Intrada Technologies at Web Summit 2024

This past November, Eric Greco and Adam Post of Intrada Technologies attended the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. Held across the MEO Arena and the Lisbon Exhibition & Congress Centre, the event brought together nearly 72,000 attendees from 160 countries. Web Summit 2024 was a massive melting pot of innovation, networking, and thought leadership, showcasing cutting-edge technological advancements.

What is Web Summit?

Web Summit, founded in Dublin in 2009 by Paddy Cosgrave, began as a small 150-person tech conference. Since then, it has grown to host over a million business professionals globally. Its flagship event occurs in Lisbon every November, alongside other international events like Web Summit Rio, Web Summit Qatar, Collision, Web Summit Vancouver, and RISE in Asia. 

Web Summit 2024 – Eric and Adam’s Experience

This year’s summit was dominated by the themes of sustainability and artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing the importance of these fields in shaping the future of technology and society. Among the standout speakers was Kirill Skrygan, CEO of JetBrains, who discussed the role of AI in development through his talk, "Can a coding assistant do this?". Skrygan highlighted the rapid evolution of the AI ecosystem and its profound impact on coding practices. Another engaging session included a thought-provoking discussion by Nym Technologies' CEO Harry Halpin and Chief Security Officer Chelsea Manning, who focused on the critical topic of personal security and its relevance to individuals and communities at large.

While the conference was an excellent learning experience, Eric and Adam noted it was one of the largest conferences they have attended, from the sheer number of attendees to the size and creative themes of booths, with Dell and IBM standing out for their AI infrastructure showcases. Despite the conference’s size, there were meaningful opportunities to network, including connecting with emerging startups like Squidler, whose innovation left a strong impression on Adam.

Reflecting on the summit's takeaways, the team saw significant value in the insights shared about the fast-paced evolution of AI and technology. At Intrada Technologies, they have already begun incorporating AI tools into their workflows, experimenting with coding assistants and AI agents to streamline problem-solving and daily operations. While AI won't replace developers outright, Eric and Adam agree that adapting and staying ahead of the curve is essential to remain competitive in the industry.

Despite the very informative sessions and various networking opportunities, Intrada Technologies is considering seeking out more specialized events next year with a stronger technical and AI focus. However, attending Web Summit reinforced the importance of staying informed on global trends and the need to adapt continuously to an evolving technological landscape. 

Lastly, during their free time, both Adam and Eric noted they had the chance to explore Portugal, with Quinta da Regaleira standing out as their favorite destination. Quinta da Regaleira is a palace located in the city of Sinta.

The 2024 Web Summit was a whirlwind of ideas, innovation, and inspiration, leaving a lasting impression while paving the way for Intrada to innovate and evolve in the coming years.