Web Summit quits Dublin

Ctrl Alt Delete

WarZ wrote: »

Also if your going to call individuals cowards then how about you post your full name and stand behind your comments?

Gladly after you go first :p

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

Understandable considering the witch hunt being waged against him. Appearing on LLS will only play into the hands of those who want to damage the WS. Tubridy would undoubtedly set out to destroy Cosgrave. Him appearing at WS was a ruse a sheep in wolves clothing attempt by Tubridy. Cosgrave didn't fall for it.

Look at you gleefully commenting on him not attending. This guy has accomplished more than you ever will in your lifetime in 4 years. He has had more of an impact on the global stage than you ever will. He is a self made multi millionaire at 32. So what if he doesn't turn up on LLS I doubt he cares and why should he, LLS is a joke. And he doesn't need to cater to the likes of you.

He's moving on to bigger and better things most likely and leaving the begrudgers behind

TLDNR. Stopped at Witch hunt.... Remind us again who blamed the Government on not being able to run their own event ?

sid waddell

kunst nugget wrote: »

So, does it matter what way he makes his money or is it just important that he's a millionaire?

He's rich, therefore he is.

WarZ

darkpagandeath wrote: »

This gave me a good laugh, What next he's the Irish Mark Zuckerberg.....

Very few Irish have made as much money as he has in the IT industry. €65 million evaluation and that is likely to grow massively over the next few years. He must be in a small number of Irish who've profited that amount from the industry.

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

Very few Irish have made as much money as he has in the IT industry. €65 million evaluation and that is likely to grow massively over the next few years. He must be in a small number of Irish who've profited that amount from the industry.

If the company survives. He may be gotten rid of before that.

WarZ

Ctrl Alt Delete wrote: »

Gladly after you go first :p

Why would I? I'm not going around calling people cowards. If you want to call a named individual a coward then post your full name and stand by the comment or retract it.

Foxtrol

WarZ wrote: »

Understandable considering the witch hunt being waged against him. Appearing on LLS will only play into the hands of those who want to damage the WS. Tubridy would undoubtedly set out to destroy Cosgrave. Him appearing at WS was a ruse a sheep in wolves clothing attempt by Tubridy. Cosgrave didn't fall for it.

Look at you gleefully commenting on him not attending. This guy has accomplished more than you ever will in your lifetime in 4 years. He has had more of an impact on the global stage than you ever will. He is a self made multi millionaire at 32. So what if he doesn't turn up on LLS I doubt he cares and why should he, LLS is a joke. And he doesn't need to cater to the likes of you.

He's moving on to bigger and better things most likely and leaving the begrudgers behind

Again, everything over the last few weeks has shown that he deeply does care of what people think of him. Saying over and over again that he’s made money so doesn’t care is ignoring every bit of evidence out there.

The guy is the classic case of someone who lives of the approval of others and cant hack it when anyone has the gall to be negative towards him and turns into a petulant child.

Look he’s made a lot of money by ripping off others and he needs to grow up and own that fact as otherwise he’s going to damage himself like we’ve seen time and again the last few weeks.

Tarzana2

mzungu wrote: »

Aye. When you look at it though, he had managed to weave such a complex concoction of BS stories over the past few weeks, there was no way the LLS would have been anything other than a disaster of epic proportions. From a PR perspective, cancelling it was his most prudent move so far.

The point is it shows that he does indeed give a sh1t what people think of him. That's why he realised the emails in the first place. He wanted to justify moving to Lisbon and feverishly want to bring people onside. When in reality, people were OK with the Lisbon until he realised the emails.

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

Why would I? I'm not going around calling people cowards. If you want to call a named individual a coward then post your full name and stand by the comment or retract it.

:pac::pac::pac:

ted1

WarZ wrote: »

Very few Irish have made as much money as he has in the IT industry. €65 million evaluation and that is likely to grow massively over the next few years. He must be in a small number of Irish who've profited that amount from the industry.

He is an event organiser, he is not in the IT industry

Foxtrol

WarZ wrote: »

Very few Irish have made as much money as he has in the IT industry. €65 million evaluation and that is likely to grow massively over the next few years. He must be in a small number of Irish who've profited that amount from the industry.

You've pulled that evaluation out of your ass and it's an event management company, it just specialises in IT events (at this stage that connection has become tentative).

Seth Brundle

WarZ wrote: »

It's not just the money.

No, it is about the money because you said...

WarZ wrote: »

If he was a chancer so what? He's made more money that 99% of this forum will ever see

You measured the man by the amount of money he has made.
So my point, despite your waffle, still stands.

kbannon wrote: »

If you measure success by the amount of money you have (regardless of the methods used to get it), then you have a lot to learn!

WarZ

darkpagandeath wrote: »

If the company survives. He may be gotten rid of before that.

Very doubtful. Every year the WS has grown and Lisbon will be bigger than ever. The move made sense and all he has to do is survive the onslaught resulting from him having the audacity to move the event from Dublin.

By next year this will all be a distant memory as he pockets millions more, his event grows further and his event continues to be heralded by the international media.

Meanwhile I'm guessing you will still be at your computer typing furiously complaining about immigrants/Muslims/Paddy Cosgrave/bananas whatever.

darkpagandeath

ted1 wrote: »

He is an event organiser, he is not in the IT industry

Exactly, And having a Steve jobs complex...

Annasopra

WarZ wrote: »

I'm saying he's not simply a chancer who fluked this. Considering the amount of money he's made from it and the amount of start ups willing to pay thousands to attend it would appear he is very good at what he does.

Thats the laughable thing. He's not. But when things go wrong everyone gets blamed apart from him.

gandalf

WarZ wrote: »

And he doesn't need to cater to the likes of you.

Actually you are wrong. I've attended two Websummits. The second one which to be fair was very relevant and did provide good networking opportunities and it did offer startups the opportunity to engage with people. I also attended last years and it was the complete opposite. From a business perspective it was a waste of time for us. From a lets go and listen to an interesting talk it was personally interesting but it cost my company 3 days of my productivity. I was shocked at the difference in treatment of the startups from the 2nd one I attended and this one. At last years they were treated like cattle and an awful lot got lost in the noise.

Based on last years experience I declined to go this year. The reports I got back from the two employees from here who did go was that this year was more of the same. Interesting talks but nothing really ground breaking. The start ups again were in their pens.

TBH it is too big, if definitely wouldn't be something I would get involved in if I was starting up a company. I wasn't aware of how the start ups were targeted but having read a lot of what has come out over the last month the business model in engaging with them is extremely questionable and bordering on criminal behaviour. Sending new companies a promise of a free pitch and then charging them a few grand is extremely dodgy behaviour.

I don't begrudge people success but I do think that those who do it in the manner that has become apparent in the last four weeks disclosures shouldn't be put up on a pedestal which some seem to think that PC should be just because he has effectively misrepresented an "offer" and taken advantage of new startups is wrong.

I also wouldn't classify him as a good business man because gaining profit in the way he is by misrepresenting "offers" to startups and alienating suppliers is damaging the brand. It will be interesting if he starts the same antics with the Portuguese next year how they will react.

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

Very doubtful. Every year the WS has grown and Lisbon will be bigger than ever. The move made sense and all he has to do is survive the onslaught resulting from him having the audacity to move the event from Dublin.

By next year this will all be a distant memory as he pockets millions more, his event grows further and his event continues to be heralded by the international media.

Meanwhile I'm guessing you will still be at your computer typing furiously complaining about immigrants/Muslims/Paddy Cosgrave/bananas whatever.

Stop making thing up People are not annoyed about the move to Lisbon. Ha can't make a point bring in other thread. 1 out of 10. I have a problem with Illegal economic migrants.

sid waddell

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Exactly, And having a Steve jobs complex...

It's all about the microphone. When you wear that microphone on stage and look all earnest as if what you're saying is of world importance, you know you've made it.

WarZ

Tarzana2 wrote: »

The point is it shows that he does indeed give a sh1t what people think of him. That's why he realised the emails in the first place. He wanted to justify moving to Lisbon and feverishly want to bring people onside. When in reality, people were OK with the Lisbon until he realised the emails.

The point is he cares about the WS and the negative publicity that arose from him moving it from Dublin.

Why should he have to justify moving? He obviously felt considerable pressure to have to do so.

Annasopra

WarZ wrote: »

That's a very simplistic analysis. What about the huge amount of people employed through WS and spending that new income? Security, marques, stewards, lighting and sound

Are these all full time permanent jobs?

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

The point is he cares about the WS and the negative publicity that arose from him moving it from Dublin.

Why should he have to justify moving? He obviously felt considerable pressure to have to do so.

Who released the Emails again ?

bucketybuck

WarZ wrote: »

A lot of very bitter and unfulfilled people on this thread. It's very revealing

WarZ wrote: »

Tell me, have you created an event that has made you a millionaire in 4 years?

Let's be honest it's unlikely you'll ever see that sort of money. Your only outlet is to bitterly attack those who have realised their dreams

WarZ wrote: »

What do you do that gives you such a position to belittle Paddys achievement by the way? I'd love to know

WarZ wrote: »

This guy has accomplished more than you ever will in your lifetime in 4 years. He has had more of an impact on the global stage than you ever will. He is a self made multi millionaire at 32.

WarZ wrote: »

He's made more money that 99% of this forum will ever see

WarZ wrote: »

The sooner people realise this the better. I think there's a lot of very bitter posters on this thread tbh.

WarZ wrote: »

Very few Irish have made as much money as he has in the IT industry.

Do you not realise how pathetic this all sounds? You can't address any of the arguments directed against the WS so all you can do is parrot on about how much money he has made and how little the average man has in comparison, but what exactly has any of this got to do with, well, anything at all?

Does the fact that Cosgrove has money automatically mean there are no problems with the web summit? If I am not a self made millionaire I can't point out the problems and disorganisation apparent? How does sneering at posters on here address any of the criticisms raised?

Why not address the criticisms raised? Is it because you can't?

Foxtrol

WarZ wrote: »

It takes a lot of balls to create a global event like he has done. hes not going on LLS because it will be awful PR he is being smart.

Also if your going to call individuals cowards then how about you post your full name and stand behind your comments?

I agree it takes a lot of balls to screw over as many people as he has and then try to portray himself as the hard done by patron saint of the Irish economy. Actually, I take back having balls, it’s more total ego driven delusion.

I’ve given examples of why I think he’s a coward and morally bankrupt just as you’ve given examples why you think he’s a fantastic human being (mostly driven by the fact he’s made money apparently). I see you come from the Cosgrave school of ‘how dare you say something about the great leader’.

Seth Brundle

WarZ wrote: »

Very doubtful. Every year the WS has grown and Lisbon will be bigger than ever. The move made sense and all he has to do is survive the onslaught resulting from him having the audacity to move the event from Dublin.

You're the first I've heard to have called him audacious.
Nonetheless, can you please explain why he moved to Lisbon?
What will be done there that will be different to here?

WarZ wrote: »

By next year this will all be a distant memory as he pockets millions more, his event grows further and his event continues to be heralded by the international media.

If his money is obtained partly by exploitation or by misrepresentation then so be it. I'm happy knowing how I honestly earn my money.

WarZ wrote: »

Meanwhile I'm guessing you will still be at your computer typing furiously complaining about immigrants/Muslims/Paddy Cosgrave/bananas whatever.

Possibly.
Where will you be?

WarZ

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Thats the laughable thing. He's not. But when things go wrong everyone gets blamed apart from him.

He is one man getting attacked from every angle. He is being put under unrelenting pressure and scrutiny.

He probably needs to hire a PR firm at this stage to handle the media circus. No shame in not being able to handle it himself, that's why PR firms exists

Ctrl Alt Delete

WarZ wrote: »

Why would I? I'm not going around calling people cowards. If you want to call a named individual a coward then post your full name and stand by the comment or retract it.

If you are going to ask someone to stand up and give their name etc, then at least have the balls to do it yourself or else just like Paddy Cosgrave has finally done shut it :D:D:D:D

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

He is one man getting attacked from every angle. He is being put under unrelenting pressure and scrutiny.

He probably needs to hire a PR firm at this stage to handle the media circus. No shame in not being able to handle it himself, that's why PR firms exists

Please answer, Who released the Emails ?

sid waddell

WarZ wrote: »

The point is he cares about the WS and the negative publicity that arose from him moving it from Dublin.

Why should he have to justify moving? He obviously felt considerable pressure to have to do so.

Cosgrave and Cosgrave alone felt the need to bull**** about his reasons for moving.

His choice, and his choice alone.

He's been called out for his bull****.

Tough ****.

gandalf

WarZ wrote: »

The point is he cares about the WS and the negative publicity that arose from him moving it from Dublin.

Why should he have to justify moving? He obviously felt considerable pressure to have to do so.

He didn't have to. As I said before if he just released the press release stating that the WS was moving to Portugal and it was because of costs and left it at that then we'd all be ranting about the Government and how they let it slip away.

Seth Brundle

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Please answer, Who released the Emails ?

erm, his email account was hacked?

WarZ

gandalf wrote: »

Actually you are wrong. I've attended two Websummits. The second one which to be fair was very relevant and did provide good networking opportunities and it did offer startups the opportunity to engage with people. I also attended last years and it was the complete opposite. From a business perspective it was a waste of time for us. From a lets go and listen to an interesting talk it was personally interesting but it cost my company 3 days of my productivity. I was shocked at the difference in treatment of the startups from the 2nd one I attended and this one. At last years they were treated like cattle and an awful lot got lost in the noise.

Based on last years experience I declined to go this year. The reports I got back from the two employees from here who did go was that this year was more of the same. Interesting talks but nothing really ground breaking. The start ups again were in their pens.

TBH it is too big, if definitely wouldn't be something I would get involved in if I was starting up a company. I wasn't aware of how the start ups were targeted but having read a lot of what has come out over the last month the business model in engaging with them is extremely questionable and bordering on criminal behaviour. Sending new companies a promise of a free pitch and then charging them a few grand is extremely dodgy behaviour.

I don't begrudge people success but I do think that those who do it in the manner that has become apparent in the last four weeks disclosures shouldn't be put up on a pedestal which some seem to think that PC should be just because he has effectively misrepresented an "offer" and taken advantage of new startups is wrong.

I also wouldn't classify him as a good business man because gaining profit in the way he is by misrepresenting "offers" to startups and alienating suppliers is damaging the brand. It will be interesting if he starts the same antics with the Portuguese next year how they will react.

It's up to the start ups to stand out and be noticed. Paddy offers interesting talks (which you admit he does) says a lot of investors attend (which they do) and offers start ups a space for a fee. No more no less. He doesn't hold a gun to their head and force them to pay and attend.

You'd swear these poor start ups are being forced against their will to pay up and attend

Annasopra

WarZ wrote: »

He is one man getting attacked from every angle. He is being put under unrelenting pressure and scrutiny.

But why is he being attacked? Answer that without resorting to lazy groundless sterotypes of bitterness and begrudgery.

WarZ

Ctrl Alt Delete wrote: »

If you are going to ask someone to stand up and give their name etc, then at least have the balls to do it yourself or else just like Paddy Cosgrave has finally done shut it :D:D:D:D

I'm not attacking named individuals behind a user name. Hence why I asked him to put his name behind his comments.

If I was going around calling people cowards then I'd happily give my name.

gandalf

WarZ wrote: »

It's up to the start ups to stand out and be noticed. Paddy offers interesting talks (which you admit he does) says a lot of investors attend (which they do) and offers start ups a space for a fee. No more no less. He doesn't hold a gun to their head and force them to pay and attend.

You'd swear these poor start ups are being forced against their will to pay up and attend

No they weren't forced but I would counter and say that they were misrepresented in what they were getting. It's obvious that they didn't expect to be lumped in together with 500 others with minimal internet connectivity and quite frankly a tiny pitch.

Have you attended the Web Summit, have you seen the space these startups get to show off their ideas?

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

I'm not attacking named individuals behind a user name. Hence why I asked him to put his name behind his comments.

If I was going around calling people cowards then I'd happily give my name.

Did one find out who released the Emails about the government ? You know with the delusions people are stupid and believe they are hard done by for not getting free stuff ?

WarZ

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

But why is he being attacked? Answer that without resorting to lazy groundless sterotypes of bitterness and begrudgery.

To save the governments face coming up to an election.

This event went from being heralded last year as being fantastic to the country to suddenly being worthless and no loss. Think about that.

awec

WarZ wrote: »

To save the governments face coming up to an election.

Anyone who actually thinks this is an idiot. Seriously.

WarZ

gandalf wrote: »

No they weren't forced but I would counter and say that they were misrepresented in what they were getting. It's obvious that they didn't expect to be lumped in together with 500 others with minimal internet connectivity and quite frankly a tiny pitch.

Have you attended the Web Summit, have you seen the space these startups get to show off their ideas?

Ah come on they're not babies who need their hands held. If I was going to fork out thousands to attend an event I would be agreeing in advance the space given to me and would be enquiring as to how many other start ups would be attending etc.

WarZ

awec wrote: »

Anyone who actually thinks this is an idiot. Seriously.

I'm not responding to personal abuse. If you want to discuss with me then offer a tangible argument rather than childishly calling me an idiot. Seriously.

smash

WarZ wrote: »

To save the governments face coming up to an election.

This event went from being heralded last year as being fantastic to the country to suddenly being worthless and no loss. Think about that.

Seriously, your posts are coming across as comical. It's as if you keep forgetting to add a sarcasm smiley to every reply. You can not address any issue that has been mentioned by the posters here or the wider media and instead you keep harping on about how much money the guy has made, which is irrelevant to the points at hand.

awec

WarZ wrote: »

Very few Irish have made as much money as he has in the IT industry. €65 million evaluation and that is likely to grow massively over the next few years. He must be in a small number of Irish who've profited that amount from the industry.

Firstly, he doesn't work in the IT industry.

Ignoring that though, so what if he has made a personal fortune from it? What does that prove?

I don't think anyone has said the Summit is worthless either (to refer to another post of yours), it's just not as important or as great as the organisers would have you believe. Ireland's IT industry does not revolve around the Summit, in fact it's pretty insignificant from that point of view.

Startups good enough to get capital at WS would be good enough to get capital without WS. Paddy seems to think he is the reason that these startups are getting funding, that idea is of course total rubbish.

I don't have an issue with the ticket price for the event for attendees, that's pretty standard for conferences. His whinging and sense of entitlement is a load of bollocks though, and the price gouging of food will have left a sour taste for many. If he wants traffic management he can pay for it. If he wants gardai escorts he can pay for them. He wants too much for nothing, and that is where the issues lie.

gandalf

WarZ wrote: »

Ah come on they're not babies who need their hands held. If I was going to fork out thousands to attend an event I would be agreeing in advance the space given to me and would be enquiring as to how many other start ups would be attending etc.

These are from the comments on one of the linked articles earlier in the thread.

http://tech.eu/features/6244/web-summit-scam-well-ask/

I was one of the startups in 2013 in the Alpha exhibit. I remember going through the emails and interviews to be "accepted" into the Web Summit's Alpha startups. We were then told we would get tons of exposure to investors for only the price of 2 Web Summit tickets ($3500). We also would get one ticket free so we could bring our third co-founder and a free booth to present at. They said the offer would expire in two days, and as a new startup founder who has never gone through this before, I panicked. I used money from my savings to pay for us because our seed money hadn't come in yet.

When we arrived, there were 250 startups in the hot, densely packed room in the back of the exhibition hall. No investors ever entered, I checked every single badge. The internet didn't work so we couldn't demo to anyone. You could barely read the names of the startups on the tiny paper. It was such a joke. Half the startups didn't even last half the day because they knew it was worth it to just walk around and network instead.

Also, you only got a booth on one of the days not two, so in total about 400-500 startups paid that price and went through the same thing. We spent thousands of dollars to go to Web Summit hoping to generate some leads, and instead came home with nothing. There were over a thousand people in attendance, so it was even hard to track down people I knew.

Web Summit's not in the business of supporting startups; they're in the business of extorting startups. I tell every young startup I know now not to attend Web Summit.

4 startups came there from our incubator. All of them were "winners". Nobody told us that there will be 500 more such winners in one exhibition space. We even could not get a morning cup of coffee for our money)) It's almost impossible to get any value from conference where you have combination of people who want to pitch to people who are ready to listen like 100 to 1.

I attended in 2013 and felt totally scammed pretty much immediately upon arrival. Since then its become a joke in the office whenever we get emails from Paddy about his next new thing. His hustle, which is undeniable, would be respected if it actually helped founders and startups.

ame here: we were there last year and really felt nailed, to say the least.

To me it was really the first impression getting there: they screwed us. Just enter the hall where you are going to exhibit and you'll get it: you were not "selected" you're just part of the show and paid quite a lot for it.

The "expo one day-visitor the other" is brilliant in terms of marketing but really not in terms of retention. I mean, they should know it, at some point people speak, they talk to each other. What do you think 200 or 300 startups stacked like that will talk about?

So yes we did it, yes we were disappointed (no real interesting lead or meeting, days lost at work hanging around this totally unwelcome and crowded fair, huge costs when you add up their fee + travel expenses).

And NO, a 1 meter construction wood booth is not appealing, especially with no chair.

We really felt nailed but nevertheless, they wanted us to join for 2015 with a bigger booth.

"Hey, what's a bigger booth, something with real value like Dropbox or Google? Could be great, send us a proposal."

The bigger booth was one of their "cross booth" meaning 1 fourth of a circle, cut by those ugly construction walls, representing 6m2, a high table and 2 or 3 chairs.

Wow, not really the big booth we dreamt, more like a mini-upgrade from the ugly regular booth.

Are you seating now? Do before you read: they asked us $50K for that :-) Startup spirit I believe...

We were just laughing with my marketing teammates when we read the offer, it was just so ridiculous.

They came back anyway with a better proposal, a hefty $30K.

We're quite used with trade shows at Sellsy, it's a good medium for us.

Generally, we spend around $30K for a big (20+ sq. m.), nicely decorated booth in a well recognized tech event where we do business.

These guys are just not understanding that screwing startups and sponsors at the same time is unworthy. They spread the good buzz for a few years like storm, but it could easily go the other way.

As it is for us, we're not going there anymore under their existing terms.

And as in Paddy's own words, it's just like winning the lottery if you do something there.

That's just a small selection from that article. And it's a small selection from numerous sites out there.

Let's put it this way if I sold my employers services in the manner that PC and the WS are marketing and selling theirs I would be fired because it is unethical and not in keeping with the way business is done by Enterprise level organisations.

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

To save the governments face coming up to an election.

This event went from being heralded last year as being fantastic to the country to suddenly being worthless and no loss. Think about that.

Who released the Emails ????

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

I'm not responding to personal abuse. If you want to discuss with me then offer a tangible argument rather than childishly calling me an idiot. Seriously.

Ha thought I hate Muslims ? This is becoming a parody now.

gandalf

WarZ wrote: »

To save the governments face coming up to an election.

This event went from being heralded last year as being fantastic to the country to suddenly being worthless and no loss. Think about that.

Do you honestly think that the Government believe they will save their prospects by throwing PC to the dogs?

Anyway they didn't throw him to the dogs. He did it to himself. He was unprofessional and ultimately has been found to be a hypocrite and to be telling porkies.

The Corinthian

WarZ wrote: »

To save the governments face coming up to an election.

So I take it everyone complaining here is a FG supporter? OK...

...let's roll with this line of logic. What is your relationship with the Web Summit or any of its principles?

WarZ

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Ha thought I hate Muslims ? This is becoming a parody now.

You are constantly complaining about Muslims and Islam. That isn't personal abuse that is a fact. Go through your own posts.

Now if you excuse me I'm responding to more serious posters. If I have time I'll respond to your 'arguments'

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

You are constantly complaining about Muslims and Islam. That isn't personal abuse that is a fact. Go through your own posts.

Now if you excuse me I'm responding to more serious posters. If I have time I'll respond to your 'arguments'

No I am not. You have had time to read 10 k ?

WarZ

The Corinthian wrote: »

So I take it everyone complaining here is a FG supporter? OK...

...let's roll with this line of logic. What is your relationship with the Web Summit or any of its principles?

No they are just parroting what the media is churning out. The WS was a god send this time last year

darkpagandeath

WarZ wrote: »

No they are just parroting what the media is churning out. The WS was a god send this time last year

And while one is at is Please remind us all who released the Emails ?