Latest news with #WebSummitVancouver
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Invest Qatar showcases startup ecosystem at Web Summit Vancouver
Tribune News Network Doha Invest Qatar, the Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar,marked its successful participation in the inaugural Web Summit Vancouver, held from 27 to 30 May. The event showcased Qatar's welcoming and dynamic startup ecosystem through the 'Startup Qatar' pavilion, which attracted significant attention from attendees and industry leaders. The 'Startup Qatar' pavilion, a collaborative effort between Invest Qatar and key ecosystem partners including Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Qatar Development Bank (QDB), Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), and Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council (QRDI) highlighted the exclusive advantages and extensive opportunities available to startups and entrepreneurs looking to establish and expand their ventures in Qatar. Throughout the four-day summit, the pavilion facilitated connections between attendees and key stakeholders in Qatar's startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem. It emphasised the country's thriving business environment, multi-sectoral opportunities, and tailored benefits designed to empower ambitious startups and support their long-term growth. Senior representatives from the Qatar delegation actively engaged in panel discussions and networking sessions, highlighting the country's progress in driving innovation and technological advancement. Hamad Al-Naimi, Strategy Manager at Invest Qatar, participated in a panel discussiontitled 'From Seed to Scale: Catalysing Startup Growth in Emerging Tech Hubs' alongside António Dias Martins, CEO of Startup Portugal. During the discussion, Al-Naimi shared valuable insights into the policies and initiatives Qatar is pursuing to strengthen its position as a dynamic hub for innovation and startups. He also highlighted Qatar's recently launched $1 billion incentives programme, aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability and global competitiveness of startups and fintech companies. The programme focuses on key sectors, including technology, with targeted support for artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity and data-driven innovation, to foster a robust digital economy and attract high-impact investments. The participation at Web Summit Vancouver builds on the significant interest and record success of the 'Startup Qatar' initiative during previous international tech events. The initiative, launched ahead of the inaugural Web Summit Qatar, has recorded over 450 business registrations facilitated by QFC and received more than 4,000 applications for the 'Startup Qatar Investment Programme' by QDB. This programme offers funding of up to $500,000 for seed-stage and up to $5 million for growth-stage companies. To date, the programme has awarded $23.5M in funding to 19 startups from across the world, including Italy, Oman, Singapore, the U.K., the U.S. and Turkey. These startups benefit from funding, mentorship and other support services in Qatar's innovation-driven 'Startup Qatar' initiative is designed to support startups at every stage of their journey. It provides an innovative one-stop online platform ( catering to all business requirements and enabling them to access Qatar's extensive network of support services, opportunities, funding, incubation programmes, government grants, networking events and various other resources.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
U.S. lawyer targeted by Trump cautions Canada on AI and attacks on dissent
VANCOUVER — An American lawyer stripped of his security clearance by U.S. President Donald Trump says Canadians need to be vigilant about attacks on political freedom south of the border. Mark Zaid, a speaker at the Web Summit Vancouver tech conference, said he never expected to get "attacked" by a sitting president over the work he's done in his three decades practising law, representing clients from the worlds of intelligence and national security. He said Canadians need to be wary of the rise of artificial intelligence that could be used to either target political dissent or shield it, warning that it's hard to prevent attacks on democratic norms, rather than react to them. Zaid said that there were rumours in Washington about how AI was potentially used to sniff out anti-Trump dissent. "This is more about whether or not political dissent is going to be tolerated, and so I think AI and the tech community is the next sort of shield," he said Thursday. Zaid is co-founder of the non-profit Whistleblower Aid and he said Canada is not immune to the forces that have shaped American political culture under Trump. "We share so much with our television, the news broadcasts, everything. We're watching each other all the time and so I think what's going on in the United States could easily happen in Canada, which I hope never will," he said. "But that's why you watch what's going on elsewhere to make sure it doesn't happen here." Zaid is suing Trump and others after the president stripped him of his security clearance at the same time as former president Joe Biden and other political figures. The lawyer had represented a whistleblower during the first Trump administration, and has practised law in the national security space since former president Bill Clinton was in power. He touts himself as non-partisan, and says he is registered as an independent. Zaid -- who said he didn't bring his cellphone across the border in case it got confiscated on his return -- said artificial intelligence may be in its "infancy" but it is at the "forefront of everything that's going on." He said technology's impacts on politics knows no borders, with social media bot accounts from outside the country demonstrating how "you don't any longer have to be local to be able to have an effect. In fact, you can be across the world." "Before Twitter became X, much of the disinformation that was being targeted at the United States during the elections in 2016 in particular was coming from overseas," he said. Zaid said the work Whistleblower Aid does in the U.S. "is needed in every country around the world," to protect people who take great professional risks to reveal institutional wrongdoing and face potential political retribution. He said he'd recently began watching the television show "The Handmaid's Tale," based on Canadian author Margaret Atwood's book, which is "not a very positive thing to watch." "Canada is the home for U.S. asylum seekers in 'Handmaid's Tale.' So for those of you who are Canadian, do not become our 51st state. Stay free, please," he said. "In both countries, the power is with the people to hold the government accountable, not the other way around." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025. The Canadian Press
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
U.S. lawyer targeted by Trump cautions Canada on AI and attacks on dissent
VANCOUVER — An American lawyer stripped of his security clearance by U.S. President Donald Trump says Canadians need to be vigilant about attacks on political freedom south of the border. Mark Zaid, a speaker at the Web Summit Vancouver tech conference, said he never expected to get "attacked" by a sitting president over the work he's done in his three decades practising law, representing clients from the worlds of intelligence and national security. He said Canadians need to be wary of the rise of artificial intelligence that could be used to either target political dissent or shield it, warning that it's hard to prevent attacks on democratic norms, rather than react to them. Zaid said that there were rumours in Washington about how AI was potentially used to sniff out anti-Trump dissent. "This is more about whether or not political dissent is going to be tolerated, and so I think AI and the tech community is the next sort of shield," he said Thursday. Zaid is co-founder of the non-profit Whistleblower Aid and he said Canada is not immune to the forces that have shaped American political culture under Trump. "We share so much with our television, the news broadcasts, everything. We're watching each other all the time and so I think what's going on in the United States could easily happen in Canada, which I hope never will," he said. "But that's why you watch what's going on elsewhere to make sure it doesn't happen here." Zaid is suing Trump and others after the president stripped him of his security clearance at the same time as former president Joe Biden and other political figures. The lawyer had represented a whistleblower during the first Trump administration, and has practised law in the national security space since former president Bill Clinton was in power. He touts himself as non-partisan, and says he is registered as an independent. Zaid -- who said he didn't bring his cellphone across the border in case it got confiscated on his return -- said artificial intelligence may be in its "infancy" but it is at the "forefront of everything that's going on." He said technology's impacts on politics knows no borders, with social media bot accounts from outside the country demonstrating how "you don't any longer have to be local to be able to have an effect. In fact, you can be across the world." "Before Twitter became X, much of the disinformation that was being targeted at the United States during the elections in 2016 in particular was coming from overseas," he said. Zaid said the work Whistleblower Aid does in the U.S. "is needed in every country around the world," to protect people who take great professional risks to reveal institutional wrongdoing and face potential political retribution. He said he'd recently began watching the television show "The Handmaid's Tale," based on Canadian author Margaret Atwood's book, which is "not a very positive thing to watch." "Canada is the home for U.S. asylum seekers in 'Handmaid's Tale.' So for those of you who are Canadian, do not become our 51st state. Stay free, please," he said. "In both countries, the power is with the people to hold the government accountable, not the other way around." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025. The Canadian Press
National Observer
4 days ago
- Politics
- National Observer
US lawyer targeted by Trump warns Canada on AI and attacks on dissent
An American lawyer stripped of his security clearance by US President Donald Trump says Canadians need to be vigilant about attacks on political freedom south of the border. Mark Zaid, a speaker at the Web Summit Vancouver tech conference, said he never expected to get "attacked" by a sitting president over the work he's done in his three decades practising law, representing clients from the worlds of intelligence and national security. He said Canadians need to be wary of the rise of artificial intelligence that could be used to either target political dissent or shield it, warning that it's hard to prevent attacks on democratic norms, rather than react to them. Zaid said that there were rumours in Washington about how AI was potentially used to sniff out anti-Trump dissent. "This is more about whether or not political dissent is going to be tolerated, and so I think AI and the tech community is the next sort of shield," he said Thursday. Zaid is co-founder of the non-profit Whistleblower Aid and he said Canada is not immune to the forces that have shaped American political culture under Trump. "We share so much with our television, the news broadcasts, everything. We're watching each other all the time and so I think what's going on in the United States could easily happen in Canada, which I hope never will," he said. "But that's why you watch what's going on elsewhere to make sure it doesn't happen here." Zaid is suing Trump and others after the president stripped him of his security clearance at the same time as former president Joe Biden and other political figures. The lawyer had represented a whistleblower during the first Trump administration, and has practised law in the national security space since former president Bill Clinton was in power. He touts himself as non-partisan, and says he is registered as an independent. Zaid -- who said he didn't bring his cellphone across the border in case it got confiscated on his return -- said artificial intelligence may be in its "infancy" but it is at the "forefront of everything that's going on." He said technology's impacts on politics knows no borders, with social media bot accounts from outside the country demonstrating how "you don't any longer have to be local to be able to have an effect. In fact, you can be across the world." "Before Twitter became X, much of the disinformation that was being targeted at the United States during the elections in 2016 in particular was coming from overseas," he said. Zaid said the work Whistleblower Aid does in the US "is needed in every country around the world," to protect people who take great professional risks to reveal institutional wrongdoing and face potential political retribution. He said he'd recently began watching the television show "The Handmaid's Tale," based on Canadian author Margaret Atwood's book, which is "not a very positive thing to watch." "Canada is the home for US asylum seekers in 'Handmaid's Tale.' So for those of you who are Canadian, do not become our 51st state. Stay free, please," he said. "In both countries, the power is with the people to hold the government accountable, not the other way around." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025.
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
U.S. lawyer stripped of his security clearance by Trump cautions Canada
An American lawyer stripped of his security clearance by U.S. President Donald Trump says Canadians need to be vigilant about attacks on political freedom south of the border. Mark Zaid, a speaker at the Web Summit Vancouver tech conference, said he never expected to get 'attacked' by a sitting president over the work he's done in his three decades practising law, representing clients from the worlds of intelligence and national security. He said Canadians need to be wary of the rise of artificial intelligence that could be used to either target political dissent or shield it, warning that it's hard to prevent attacks on democratic norms, rather than react to them. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Zaid said that there were rumours in Washington about how AI was potentially used to sniff out anti-Trump dissent. 'This is more about whether or not political dissent is going to be tolerated, and so I think AI and the tech community is the next sort of shield,' he said Thursday. Zaid is co-founder of the non-profit Whistleblower Aid and he said Canada is not immune to the forces that have shaped American political culture under Trump. 'We share so much with our television, the news broadcasts, everything. We're watching each other all the time and so I think what's going on in the United States could easily happen in Canada, which I hope never will,' he said. 'But that's why you watch what's going on elsewhere to make sure it doesn't happen here.' Zaid is suing Trump and others after the president stripped him of his security clearance at the same time as former president Joe Biden and other political figures. The lawyer had represented a whistleblower during the first Trump administration, and has practised law in the national security space since former president Bill Clinton was in power. He touts himself as non-partisan, and says he is registered as an independent. Zaid — who said he didn't bring his cellphone across the border in case it got confiscated on his return — said artificial intelligence may be in its 'infancy' but it is at the 'forefront of everything that's going on.' He said technology's impacts on politics knows no borders, with social media bot accounts from outside the country demonstrating how 'you don't any longer have to be local to be able to have an effect. In fact, you can be across the world.' 'Before Twitter became X, much of the disinformation that was being targeted at the United States during the elections in 2016 in particular was coming from overseas,' he said. Zaid said the work Whistleblower Aid does in the U.S. 'is needed in every country around the world,' to protect people who take great professional risks to reveal institutional wrongdoing and face potential political retribution. He said he'd recently began watching the television show 'The Handmaid's Tale,' based on Canadian author Margaret Atwood's book, which is 'not a very positive thing to watch.' 'Canada is the home for U.S. asylum seekers in 'Handmaid's Tale.' So for those of you who are Canadian, do not become our 51st state. Stay free, please,' he said. 'In both countries, the power is with the people to hold the government accountable, not the other way around.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
