In a recent announcement on Oct 20, Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, declined an invitation to speak at the upcoming Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon, Portugal. 

The annual event has drawn over 70,000 attendees so far.

Hoskinson explained his decision not to attend. The CEO believes that the technology conference should be more than political platforms. He believes that these evets should serve as forums for sharing groundbreaking ideas and fostering innovation.

Hoskinson spoke about his previous experience at Web Summit, he recalled spending over 20 minutes  defending the cryptocurrency industry against accusations of enabling criminality. 

He emphasized that technology conferences should be spaces where attendees are inspired by the wonder of a promising tomorrow, where great ideas are showcased, and new experiences are shared

Instead, he lamented that the events have devolved into arenas where speakers are forced to justify their industries and where attending is seen as a political statement.

“The magic of technology conferences is supposed to be the wonder of a better tomorrow, great ideas being showcased, and new experiences. Not asking your speakers to explain why they aren’t criminals or now make attending a political statement,” said Hoskinson in his statement.

Rather than accepting the Web Summit speaking slot, Hoskinson has decided to take an alternative route by hosting a five hour “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) session.

While he has not yet given specific details about the timing of the event, it is expected to provide a more open and inclusive platform for dialogue, where the focus will be on technology, innovation and community engagement.

.Also read: Ripple CTO and Cardano Founder Spar Over SEC’s ETH Remarks