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Web Summit quits Dublin

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Comments

  • #1442
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 55,123 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    WarZ wrote: »
    Very few Irish have made as much money as he has in the IT industry. €65 million evaluation and that is likely to grow massively over the next few years. He must be in a small number of Irish who've profited that amount from the industry.

    Firstly, he doesn't work in the IT industry.

    Ignoring that though, so what if he has made a personal fortune from it? What does that prove?

    I don't think anyone has said the Summit is worthless either (to refer to another post of yours), it's just not as important or as great as the organisers would have you believe. Ireland's IT industry does not revolve around the Summit, in fact it's pretty insignificant from that point of view.

    Startups good enough to get capital at WS would be good enough to get capital without WS. Paddy seems to think he is the reason that these startups are getting funding, that idea is of course total rubbish.

    I don't have an issue with the ticket price for the event for attendees, that's pretty standard for conferences. His whinging and sense of entitlement is a load of bollocks though, and the price gouging of food will have left a sour taste for many. If he wants traffic management he can pay for it. If he wants gardai escorts he can pay for them. He wants too much for nothing, and that is where the issues lie.


  • #1443
    gandalf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,458 ✭✭✭✭gandalf


    WarZ wrote: »
    Ah come on they're not babies who need their hands held. If I was going to fork out thousands to attend an event I would be agreeing in advance the space given to me and would be enquiring as to how many other start ups would be attending etc.

    These are from the comments on one of the linked articles earlier in the thread.

    http://tech.eu/features/6244/web-summit-scam-well-ask/
    I was one of the startups in 2013 in the Alpha exhibit. I remember going through the emails and interviews to be "accepted" into the Web Summit's Alpha startups. We were then told we would get tons of exposure to investors for only the price of 2 Web Summit tickets ($3500). We also would get one ticket free so we could bring our third co-founder and a free booth to present at. They said the offer would expire in two days, and as a new startup founder who has never gone through this before, I panicked. I used money from my savings to pay for us because our seed money hadn't come in yet.

    When we arrived, there were 250 startups in the hot, densely packed room in the back of the exhibition hall. No investors ever entered, I checked every single badge. The internet didn't work so we couldn't demo to anyone. You could barely read the names of the startups on the tiny paper. It was such a joke. Half the startups didn't even last half the day because they knew it was worth it to just walk around and network instead.

    Also, you only got a booth on one of the days not two, so in total about 400-500 startups paid that price and went through the same thing. We spent thousands of dollars to go to Web Summit hoping to generate some leads, and instead came home with nothing. There were over a thousand people in attendance, so it was even hard to track down people I knew.

    Web Summit's not in the business of supporting startups; they're in the business of extorting startups. I tell every young startup I know now not to attend Web Summit.
    4 startups came there from our incubator. All of them were "winners". Nobody told us that there will be 500 more such winners in one exhibition space. We even could not get a morning cup of coffee for our money)) It's almost impossible to get any value from conference where you have combination of people who want to pitch to people who are ready to listen like 100 to 1.
    I attended in 2013 and felt totally scammed pretty much immediately upon arrival. Since then its become a joke in the office whenever we get emails from Paddy about his next new thing. His hustle, which is undeniable, would be respected if it actually helped founders and startups.
    ame here: we were there last year and really felt nailed, to say the least.

    To me it was really the first impression getting there: they screwed us. Just enter the hall where you are going to exhibit and you'll get it: you were not "selected" you're just part of the show and paid quite a lot for it.

    The "expo one day-visitor the other" is brilliant in terms of marketing but really not in terms of retention. I mean, they should know it, at some point people speak, they talk to each other. What do you think 200 or 300 startups stacked like that will talk about?

    So yes we did it, yes we were disappointed (no real interesting lead or meeting, days lost at work hanging around this totally unwelcome and crowded fair, huge costs when you add up their fee + travel expenses).

    And NO, a 1 meter construction wood booth is not appealing, especially with no chair.

    We really felt nailed but nevertheless, they wanted us to join for 2015 with a bigger booth.

    "Hey, what's a bigger booth, something with real value like Dropbox or Google? Could be great, send us a proposal."

    The bigger booth was one of their "cross booth" meaning 1 fourth of a circle, cut by those ugly construction walls, representing 6m2, a high table and 2 or 3 chairs.

    Wow, not really the big booth we dreamt, more like a mini-upgrade from the ugly regular booth.

    Are you seating now? Do before you read: they asked us $50K for that :-) Startup spirit I believe...

    We were just laughing with my marketing teammates when we read the offer, it was just so ridiculous.

    They came back anyway with a better proposal, a hefty $30K.

    We're quite used with trade shows at Sellsy, it's a good medium for us.

    Generally, we spend around $30K for a big (20+ sq. m.), nicely decorated booth in a well recognized tech event where we do business.

    These guys are just not understanding that screwing startups and sponsors at the same time is unworthy. They spread the good buzz for a few years like storm, but it could easily go the other way.

    As it is for us, we're not going there anymore under their existing terms.

    And as in Paddy's own words, it's just like winning the lottery if you do something there.

    That's just a small selection from that article. And it's a small selection from numerous sites out there.

    Let's put it this way if I sold my employers services in the manner that PC and the WS are marketing and selling theirs I would be fired because it is unethical and not in keeping with the way business is done by Enterprise level organisations.


  • #1444
    darkpagandeath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24,461 ✭✭✭✭darkpagandeath


    WarZ wrote: »
    To save the governments face coming up to an election.

    This event went from being heralded last year as being fantastic to the country to suddenly being worthless and no loss. Think about that.

    Who released the Emails ????


  • #1445
    darkpagandeath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24,461 ✭✭✭✭darkpagandeath


    WarZ wrote: »
    I'm not responding to personal abuse. If you want to discuss with me then offer a tangible argument rather than childishly calling me an idiot. Seriously.

    Ha thought I hate Muslims ? This is becoming a parody now.


  • #1446
    gandalf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,458 ✭✭✭✭gandalf


    WarZ wrote: »
    To save the governments face coming up to an election.

    This event went from being heralded last year as being fantastic to the country to suddenly being worthless and no loss. Think about that.

    Do you honestly think that the Government believe they will save their prospects by throwing PC to the dogs?

    Anyway they didn't throw him to the dogs. He did it to himself. He was unprofessional and ultimately has been found to be a hypocrite and to be telling porkies.


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  • #1447
    The Corinthian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,777 ✭✭✭✭The Corinthian


    WarZ wrote: »
    To save the governments face coming up to an election.
    So I take it everyone complaining here is a FG supporter? OK...

    ...let's roll with this line of logic. What is your relationship with the Web Summit or any of its principles?


  • #1448
    WarZ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 972 ✭✭✭WarZ


    darkpagandeath wrote: »
    Ha thought I hate Muslims ? This is becoming a parody now.

    You are constantly complaining about Muslims and Islam. That isn't personal abuse that is a fact. Go through your own posts.

    Now if you excuse me I'm responding to more serious posters. If I have time I'll respond to your 'arguments'


  • #1449
    darkpagandeath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24,461 ✭✭✭✭darkpagandeath


    WarZ wrote: »
    You are constantly complaining about Muslims and Islam. That isn't personal abuse that is a fact. Go through your own posts.

    Now if you excuse me I'm responding to more serious posters. If I have time I'll respond to your 'arguments'

    No I am not. You have had time to read 10 k ?


  • #1450
    WarZ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 972 ✭✭✭WarZ


    The Corinthian wrote: »
    So I take it everyone complaining here is a FG supporter? OK...

    ...let's roll with this line of logic. What is your relationship with the Web Summit or any of its principles?

    No they are just parroting what the media is churning out. The WS was a god send this time last year


  • #1451
    darkpagandeath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24,461 ✭✭✭✭darkpagandeath


    WarZ wrote: »
    No they are just parroting what the media is churning out. The WS was a god send this time last year

    And while one is at is Please remind us all who released the Emails ?


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  • #1452
    smash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,809 ✭✭✭✭smash


    WarZ wrote: »
    No they are just parroting what the media is churning out. The WS was a god send this time last year

    But sure that's not true at all. This thread has been going on longer than the recent media stories. Maybe we just copped on a lot sooner than thy did. Maybe you'll catch up in a bit too.


  • #1453
    The Corinthian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,777 ✭✭✭✭The Corinthian


    WarZ wrote: »
    No they are just parroting what the media is churning out. The WS was a god send this time last year
    This thread predates when the media began turn against Web Summit. So, sorry, no cigar.

    And your relationship with the Web Summit or any of its principles? You didn't address that one.


  • #1454
    WarZ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 972 ✭✭✭WarZ


    gandalf wrote: »
    Do you honestly think that the Government believe they will save their prospects by throwing PC to the dogs?

    Anyway they didn't throw him to the dogs. He did it to himself. He was unprofessional and ultimately has been found to be a hypocrite and to be telling porkies.

    I think the government plugged what could have become a media storm and jumped on by FF in an election year. Claims that FG are threatening our tech industry and are out of touch (even if the loss of WS does not do this the average older voter would lap it up) would have followed.

    By making the WS look worthless and by attacking its founder the govt has avoided bad publicity

    And Cosgraves handling of it has been a disaster and as I've stated he needs a PR firm to handle this but it's clear he was under massive pressure to justify the move something that should never happen


  • #1455
    super_furry
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,363 ✭✭✭✭super_furry


    Jesus. Just reading the comments on tech.eu from people who have been exhibitors and been schmoozed by Web Summit, maybe it's for the best that they're leaving Ireland, they seem even shadier than anyone here has been claiming.


  • #1456
    darkpagandeath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24,461 ✭✭✭✭darkpagandeath


    WarZ wrote: »
    I think the government plugged what could have become a media storm and jumped on by FF in an election year. Claims that FG are threatening our tech industry and are out of touch (even if the loss of WS does not do this the average older voter would lap it up) would have followed.

    By making the WS look worthless and by attacking its founder the govt has avoided bad publicity

    And Cosgraves handling of it has been a disaster and as I've stated he needs a PR firm to handle this but it's clear he was under massive pressure to justify the move something that should never happen

    You mean the pressure from Releasing made up reason to try and justify an action already in the pipe line ?


  • #1457
    WarZ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 972 ✭✭✭WarZ


    The Corinthian wrote: »
    This thread predates when the media began turn against Web Summit. So, sorry, no cigar.

    And your relationship with the Web Summit or any of its principles? You didn't address that one.

    I have absolutely no relationship with the WS.


  • #1458
    smash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,809 ✭✭✭✭smash


    WarZ wrote: »
    I think the government plugged what could have become a media storm and jumped on by FF in an election year. Claims that FG are threatening our tech industry and are out of touch (even if the loss of WS does not do this the average older voter would lap it up) would have followed.

    By making the WS look worthless and by attacking its founder the govt has avoided bad publicity
    But the government didn't do anything. In fact they got attacked and their first response was only a couple of days ago with a throw away comment to do with returning the money.
    WarZ wrote: »
    And Cosgraves handling of it has been a disaster and as I've stated he needs a PR firm to handle this but it's clear he was under massive pressure to justify the move something that should never happen
    He didn't need to justify it. He needed to justify the lies he came up with. He could have easily avoided all of this by just not releasing emails and stating "Portugal gave us a great offer".


  • #1459
    my friend
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,129 ✭✭✭my friend


    super_furry wrote: »
    Jesus. Just reading the comments on tech.eu from people who have been exhibitors and been schmoozed by Web Summit, maybe it's for the best that they're leaving Ireland, they seem even shadier than anyone here has been claiming.

    Can you link plz?

    TIA


  • #1460
    The Corinthian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,777 ✭✭✭✭The Corinthian


    WarZ wrote: »
    And Cosgraves handling of it has been a disaster and as I've stated he needs a PR firm to handle this but it's clear he was under massive pressure to justify the move something that should never happen
    This would really be my only opinion of Cosgrove. He let the Steve Jobs syndrome get the better of him and he's essentially burnt his Irish bridges and I expect there will be some limited international damage to the brand also. That he went silent on interviews is probably indicative that he realized that, as well as possibly the toll that this onslaught has had on him.

    Of the event itself, I already said that I think it a waste of money from an IT company's (start up or otherwise) perspective. I think it's the sort of thing that some companies will go to for the tax right-off junket, but otherwise pretty useless. I've advised start-ups not to waste their money in previous years. If they want to get VC I'll cost more, if successful, but they'll actually get to pitch in front on one or two.

    Of his sales and business practices, well, caveat emptor. They don't really fill me with respect for WS, but neither does anyone who falls for pretty obvious high pressure sales tactics like those.


  • #1461
    bucketybuck
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,015 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    From reading everything about the Web Summit, it seems clear that it is not moving to Lisbon because of costs, but because it has actually reached a point where it has maximised its revenue here and needs to find other unsuspecting markets or else collapse under its own weight.

    Its like a scam or a virus really. It seems to have zero retention of customers, by all accounts any company that paid once feels cheated and won't go near them again, if it were to stay in Dublin it would only decrease in size due its the horrible word of mouth generated. It needs to move and find fresh suckers customers, the whole angle of costs and govt inaction is just a smokescreen.


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  • #1462
    WarZ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 972 ✭✭✭WarZ


    The Corinthian wrote: »
    This would really be my only opinion of Cosgrove. He let the Steve Jobs syndrome get the better of him and he's essentially burnt his Irish bridges and I expect there will be some limited international damage to the brand also. That he went silent on interviews is probably indicative that he realized that, as well as possibly the toll that this onslaught has had on him.

    Of the event itself, I already said that I think it a waste of money from an IT company's (start up or otherwise) perspective. I think it's the sort of thing that some companies will go to for the tax right-off junket, but otherwise pretty useless. I've advised start-ups not to waste their money in previous years. If they want to get VC I'll cost more, if successful, but they'll actually get to pitch in front on one or two.

    Of his sales and business practices, well, caveat emptor. They don't really fill me with respect for WS, but neither does anyone who falls for pretty obvious high pressure sales tactics like those.

    I'll agree with that.


  • #1463
    gandalf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,458 ✭✭✭✭gandalf


    WarZ wrote: »
    I'll agree with that.

    Hey WarZ you didn't answer me before but have you actually attended the Web Summit at all?


  • #1464
    WarZ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 972 ✭✭✭WarZ


    bucketybuck wrote: »
    From reading everything about the Web Summit, it seems clear that it is not moving to Lisbon because of costs, but because it has actually reached a point where it has maximised its revenue here and needs to find other unsuspecting markets or else collapse under its own weight.

    Its like a scam or a virus really. It seems to have zero retention of customers, by all accounts any company that paid once feels cheated and won't go near them again, if it were to stay in Dublin it would only decrease in size due its the horrible word of mouth generated. It needs to move and find fresh suckers customers, the whole angle of costs and govt inaction is just a smokescreen.

    Maybe Paddy has realised this and the Portuguese government has offered to ensure that more investors attend at the request of the government in order to ensure its continued success

    Remember it's an investment for the Portuguese government too, they will want to see its success. They certainly won't be attacking something that brings thousands of visitors to Lisbon and garners the city massive publicity as a tech hub


  • #1465
    super_furry
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,363 ✭✭✭✭super_furry


    my friend wrote: »
    Can you link plz?

    TIA

    http://tech.eu/features/6244/web-summit-scam-well-ask/


  • #1466
    Tarzana2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,553 ✭✭✭Tarzana2


    WarZ wrote: »
    The point is he cares about the WS and the negative publicity that arose from him moving it from Dublin.

    Why should he have to justify moving? He obviously felt considerable pressure to have to do so.

    He didn't need to justify it. Nobody expected him to. He decided he needed to, for some reason.


  • #1467
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,771 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    darkpagandeath wrote: »
    This gave me a good laugh, What next he's the Irish Mark Zuckerberg.....

    So tell us all how much more successful you are than Cosgrave? I don't think you can but I'm happy to be proven wrong. I doubt there are many Irish 32 year old who have been as successful as he has in business, there's plenty of people jealous of it though


  • #1468
    ted1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,358 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    bucketybuck wrote: »
    From reading everything about the Web Summit, it seems clear that it is not moving to Lisbon because of costs, but because it has actually reached a point where it has maximised its revenue here and needs to find other unsuspecting markets or else collapse under its own weight.

    Its like a scam or a virus really. It seems to have zero retention of customers, by all accounts any company that paid once feels cheated and won't go near them again, if it were to stay in Dublin it would only decrease in size due its the horrible word of mouth generated. It needs to move and find fresh suckers customers, the whole angle of costs and govt inaction is just a smokescreen.
    In reality they burnt there bridges here, but I suspect the main reason is that it simply needed a change. If your going on a jolly do you really want to go to the same place over and over


  • #1469
    Foxtrol
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,296 ✭✭✭✭Foxtrol


    WarZ wrote: »
    Maybe Paddy has realised this and the Portuguese government has offered to ensure that more investors attend at the request of the government in order to ensure its continued success

    Remember it's an investment for the Portuguese government too, they will want to see its success. They certainly won't be attacking something that brings thousands of visitors to Lisbon and garners the city massive publicity as a tech hub

    Ireland was not seen as a tech hub because of the web summit and Lisbon will not be seen as a tech hub because of the web summit.

    Have you been totally brainwashed by PC?


  • #1470
    darkpagandeath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24,461 ✭✭✭✭darkpagandeath


    WarZ wrote: »
    Maybe Paddy has realised this and the Portuguese government has offered to ensure that more investors attend at the request of the government in order to ensure its continued success

    Remember it's an investment for the Portuguese government too, they will want to see its success. They certainly won't be attacking something that brings thousands of visitors to Lisbon and garners the city massive publicity as a tech hub

    What are they investing in ? Most of the start up fail.


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  • #1471
    mzungu
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,310 Mod ✭✭✭✭mzungu


    Tarzana2 wrote: »
    The point is it shows that he does indeed give a sh1t what people think of him. That's why he realised the emails in the first place. He wanted to justify moving to Lisbon and feverishly want to bring people onside. When in reality, people were OK with the Lisbon until he realised the emails.

    True dat! His ego was his undoing there. All of this was needless and could have so easily been avoided.


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