Web Summit 2025: A Deep Dive

Landing in Lisbon for Web Summit was overwhelming. I’ll be real, it started off flat. I didn’t know where to go, who to talk to, or how to make the most of it. But by the time we wrapped on November 13, Surveyr had gone through a full strategic shift. We left with clarity, confidence, and a plan. The packed schedule, from the Opening Ceremony to the fringe event, was the accelerator we didn’t know we needed.

Web Summit officially kicked off on November 10th with a high-energy Opening Night. Centre Stage was buzzing and the conversations dove straight into how AI is transforming massive industries, like the $680B sports sector, by optimising performance and deepening fan engagement. Anton Osika’s breakdown of Lovable’s scaling journey to $100M ARR was especially sharp. That kind of velocity set the tone for the whole week.

We were selective with the talks we attended, and focused on what could move the needle for Surveyr. The “Vertical software is eating the world” session was a standout. It confirmed what we’ve been sensing: the future belongs to vertical SaaS. Building for specific industries like legal, or in our case, building surveyors, creates deeper product-market fit, stronger loyalty, and defensible data moats. The idea of simplifying tech adoption for surveyors really resonated with our mission.

Another key session was “Own what you build: Open source and AI’s future.” Mozilla’s Mark Surman made a compelling case for mission-driven, open-source AI. It’s clear there’s momentum building around open tools and shared infrastructure. We also tuned into discussions on consumer data protection, digital fairness, and how companies are struggling to keep pace with AI-driven customer experience. These talks weren’t just theoretical, they gave us practical context for how to build responsibly.

The meetups were where things started to click. The Real Estate & PropTech Meetup was a win, we connected with several startups in our space and had real conversations about shared challenges. And the Night Summit added a different kind of value. The AR/VR mixer was a highlight: fun and full of energy. It gave us the social boost we needed to keep going.

But the Canopy Community fringe events were the real unlock. The “Pitch It: Investment Readiness Workshop” gave us a massive confidence boost. The core lesson? Your pitch isn’t the goal, it’s the gateway to meaningful conversations. We learned the GASP framework (Goals, Audience, Storyline, Practice) and internalised the structure: Value, Detail, How. But more than that, we were reminded that being authentic is the most powerful way to build trust and belief.

That energy carried us into the Canopy Demo Night. This wasn’t about pitching for applause, it was about getting critical feedback. The event featured Portuguese startups, a visiting People’s Choice winner from London (Pioneering People), and even an investor reverse pitch from Core Angels Algarve. The theme was clear: founders thrive when they stay close to their customers. That message hit hard.

The frameworks and feedback we got from Canopy were perfectly timed. We realised we could still catch up and network hard for the rest of the summit, and we did. We even plucked up the courage to speak to an investor. Now, we’re heading into the Bristol demo night next week with a refined strategy, a tighter pitch, and a whole lot more confidence.

Web Summit 2025 didn’t just inspire us - it gave us tools, connections, and clarity. And we’re taking all of it forward as we keep building Surveyr.