It was my first WebSummit as a founder. Lessons learned.
See 2 reasons why you should NEVER go to WebSummit as a startup founder. And 2 reasons why you should
No #1: A ton of random people.
99,9% of the 70k crowd is just noise for you. Different industries, stages and roles. Very hard to find the right people. The app doesn't really work because it's full of spam.
No #2: You can have a 5x higher outreach ROI online.
WebSummit is a 3-days event. It's a lot. Although you talk to dozens of people daily, the results are humble. Targeted outreach on LinkedIn for 30h could bring 5x more leads.
Yes #1: It's fun.
Yes, it's a ton of fun! People from all over the world, side events, endless parties, and poker rooms. It was one of the funniest weeks this year.
Yes #2: You get exposed to random upsides & insights.
The Pitch competition is one. Meeting Garry Tan after his talk is another. Or accidentally finding a co-founder. Anything can happen there.
I don't think I'd do this again for business purposes, but for FUN, absolutely yes.
P.S. I don't believe in the Brand Awareness thing. You make only random people aware of you.
It was my first WebSummit as a founder. Lessons learned.
See 2 reasons why you should NEVER go to WebSummit as a startup founder. And 2 reasons why you should
No #1: A ton of random people.
99,9% of the 70k crowd is just noise for you. Different industries, stages and roles. Very hard to find the right people. The app doesn't really work because it's full of spam.
No #2: You can have a 5x higher outreach ROI online.
WebSummit is a 3-days event. It's a lot. Although you talk to dozens of people daily, the results are humble. Targeted outreach on LinkedIn for 30h could bring 5x more leads.
Yes #1: It's fun.
Yes, it's a ton of fun! People from all over the world, side events, endless parties, and poker rooms. It was one of the funniest weeks this year.
Yes #2: You get exposed to random upsides & insights.
The Pitch competition is one. Meeting Garry Tan after his talk is another. Or accidentally finding a co-founder. Anything can happen there.
I don't think I'd do this again for business purposes, but for FUN, absolutely yes.
P.S. I don't believe in the Brand Awareness thing. You make only random people aware of you.