Web Summit 2026 · Lisbon
Startup Founders Night #8
Kick off Web Summit week with 300+ founders, investors and ecosystem people on a private rooftop over the Tagus. Drinks included.
- 🕕 Mon 9 Nov 2026 · 18:00 - 2:00
- 📍 Cavo Rooftop, Lisbon Cruise Terminal
Tickets from €20 - price goes up with every batch.
Get your ticketComing from Opening Night at MEO Arena? It's ~10 min by CP train to Santa Apolónia, then a 10-min walk along the river.
What's in the ticket
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2 drink vouchers
Beer, wine, soft drink or water = 1 voucher. Cocktail or long drink = 2 vouchers.
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Snacks
Light bites through the evening.
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The rooftop, just for us
Cavo Rooftop on top of the Cruise Terminal, with a view over the Tagus and the city. Private for our group.
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300+ people worth knowing
Founders, investors, ecosystem and media - from Poland and abroad.
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DJ all night
From 18:00 to 2:00, with an afterparty from 20:00.
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Pitch Training
~10 startups on stage, the jury picks a winner. You can apply too.
Tickets
Tickets are sold only on Eventbrite. The price goes up in steps - each batch ends on its date or when it sells out.
- From €20 to €60 - the earlier, the cheaper.
- Code NETWORK: -10%
- 3+ tickets: -20%, applied automatically
- At the door: €60
The event is photographed and filmed.
Agenda - Monday 9 Nov
- Doors open: drinks, networking, DJ set all night
- Pitch Training, powered by Hanza Group (last 30 minutes: open mic)
- Afterparty
Pitch Training
Powered by 
3 minutes on stage, no slides. Short feedback from the jury, and at the end the jury picks a winner. The winner gets a dedicated post on Startup Founders' channels.
- When: 18:30 - 19:30 about 10 selected startups, 19:30 - 20:00 open mic (see below).
- How to apply: answer "Yes" to the pitch question when you register on Eventbrite. Already have a ticket? Reply to your Eventbrite confirmation email.
- Deadline: 4 Nov. Selected startups hear from us by 5 Nov.
- Jury: founders and investors, including Wojtek Błaszczak, CEO of PortuGer. More names soon.
Open mic: 19:30 - 20:00
The last 30 minutes of Pitch Training are open to everyone. No application needed: sign up with the host on the night, before or during the session. Same rules: 3 minutes on stage, no slides, feedback from the jury. The winner is chosen from the selected startups only.
Didn't make the selection, or decided to pitch on the spot? This is your slot.
Who we pick
- pre-seed to Series A, with a working product or a pilot,
- raising or looking for partners in the next 6-12 months,
- you can say what you do in one sentence,
- a mix of sectors and countries,
- order of applications counts.
First time at Web Summit?
Web Summit 2025 had 70,000+ attendees, 2,725 startups and 1,857 investors. It's easy to get lost. Start the week somewhere you can actually talk. At Founders Night you will:
- meet founders and investors worth knowing for the rest of the week,
- get tips on the best side events and parties,
- learn how to get around the event and the city from people who have done it for years.
Venue & getting there
📍 Cavo Rooftop - on the roof of the Lisbon Cruise Terminal, overlooking the Tagus and the city.
Terminal de Cruzeiros de LisboaDoca Jardim do Tabaco, Av. Infante Dom Henrique
1100-651 Lisboa, Portugal
☔ Covered space available in case of rain.
From Web Summit (MEO Arena)
- Train, fastest (~10 min): from Oriente station take a CP urban train to Santa Apolónia (last stop), then walk ~10 min along the river to the Cruise Terminal.
- Metro (~35 min): Red Line from Oriente to São Sebastião, change to the Blue Line to Santa Apolónia, then walk along the river.
- Uber / Bolt: ~15-20 min, but expect surge pricing when Web Summit sessions end.
Taxi, Uber, Bolt
Drop-off: Terminal de Cruzeiros de Lisboa, Doca Jardim do Tabaco, Av. Infante Dom Henrique, 1100-651 Lisboa. 2-minute walk to the venue.
If the driver doesn't recognise the address, just say "Jardim do Tabaco".
Metro
Blue Line (Azul) to Santa Apolónia (last stop) or Terreiro do Paço. From either station, walk along the river (Av. Infante Dom Henrique) to the Cruise Terminal - about 10 min, flat. Enter the terminal building and go up to the rooftop.
🎫 Get a Viva Viagem card at any metro machine. It works on both the metro and CP trains.
Since 2018
This is edition #8. We've been running Founders Night since 2018, with a break during COVID.
- ~800 guests over the last 3 editions
- 37 countries
- 53% startups
- 33% ecosystem
- 10% investors
- 4% media
Past guests include people from Cisco, Oracle, Rockwell Automation, Space Bridge Fund, New Fund, Slate Mountains Capital, Climate One Capital and p1k Ventures.
Organiser & partners
Organiser
Strategic partners
Pitch Training partner
Communication partner
Who's hosting
Startup Founders is a non-profit association of founders from Poland, started in Wrocław in 2017 and modelled on Silicon Valley networking practices. At its core is a trusted group of about 25 experienced founders who share knowledge and real numbers.
Our rules: quality over quantity (we turn down more candidates than we accept), networking without self-promotion, and what's said in the room stays in the room. No bullshit.
FAQ
What's included in the ticket?
2 drink vouchers and snacks. Beer, wine, soft drink or water costs 1 voucher, a cocktail or long drink costs 2.
Are there discounts?
Use code NETWORK for -10%. Buying 3 or more tickets gives -20% automatically.
How do I apply to pitch?
Answer "Yes" to the pitch question when you register on Eventbrite, or reply to your Eventbrite confirmation email if you already have a ticket. Deadline: 4 Nov. No application? Sign up for the open mic (19:30 - 20:00) on the night. Details.
Can I buy a ticket at the door?
Yes, for €60. Buying online earlier is cheaper.
Can I get a refund?
Refunds closed on 22 Oct, 18 days before the event.
Will there be photos and video?
Yes. The event is photographed and filmed, and the material is used by the organiser and partners.
What if it rains?
We move to the venue's covered terrace and club room, which has its own sound system and DJ stage.
How do I get there from Web Summit?
Fastest is the CP train from Oriente to Santa Apolónia (~10 min) and a 10-min walk along the river. All options.
Other questions?
Write to [email protected].
See you on the roof
Monday 9 Nov 2026 · 18:00 - 2:00 · Cavo Rooftop, Lisbon
Tickets from €20 - price goes up with every batch.
Get your ticket