Web Summit Rio concludes with record-high attendence

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Web Summit Rio, Latin American franchise of global tech and innovation, wrapped up Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, breaking attendance records for the third consecutive year.

The event brought together thousands of attendees looking to connect, learn and stay ahead with the latest digital technology advances and innovations since its launch in 2023.

This year's four-day edition brought a record of nearly 35,000 attendees from over 100 countries and regions, along with about 1,400 startups and over 600 investors.

Artur Pereira, the summit's manager, credits the jump in attendance to the 106 million U.S. dollars in investment for the top 40 startups raised in 2024, about 2.3 million dollars each.

“Startups know that [if] they want to get funded, [if] they want to do business, [if] they want to meet the biggest tech companies in the world, they [need to] come to Web Summit,” Pereira said.

Embraer, a global aerospace company headquartered in Brazil and one of the summit's main exhibitors and investors, held what it called a "startup marathon" in its search for partnerships. With a strong global market presence in commercial, executive, and defense aviation, the company also used the event to highlight how innovation remains central to its growth strategy.

"If we don't apply Artificial Intelligence, if we don't apply new technology to our products, if we don't offer these things to clients who are seeking certain profit margins, we lose our competitivity. So, innovation is not a choice. It is a necessity, and it has always been that way with Embraer,” said Leonardo Garnica, head of corporate innovation of Embraer.

While serious networking and deal-making were the main focus of the summit, there were also lighter sides to the event, for example, a digital rainforest experience, or stepping on the gas in a virtual 3D formula-one driver experience offered by racing giant McLaren.

The event has been extended in the same venue for another five years, until 2030.

Web Summit Rio concludes with record-high attendence

Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, on Thursday extended Spring Festival greetings to religious leaders and believers across China.

Wang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with leaders of national religious groups ahead of the Chinese New Year. Heads of the Buddhist Association of China, the Taoist Association of China, the China Islamic Association, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China were present at the meeting and delivered speeches.

Wang spoke highly of the work of the religious groups in 2025, urging systematic efforts to ensure that religions in China are Chinese in orientation and ensure law-based management of religious affairs, with the aim of contributing to the realization of Chinese modernization.

He called on the national religious groups to guide religious figures and believers to develop an accurate understanding of country, history, ethnicity, culture and religion, unite more closely around the CPC and the Chinese government, and help religions in China integrate with fine traditional Chinese culture and adapt to the socialist society.

Wang also stressed the importance of strengthening the law-based governance of religious affairs.

Senior official extends Spring Festival greetings to religious groups