Web Summit, Europe’s most influential tech event, annually draws industry giants like Meta and Microsoft, alongside up-and-coming startups in the tech world. This year, WebSummit hosted 70,236 people from 153 countries, with over 2,000 companies, 906 investors and 2,100 media members. Lisbon was buzzing with incredible people from the tech industry and Les Amis was right at the heart of it 🔥
It was the morning of November 15th and the Les Amis founders, Anna and Oleg, were preparing for a big day ahead. Anna, a familiar face to many of our Members, was getting ready to open and take over the Centre Stage at 9:50AM. The biggest stage in Portugal, and the same stage from where Jimmy Wales - the founder of Wikipedia - and Meredith Whittaker - the President of Signal and one of the most influential women in the online privacy space - communicated their vision a day earlier. It’s incredible, right? 🥹
Les Amis team was having a “pinch me” moment when Anna, who by the way was among the youngest women ever to talk on this stage, shared with thousands of attendees what Les Amis is all about and how it’s been changing the lives of so many women. *goosebumps*
In an era where traditional social media platforms, like Facebook, face decline, Les Amis emerges as a beacon of hope. Anna’s message at Web Summit revolved around creating a social platform that is intimate, personal, and tailored for its Members.
We’re all tired of seeing fake perfect photos and hollow connections on social media, so our vision is to build a non-toxic, human-centric environment where connections are meaningful and every interaction is curated for authenticity. We believe that Les Amis is a movement towards a new, healthier form of social networking, designed with the modern woman’s needs in mind.
Over 25000 connections that Les Amis created by date prove that a small group environment, trusted space and offline shared experiences is a key to fostering trust and friendships. Seeing so many Members becoming friends during our events gives us the motivation to continue working towards a more connected community, where everyone is welcomed and supported — a place that feels like home.
Web Summit is a hub for remarkable personalities, predominantly men, but let’s face it — it’s the girls who run the world 🤭 Anna had the opportunity to meet many inspiring power women running innovative companies, driving incredible initiatives, and changing the world!
For example, Vitala – a mission-driven women sexual and reproductive health project run by an incredible team of women by women. Anna met Roopan (Co-founder) and discussed how the team is creating a safer way to go through the medication abortion and family planning journey, “providing them with evidence-based, reliable private digital resources to avoid unsafe abortions”. They reached success in Venezuela, and are now entering the US market.
Or Legitify – an innovative online legal notarisation company that is disrupting the 100 year-old legal industry. Aida, their co-founder and CEO, shared how the company is helping to change the outdated process of physically going to notary offices to ‘stamp’ your documents, and instead using the internet for this. Sounds like it should have been done already - right?
Anna was also invited to attend the Executive Women In Tech dinner - a networking event where founders and leaders from companies like Google and Microsoft meet and share their experiences, and Maze Impact Evening – a side event organized by impact-focused venture capital fund Maze, where companies solving the world’s most pressing issues, e.g. Mental Health or Climate, using technology. What a wonderful way to connect with people who want to make the world better!
For everyone following Les Amis’ journey, your support and engagement mean the world to us. Together, let’s shape the future of social networking and build a platform where every voice matters, and every connection counts.
Stay tuned for more updates, stories, and insights from Les Amis – where we’re crafting a new way of connecting in real life and in the digital world.
