Humanoid robot at Web Summit in Lisbon: where to show it, organiser rules and planning

When is Web Summit in Lisbon and who attends?

Web Summit 2026 takes place on 9-12 November at the MEO Arena in Lisbon, according to the organiser's website. The previous edition, the organiser said, welcomed 71,386 attendees, including 1,857 investors from 86 countries. The Portuguese agency AICEP, reporting the organiser's announcement, cites attendees from 157 countries and 2,725 startups from 108 countries, 40% of them founded by women.

It is a technology conference with a strong presence of startups and investors, not a classic industry trade fair. For a brand this means conversations with founders, funds and large companies looking for technology, rather than with buyers from a single industry.

Do humanoid robots appear at Web Summit?

Yes, humanoid robots are part of the Web Summit programme. On the 2026 edition page the organiser lists a humanoid robot in its speakers section, and agency coverage of the previous edition described how the global tech industry would gather in Lisbon to talk about artificial intelligence, robots and startups. Robots are therefore no surprise, and a stand with a robot needs concrete content: what it says about the brand, to whom and in which language.

Where can you show a humanoid robot around Web Summit?

You show a humanoid robot where the brand has its own space and permission for the demonstration. The organiser offers forms of presence for companies (the site has a tab for exhibitors and partners) and an evening programme, Night Summit, and companies also host their own meetings in the city. The options compared:

The startup guide for Web Summit Vancouver 2025 says that you may not demo a large product without approval from the production team. That is useful for Lisbon too: before you plan a robot on a stand, ask the organiser whether the stand format allows it.

What does a humanoid robot do on a stand at Web Summit?

A humanoid robot on a stand at a technology conference acts as a host that stops passers-by and talks with them. With attendees from 157 countries, these tasks help:

1. A greeting in the guest's language, with English as the base and Portuguese as the host country's language.
2. A short description of a product or startup: knowledge of the offer delivered by voice in a few dozen seconds.
3. Recognising exhibits through the camera: the robot sees a prototype or product and talks about it.
4. Photos and short clips for social media during the event.
5. Handing the guest to the team: a qualifying question and a call for the person who will set up a meeting.

MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland) rents Unitree G1 (about 132 cm) and Unitree H2 (about 182 cm) humanoid robots for events together with operators who run the robot on site. Conversations run on MERA OS, which supports more than 70 languages, including Polish and English, with a voice matched to each language.

Which organiser rules should you check before a robot demonstration?

Check the rules for Web Summit exhibitors in the organiser's current materials; the startup guides show their style. The published versions come from an earlier Lisbon edition and from Vancouver 2025, so treat them as pointers, not as the 2026 rules:

• Wi-Fi and hotspots: according to the guides, running any Wi-Fi network without explicit permission is forbidden, and hotspots and rogue networks are completely prohibited. If the robot or the operator's app connects by radio, ask the organiser for permission.
• Filming: the guides require written consent from the organiser's team and a full itinerary before filming begins.
• Large items and loud sound: the organiser may reject a demonstration of an overly large product, and a demonstration must not bother neighbours or other attendees, for example by blocking walkways, being too loud or taking up extra space.
• Recording guests: GDPR applies here too.

What do the AI Act and GDPR mean for a robot on a stand?

A robot that talks to guests has to make clear that it is an AI system. Under Article 50 of the AI Act, people interacting with an AI system must be informed of it, unless this is obvious, and the information must be given clearly at the latest at the first interaction. In practice the robot introduces itself as a robot and a short notice is posted at the stand. If the robot records images or sound, the exhibitor must meet GDPR requirements. Details are in our text on a robot with a camera at an event.

How do you plan a robot for Web Summit?

Plan the robot well ahead, because the format of your presence, approvals and connectivity must be agreed with the organiser, and the 2026 edition starts on 9 November, so in practice you are planning for the next one. The organiser announces the dates of later editions. Include in the plan:

1. The goal: meetings with investors, winning customers or media reach.
2. Knowledge and tone: a description of the brand, vocabulary and topics the robot avoids, for example competitors or politics.
3. Languages: English as the base, Portuguese and the languages of the brand's key markets.
4. Working time: four event days call for breaks, battery swaps and a stand-in.
5. Connectivity and approvals: arrangements with the organiser before the event.

At MERA Robotics the tone, vocabulary and topics the robot avoids are agreed with the client before the event, and a MERA operator watches the conversations and can stop the robot at any moment. MERA Robotics runs events across Europe: a robot with MERA operators comes to an event in every country of the European Union, so also to Portugal. MERA's work abroad includes the international trade fair in Cannes (September 2026). We write about events in that country in our text on a robot at an event in Portugal.

How do you choose a company to supply a robot for an event in Lisbon?

When choosing a supplier, check five things you can verify before the contract:

1. An operator on site: the company's own operator who steers the robot throughout and can stop it at once.
2. Languages and knowledge: the list of conversation languages, including English and Portuguese, and how knowledge of your brand is prepared.
3. Compliance with the organiser's rules: knowledge of the requirements on connectivity, filming and the size of a demonstration.
4. Work abroad: documented projects at international events, not just claims.
5. A contingency plan: checked hardware, spare batteries and cover.

You can find models for rent and sale in the catalogue of robots for rent and sale, and a description of the service in our text on humanoid robot rental for events.