The Web Summit is to hire 50 more people as it begins licensing its conference software amid a global shutdown in the physical conferencing business. Paddy Cosgrave’s company has announced a first customer for its licensing scheme, the United Nations Development Programme. The body will use the software later this month for an event in Turkey. The in-person global conferencing business has ground to a halt worldwide and is not expected to recover this year. While Zoom and other online video platforms have stepped in, a handful of online conferencing software systems are beginning to emerge as larger, fit-for-purpose alternatives.