Lisbon & WebSummit

Lisbon & WebSummit

“There is no longer such a thing as a ‘tech’ industry – just industries that have been affected by tech. Just as the first industrial revolution 250 years ago left an indelible mark on the lives of the people who lived through it, tech is turning upside down everything we thought about work, social interaction, politics and life itself.

 

This year 53,056 tech CEOs, founders, startups, investors and political leaders driving change across the world came together in Lisbon for Web Summit. Over 2,000 of the world’s leading media attended. Together, they discussed the answers to the questions posed by the tech revolution we’re living through.”

 

Last month John and I had the opportunity to attend WebSummit, one of the fastest growing tech and entrepreneur conferences in the world. Together with some 55,000 people we descended upon Lisbon.

We arrived a couple days early to get our bearing and to recover from jetlag. It was our first time in Lisbon, it was our first time in Europe for that matter. After checking into the conference at the airport (smart move, WebSummit) we grabbed a cab and headed into the historic center. We had booked an apartment for the first couple of nights before heading to the conference hotel. As it was a last minuet trip, I hadn’t had time to really research the city or even look at a map before flying in, but sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. Our little corner couldn’t have been in a more convenient  spot for a couple of tourists to explore the city. Charmed by the view from the cab ride we quickly forgot about our jetlag and went meandering up and down the cobble stoned pathways, stopping for a glass of wine or a bite to eat as the mood hit us.

One of the reasons we had the opportunity to be in Lisbon was that we had been invited by the New Orleans local group of entrepreneurs and tech folks to help represent the city and share our excitement for Collision, which debut in the city earlier this spring and is slated to be in town for the next 2yrs. Not only did we get to attend one of the most exciting events of the year, we got to do it with people we call friends and with people we now call friends.

Another reason for me to hit up WebSummit was not only to represent  Hop & Jaunt, and to highlight the range of work we have done for the many startups and businesses around the world, but to meet up with Kelly Lewis, my partner and founder of Damesly. Figures, when you start a travel business it’s only logical that you schedule a long overdue meeting half way around the world 😉 We were there to connect with amazing women from around the world while we ironed out more plans and ideas for our startup.

 

We spent an amazing week in Lisbon with our NOLA Collision Krewe.

 

After a week in Lisbon John and I hit the road for several days before it was time to head back. The rest of the country was just as beautiful as the city.