Intel, Siemens pull out of Web Summit after remarks on Israel
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Web Summit, run by Irish entrepreneur Paddy Cosgrave, is the biggest technology conference in Europe.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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Los Angeles – Intel and Siemens are pulling out of Web Summit, the biggest technology conference in Europe, following remarks by the event’s leader that criticised Western support for Israel after the Hamas attacks.
United States chipmaker Intel confirmed on Thursday that it was “withdrawing from Web Summit”. A representative of the company, which has longstanding operations in Israel, declined to comment further.
Siemens, the German engineering and manufacturing company, is listed as one of the top sponsors of the summit, which is scheduled for November in Lisbon. But after having “reviewed the situation”, the company will no longer be a partner or attend the event in 2023, a representative said.
Y Combinator chief executive Garry Tan, Sequoia Capital partner Ravi Gupta and other prominent venture capitalists also have cancelled plans to attend the event. Several tech executives based in Israel have dropped out as well.
Irish entrepreneur Paddy Cosgrave, who runs the event, issued an apology earlier this week.
“I understand that what I said, the timing of what I said, and the way it has been presented have caused profound hurt to many,” he said on the Web Summit site. “To anyone who was hurt by my words, I apologise deeply.”
He initially posted about the conflict last week and reiterated the sentiment in subsequent posts.
Intel and Siemens pulling out of the event was previously reported by Business Post. BLOOMBERG
