Wednesday, November 23, 2016

The Web Summit has put the country “on the map of the technology on a global scale” – News up to the Minute (press release)

it Was two weeks ago that the Web Summit had the right to the first edition in Portugal, an occasion that brought our country to the founders of companies and investors from all corners of the world.

Seizing the opportunity, the CEO of Zaask, Luís Pedro Martins, also had a presence at the event to get to know the Portuguese company to the visitors, in what aims to be one "of the best investments that the country has done".

below you can read the conversation that the Tech minute-by-Minute had with Luís Martins about the Web Summit, in particular the balance sheet that the CEO makes of the event, not only for the Zaask as for the country, as well as the means to guarantee two more editions.

And then the Zaask on a another level, with evidence in hand, how do you see the coming of the Web Summit to Portugal? Comes at the right time?

I Think that is spectacular. I think that is one of the best investments that the country ever did was to bring the Web Summit. Although the ecosystem to be evolving in Portugal, the level of know-how is still relatively weak compared with other markets. it is Still very difficult to find people who already have been able to expand a platform for 20 or 30 countries, the CMOs that have already spent more than five million euros in marketing. there is Still not much of a base or the resources. There is no know-how of the investors, are still very much the traditional investors who have never created a digital business and that cannot help because they do not know.

All of this is natural. It is an ecosystem of young, but there is only one way, to make it evolve because we have to go through this but we’ll never evolve. Trazer the Web Summit is clearly a lever giant because it brings many people from outside, many people come to know and fall in love with it to Lisbon, starting by the creator of the event [Paddy Cosgrave]. Many people begin to want to here to create their startups, the ecosystem has a lot to grow with the life of people outside that trazemoutro know-how, other experiences. We are still at the beginning we are already taking steps and wide and ends up putting Portugal on the map of innovation and technology on a global scale, and european. This positioning is important because it begins to attract mentors and investors and has an effect inside and outside of the country. Because maybe millions of people in Portugal have learned to be with its eye on tech nology, innovation and entrepreneurship, and these are three things that make grow a country. This is fundamental to any economy, and I think that was one of the best investments we have already made.

For a company such as Zaask is also good. As we want to be the marketplace of reference of local services on a global scale because there is none, and we want to fill this position, why not? We have to be constantly in contact with investors, because if we want to grow further we need investment. In practical terms we were able to continue conversations with investors that we have been talking and getting to know others. Do not close any round of capital, it is also not the way that things happen.

Was the primary goal of Zaask meet investors?

The networking funciuona but things don’t happen like that. There is a house made, which we have been doing since a few years ago. Get in contact, have meetings, calls,…, instead of having to be traveling to Rome, London, Berlin and it was here on our earth, in the space of days and on one site I was able to speak with several. Gives us a different positioning. Not to say that go to other countries to be a barrier but it does not help.

Was one of the main objectives but we also wanted to show the world that portugal also makes good technology, useful platforms, that solve the problem of the people and that we are only as good as the other.

The idea of bringing the Web Summit was good but what of the implementation? Everything went well?

I Think that yes, that everything went well. There is always a flaw or the other, but I think yes. The feedback was great, it was a good time and is very easy to get passionate by Lisbon. Until the part of the night, it is always a good thing, because maybe when you drink a beer, things run better, everything is more natural. sometimes simply be ourselves because in the end people are investing in us. And then everyone as one or the other beer things come out better! It was almost impossible to go wrong, it is spectacular.

But there is something to be improved?

I Think the Web Summit is what a person wants it to be. The more effort you hold in the event more retiras him. With more planning and research, things run better. I Think that there are different uses of the Web Summit, but especially the more investing the more you get, as in everything. If there is any thing to improve is that people have to look within, to know what could have gone better and what they could have taken more advantage of. It also comes from experience.

Possibly the next editions will also run better because the Portuguese market is also going to be better prepared.

I Agree. For a lot of people it was the first time that it came to such an event and heard in the digital content maybe this year will think of another way. The fact that you happen to two more editions will allow them to better enjoy.

(This is the second part of the interview made to Luis Pedro Martins. In the first part, the CEO of Zaask talked about the beginning of the company and the way that this come up now)

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