Startup University

Need a crash course in kickstarting a startup? You’re following the same path as the startups that grew into the world’s largest companies. Take advice from founders, CEOs and investors at Startup University, and see how they got from where you are to where they are.

George Arison
CEO | Grindr

What’s happening?

No one prepared you for this in school… Welcome to Web Summit’s crash course on building and growing your startup, with curated content and insights from some of the world’s most famous startup success stories.

Your Web Summit Rio ticket gives you access to all masterclasses and roundtables at the event, as well as to talks on Startup University and 15-plus other tracks.

Centre Stage during the opening night of Web Summit Rio 2023 at Riocentro

From startup to scale-up

No startup has all the answers at the beginning. The biggest success stories will take the stage to share what they’ve learned along the way. We’ll discover which business models and which strategies are taking startups to new geographies and new growth.

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Funding landscape in 2023

The funding landscape has changed dramatically and there’s a new reality for raising money. With inflation and recession on the rise, what are investors looking for in the new market? We will hear from founders, unicorns and investors on the challenges and the opportunities they are facing and what lessons can be learned from the turmoil of recent months. How will Latin America’s startup boom keep its momentum?

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Next-gen technologies

What’s the next big thing? Where is the new wave of innovation of technology taking us? Who are the coolest technologies that are going to make a difference in the next five years. We find the startups innovating across biotech, crypto, the sharing economy, agritech, healthtech, robotics, and Web3 and more to bring you the next wave of creative change.

The company you keep

Have you got the right co-founder, have you hired the right team, what about a board for your startup? Who you surround yourself with as a founder are some of the most important decisions you can make. Early hiring, recruiting for hypergrowth and leaning on your co-founder are all hugely important parts of the startup journey. Learn from founders who have succeeded – and failed – in getting the right people for their company.

Meet the startup speakers who joined us in 2024

Companies that attend

“Every company is faking it till they make it. There’s no making it. The story doesn’t end.”

Jager-McConnell-of-Crunchbase-speaking-on-Startup-University

– Jager McConnell, CEO, Crunchbase

“How great is your product compared to all the other founders out there killing themselves?”

– Fred Destin, founder, Stride.VC

“Finding the first incentive for the user to use the app is the first challenge.”

– Juan Pablo Ortega, Co-founder, Rappi

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