In another first for the country and the region, Qatar is to host one of the world’s biggest technology conferences.

Web Summit Qatar will attract big-name speakers from the worlds of tech, industry and business to an event that aims to connect a new generation of founders and startups in the Middle East to investors, journalists, customers, partners and more around the world, and represents an opportunity to develop an already fast-growing tech scene in the region.

Taking place at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center from February 26 to 29, the event is expected to attract around 12,000 attendees alongside more than 300 investors and 800 startups.

Speakers already confirmed include HH Princess Loulwa Al Saud, co-founder and CEO of RiseUp Saudi; comedian, author and presenter Trevor Noah; astronaut Sara Sabry, who is founder and CEO of Deep Space Initiative; professional footballer and investor Patrice Evra; Blake Chandlee, President Global Business Solutions Tik Tok; Ayo Tometi, entrepreneur and co-creator Black Lives Matter; Ali Alwaleed Al Thani, CEO Invest Qatar; Robert Kyncl, CEO Warner Music Group; race driver Christine GZ and a huge cast of other big names.

As well as the incredible lineup of speakers eager to share expertise, there will be unparalleled networking opportunities with entrepreneurs and proprietary software that maximises the attendees’ experience.

In the current global climate, upskilling has never been more important. Web Summit Qatar’s educational stage talks, informative masterclasses and innovative roundtables enable attendees to expand their professional skillsets and bring valuable information back to the office. As Inc. Magazine put it, Web Summit events “facilitate content that inspires and empowers attendees”.

Addressing an earlier event, Katherine Maher, former CEO of Web Summit, said: “I know the incredible opportunity to bring in people not just from the Arabic-speaking world but also South Asia and Africa. I’m just hugely excited about that.” She added that the summit’s collaborative nature creates a space where startups can gain access to mature establishments in various fields, including energy, aviation, media and telecommunications. ✤

GO: VISIT QATAR.WEBSUMMIT.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION.