Storm Charles forces Web Summit to hit pause, leaving startups drenched in disappointment

A startup that promised to deliver coffee by drone found its prototype stuck in a puddle of seawater, a fitting omen for the day the Web Summit’s second day was scrubbed from the agenda.

Portuguese authorities, waving red flags and a very literal storm warning, urged the event’s organisers to pull the plug, warning of tidal flooding that could turn Lisbon’s streets into an indoor pool for wandering delegates.

The decision left hundreds of tech‑savvy attendees staring at empty conference halls, their networking hopes now as soggy as the city’s tram tracks. Even the keynote speaker’s PowerPoint slides were reportedly saved on a waterproof USB stick, just in case the clouds decided to rain on the presentation.

Investors, accustomed to crisp pitch decks, were forced to improvise with “soggy Zoom” sessions, where background noise now includes the distant howl of gale‑force winds and the occasional splash of a rogue wave.

Meanwhile, the city’s public transport, already on the brink of a strike, announced a “suspended service” that could be interpreted either as a delay or a subtle invitation to try the new “bike‑share‑by‑boat” scheme.

The cancellation, while a safety‑first move, has turned the Web Summit’s usual buzz into a muted murmur, as organisers now scramble to reschedule panels and hope the next day’s forecast reads “sunshine, not surf.”