I frequently get asked the question, “Is the Web Summit worth attending?” and my answer is a resounding YES! It’s not just an event: it’s the place where we take the temperature of the future of AI, innovation, and creativity worldwide.
I’m Grazi Sbardelotto, VP and Partner at Pmweb, a WPP Company, and I participated in intense and transformative days at Web Summit Lisboa 2025. Among many lectures and panels, I had the honor of serving, once again, as the Master of Ceremonies and moderator for one of the roundtables at the Corporate Innovation Summit, in addition to being a Women in Tech Ambassador.
At this year’s edition, one theme clearly stood out, echoing the need for transformation in our sector: the fundamental role of women in driving innovation and developing new technologies.
The Female Force in Tech and the Role of the Web Summit
Female representation in technology was a cross-cutting and highly relevant topic, confirming the consolidation of women’s presence in the market. The Web Summit reinforces its role as an enabler: the event is traditionally known for its Women in Tech project which offers reduced-cost tickets to thousands of women, reinforcing its commitment to transforming the sector.
This institutional commitment came to life with the presence of global leaders like Maria Sharapova (analyzing the transformation of sports by AI), Tiffany Rolfe (R/GA, rethinking creativity), Irina Novoselsky (Hootsuite), and Sara Vienna (MetaLab, discussing the advantage of empathy in UX/AI). The female force in the market was celebrated at parallel events, such as the VTEX Women Connect Breakfast, where I had the pleasure of being a speaker, and on prominent panels like “More Seats, Same Table: Rethinking Power for Women in Tech,” in which I participated as a speaker, underscoring the continuous need to transform industry culture to ensure women continue to actively occupy and influence these spaces.
For me, it is critical that women continue to occupy and transform these spaces. Seeing this commitment in every corner of the event was inspiring and reinforces that female leadership is key to a more balanced and creative technological future.
Human Curators and the Critical Eye in the AI Era
The biggest takeaway I’m bringing back from the event is about the future of hybrid work: humans + AI agents. The Web Summit made it clear that the future of work will not involve agents doing everything, but rather us, as humans, acting as the curators. This was, in fact, the theme of my Opening Remarks on the Corporate Innovation Summit stage.
Artificial Intelligence will handle the bulk of the work. Our role, the human differentiator, will be to ensure the result is genuine and not just “more of the same.” To do this, we will need to utilize our critical eye, creativity, and authenticity.
Furthermore, I noticed a clear trend where users are more empowered. This increasingly demands that marketing focus on real connection and that technology has the mission of giving control back to the creators.
Web Summit Lisboa 2025 was more than just a debate agenda; it was a barometer of the future, where innovation is driven by collaboration between the machine and the human mind, but above all, where the presence and leadership of women are recognized as essential for this evolution to be critical, creative, and authentic. I leave another edition of the Web Summit certain that we are on the right track toward a more inclusive and powerful innovation ecosystem.
Want to know more about everything that happened there? Connect with me on LinkedIn and I’ll tell you all about it!