Thousands gear up for tech fest in Lisbon in test of new normal

FILE PHOTO: Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa speaks at the closing ceremony of the Web Summit, in Lisbon, Portugal, November 7, 2019. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes/File Photo

MADRID/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Web Summit, one of the largest tech conference organisers, will open its doors next week in Lisbon for its first in-person event since the pandemic struck, with the likes of Microsoft, Amazon and Apple set to speak.

Hot on the heels of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in June, it will be the next large tech conference to test a return to normal, reuniting entrepreneurs, top executives and major investors after 19 months of video meetings.