The Web Summit is an annual technology conference that has been hosted in Lisbon since 2016. Last year's event was unprecedented in its scope and drew 71,033 attendees from 160 countries, 42% of whom were women. There were more people, companies, presenters, and investors than ever before, and the event facility is at capacity.

Overall, my time at Web Summit was great. I really enjoyed meeting some interesting and talented people. I made some great connections and I’m looking forward to keeping in touch with all the people I met there. I was at the conference mostly taking photos and videos. But I also found some cool companies while hanging around the pavilions andI decided to write an article about them.

ReLeaf is a Ukrainian startup that produces paper and paper packaging from fallen leaves using a patented process. Founded in 2018, ReLeaf extracts cellulose from urban fallen leaves and converts it to paper with a smaller environmental footprint than traditional methods. After launching sales in 2021, ReLeaf is scaling up production and expanding across Europe, North America, and Asia. The company has raised over 2.5M Euros to support its growth. ReLeaf aims to provide sustainable paper alternatives by making use of overlooked fallen leaves.

Foodetective is a mobile app and platform connecting foodies, restaurants, and creators. Originally founded in 2018 as a Swiss food truck Instagram account, Foodetective has grown into an "all-in-one" app where users can find and book restaurants, order takeout, read reviews, and access creator content. As consumer behavior shifts to on-demand and mobile-first, Foodetective seeks to be a single platform for how people find and book restaurants. Overall, Foodetective is a growing startup merging dining, reviews, and marketing services for an increasingly digital audience. Originally based in Switzerland, the company now also has operations in Paris.

Poetizer is a creative platform that seeks to empower writers worldwide. The platform provides a unique space to read, write, print, publish, buy and sell poetry. They are an all-in-one platform for poets, where writing, sharing and publishing are made easy and accessible. In August 2022, they launched Poetizer Publishing which enables authors to self-publish their work in an efficient and ecological manner. Poetizer Publishing lets authors format, illustrate, print, ship and sell their work within the platform, and authors can market their books to their followers on Poetizer and make them available in the online Bookstore for purchase by others. Their target audience is primarily GenZ but anyone interested in reading or writing poetry is welcome. Their goal is to empower writers and readers worldwide and become the world's largest digital publishing social media platform. To achieve this, They are continuing to add new features and products to our platform to make writing, sharing and publishing easy and accessible.

Cartoonely, is a new startup dedicated to connecting independent artists from around the world with customers seeking custom illustrations and portraits. With Cartoonely, customers can easily find the perfect artist to create the perfect artwork for their needs. The platform acts as a true intermediary between artists and clients, with communication lines kept open to ensure a successful final product. Advantages for artists include little competition, the ability to work from anywhere and on any schedule, and the opportunity to improve their skills even further. Advantages for customers include personalized portraits and illustrations, working with pre-vetted artists, and support to help create the artist's brief. With a variety of illustrations available, Cartoonely's unique feature is its pop-culture caricatures. The startup's ultimate goal is to become the go-to platform for freelance artists and customers looking for original, one-of-a-kind artwork. Try Cartoonely today and buy a personalized portrait in just a few clicks!