming over 25,000 participants from more than 120 countries. 

Cosgrave also highlighted Web Summit’s partnership with Crunchbase, which tracked investment data showing that 148 companies from last year’s inaugural event have since raised nearly USD 30 billion—a testament to the summit’s growing influence and impact.

Later that evening, Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, addressed attendees, reaffirming Qatar’s commitment to technology, startups, innovation, and digital transformation. His speech highlighted how these areas play a crucial role in the country’s long-term economic growth and diversification strategy.

Qatar is also making major moves in artificial intelligence. In a bid to position itself as a regional AI powerhouse, the country is leveraging its gas wealth to compete with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. On Sunday, the Qatari government announced a five-year partnership with Scale AI, aimed at deploying AI-powered tools and training to enhance government services. This move underscores the nation’s ambitions to lead in AI-driven innovation.

Star power at Web Summit Qatar

As always, Web Summit delivered big names, and this year was no exception. On Tuesday, Hollywood icon Will Smith took to Centre Stage alongside Jay Shetty for his keynote, Redefining Success in Hollywood and Beyond. In an inspiring discussion, Smith shared career lessons, personal challenges, and insights on how he continues to push boundaries across entertainment, business, and life. His presence added to the event’s star-studded appeal, drawing a packed audience eager to hear his story.

A bright future ahead

We attended the event as a three-person Digital Samba team, representing the most innovative secure video conferencing API made in Europe: our CEO, Robert Strobl; Director of Business Development, Nina Benkotic; and our newest team member and Product Owner, Dusan Savic. Among others, we had the opportunity to connect with companies such as Qatar National Bank (QNB), Upstrax, LLC NewGen, Gig Engineer, Adeeb, Inteched, Savyn, Pitch Avatar, Alpharages, parent.tr, Softwurk, Beeasist, Nowcollab, Saikoro, iScale Solutions, Export Bahrain, Hakeem, Tamimah Telecom, AddMeetings and Nagarro, to name just a few. We also had the opportunity to connect with event participants at the Special Doha Tech Week Jump-Off Founders and Funders Power Walk on Sunday, 23 February. The event was organised by Staaake, which allows individuals with a large audience to highlight their followers, helping them stand out.

During an evening reception, organised by Sandro Otarashvili and hosted by His Excellency Ambassador of Spain in Qatar Don Javier Carbajosa Sánchez, we had a chance to rub shoulders with some of Spain’s most innovative tech talent, including Mariano Garcia Orgiles (PLD Space), Marc Revert (Orga AI), and Dario Sansano Larrea (NeuroBlock).

We returned from Doha energised, inspired, and loaded with new connections. The experience not only opened doors to new business opportunities but also strengthened our belief in the global potential of Digital Samba’s video conferencing API. With an extensive list of new contacts, we are now focused on following up, closing deals, and expanding into the Middle Eastern market. The momentum from Web Summit Qatar 2025 has only reinforced our commitment to growth and innovation.

If you’re curious about how Digital Samba’s video conferencing API can transform your business, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our sales team is ready to demonstrate how easily our API can be integrated and adapted to your use case—fully branded as your own.

SOURCES: 

1. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/24/future-of-ai-in-focus-at-web-summit-qatar-2025
2. https://thefintechtimes.com/roundup-of-web-summit-qatar-2025/