As Web Summit Vancouver begins its final day, this year’s success has built of the strong foundations of year one. Web Summit 2026 has welcomed 20,235 attendees, 1,197 startups, and 768 investors from over 100 countries to the Vancouver Convention Centre. The North American edition of Web Summit’s global tech series saw a 13% increase over last year’s investor turnout. The largest turnout yet is a sign global capital is looking for the ideas and founders that will define what is the next big thing. With Crunchbase data showing more than $77 billion was raised across all companies that attended Web Summit Vancouver 2025 we can only assume that that number will be even greater after this year’s record turnout.
Over the past three days, Web Summit has filled Vancouver Convention Centre with investors, founders, industry leaders, creators and builders exploring and discussing the ideas and technologies reshaping the global economy, from the global hot topic, AI and its move from hype to deployment, to the future of film and gaming even racing, rewiring of trade and supply chains, and the race to scale clean tech. This afternoon in the KPMG Pitch Final, three finalists battle it out to see who will be crowned winner of the greatest pitch competition in the world and perhaps, the most important of their lives.
The world comes to Web Summit Vancouver with government and trade delegations from near and far. Cabo Verde, Costa Rica, Czechia, El Salvador, Ghana, Italy, Lithuania, Pakistan, Portugal, Poland, Qatar, South Korea, Switzerland, and Uruguay were just some with a presence in the massive exhibition hall amongst hundreds of businesses – start-ups sit alongside long-established major corporations.
The Government of Canada was represented by Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Soloman making announcements of the first batch of companies to receive support through AI Compute Access Fund helping the companies commercialize and scale up their projects. As well the Government with Telus are advancing three new data hub projects in BC – two in Vancouver and one in Kamloops – aimed to protect digital sovereignty for companies and citizens to feel more confident about the AI
The Provincial Government demonstrated its commitment to AI and technology with Premier Eby, Ministers Brenda Bailey, Ravi Kahlon and Rick Glumac as well as InBC – the BC Investment Corporation highlighting the province’s Look West Strategy. Supporting, investing and nurturing BC’s digital and tech communities, especially its leading biotech industry.
Web Summit didn’t end with the dozens of daily presentations, fireside chats, and panels, Night Summit kept the business going after the day’s end. Providing a more social and convivial environment to meet and mingle, network and discover other attendees’ goals and drives. Night 1 took over Bentall Centre Plaza, Night 2 filled three floors of The Rec Room and Night 3 was standing room only in The Shipyards.
Web Summit Vancouver wraps up this afternoon, Thursday May 14 at Vancouver Convention Centre. The 2027 session is already in the works to return in May next year and 2-For-1 ticket packages are on sale now.