Driving Innovation: Valencia solidifies its status as a key player in Europe’s tech scene (Sponsored)

The eighth edition of VDS brought the global tech community together in the City of Arts and Sciences, turning Valencia into the focal point of European innovation. Over two days, the event gathered more than 12,000 founders, investors, and business leaders from 120 countries under the theme “Collaborate Today. Transform Tomorrow.” Organised by Startup Valencia, VDS 2025 showcased how collaboration, purpose, and technology can drive positive impact across industries and borders.

A record-breaking gathering of global innovators

This year’s summit set a new milestone for international participation, with 45% of attendees coming from abroad, a 41% increase compared to 2024. More than 3,000 startups, 1,500 corporations, and 800 investors managing over €300 billion in assets joined a program that featured 600 speakers across seven themed stages. From DeepTech and AI to sustainability, health, and space innovation, the sessions explored how Europe can lead the next decade of technological progress.

Innovation with a human heart

The 2025 edition was inspired by the solidarity shown after Storm DANA, which hit Valencia in 2024. Reflecting on how the local tech community responded with initiatives such as DANA Help and Adopt a School, Juan Luis Hortelano, President of Startup Valencia, said the experience proved that innovation can be both resilient and compassionate.

This human-first perspective was present throughout the event. Scientist and entrepreneur Pilar Mateo presented “Women Paint Too”, an initiative encouraging women to transform challenges into creativity. Diversity, inclusion, and sustainability were recurring themes, with more than one-third of speakers being women and many sessions dedicated to social and environmental progress.

Global voices and bold ideas

VDS 2025 hosted an extraordinary mix of global innovators and cultural figures. Actor and investor Kelly Rutherford spoke about aligning purpose and business, while former England captain Sol Campbell shared insights on leadership and resilience. Longevity researcher Aubrey de Grey discussed advances in rejuvenation science, and Minh Le, creator of Counter-Strike, reflected on the evolution of gaming and digital creativity.

Unicorn founders from Creditas, Glovo, Remote, letgo, Mews, Exoticca, Qonto, and ElevenLabs joined leaders from Booking.com, Adyen, and Just Eat Takeaway.com to illustrate Europe’s capacity to build and scale globally relevant startups. Gillian Tans (Booking.com), Sacha Michaud (Glovo), and Enrique Linares (letgo, Plus Partners) offered practical insights into what it takes to grow from early stage to global scale. Ana Peleteiro (Preply) explored how artificial intelligence is transforming education through a “human first, AI-enabled” approach.

AI, DeepTech and smarter scaling

Artificial intelligence was one of the central themes of the summit. Christian Teichmann (Burda Principal Investments) and Iñaki Berenguer (LifeX Ventures, Coverwallet) examined how AI is reshaping investment, healthcare, and innovation infrastructure. Blockchain, cybersecurity, and defence were also in focus, highlighting Europe’s growing influence across emerging technologies.

Scalability Day, organised by Adigital and EsTech with the support of ICEX, brought together international founders and investors to share lessons on sustainable growth. The event highlighted 22 European scaleups achieving annual growth above 20%, underlining the maturity and ambition of Europe’s tech ecosystem.

Valencia’s growing tech momentum

During the opening ceremony, Mayor Mª José Catalá announced that the City Council will continue supporting VDS for two more years, calling the summit a defining moment in Valencia’s rise as a European tech capital. The renewed partnership between Startup Valencia and Estonia’s e-Residency programme further deepened cross-border cooperation across Europe’s digital ecosystems.

The Valencian Startup Observatory 2025 report confirmed this momentum. The region now counts 1,689 active startups, up 11.3% year on year, with €160 million raised in 2025, a 66% increase over 2024. More than 70% of Valencian startups secured investment this year, solidifying the city’s reputation as one of Europe’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial communities.

Celebrating excellence and impact

Innovation and collaboration took centre stage at the VDS International Startup Competition, where Spacebackend from Luxembourg and Zibra AI from Ukraine were named winners in the Early and Growth Stage categories. Special recognition went to Marina de Empresas for its post-DANA recovery project “Alcem-se,” to Espai Aero CV for advancing aerospace innovation, and to Iñaki Berenguer, who received the VDS 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award for his global entrepreneurial impact.

Institutional and corporate backing

VDS 2025 was backed by Banco Santander as the main sponsor, Valencia Innovation Capital as the host partner, and the e-Residency of Estonia as the partnering country. A broad alliance of partners, including Wayra Telefónica, EY, Fundación LAB, CaixaBank DayOne, PowerCo, Volkswagen Group Services, IBM, OVHcloud, Mobile World Capital, Bit2Me, Adigital, EsTech, Opentop (Valenciaport), and MAPFRE, played a vital role in the event’s success. Key technology partners such as Microsoft, Amazon, Google for Startups, and HubSpot for Startups further amplified the summit’s international reach.

VDS’s Strong Institutional Support and European Recognition

Valencia Digital Summit (VDS) received backing from key institutional supporters, such as Spain’s Ministry of Industry and Tourism, the Generalitat Valenciana, ICEX, CDTI, ENISA, Renfe, and prominent universities. This robust support solidified VDS’s position as a leading innovator in Europe, setting a benchmark for technology and innovation.

Europe’s Emphasis on Collaboration

In her closing remarks at the summit, Spain’s Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, emphasized the power of collective effort in driving progress. She stated, “VDS exemplifies the impact of European innovators joining forces to accelerate ideas that benefit society.” With enhanced partnerships, increased participation, and notable advancements in sustainability and inclusivity, VDS 2025 showcased Europe’s commitment to collaborative innovation, with Valencia leading the charge.