The Valencian tech sector had a strong presence at 4YFN 2025, the leading event for startups within MWC Barcelona. 4YFN serves as the main meeting point for entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, and institutions—a space where startups can connect, innovate, and scale their projects on the international stage.
Over the course of three days, more than 100,000 attendees, investors, and industry experts gathered at MWC to explore the trends shaping the future of technology, discover new investment opportunities, and foster networking among key players in the sector.
One of the highlights of 4YFN for the sector was the presentation of the ‘Valencia DANA Project’. The initiative was unveiled on Tuesday, March 4, at the Valencia Innovation Capital stand, hosted by the Valencia City Council, and aims to position the city as a leading hub for innovation and digital entrepreneurship in Europe.
The project is the result of an alliance between Startup Valencia and e-Residency, the Estonian government’s program for global entrepreneurs, in collaboration with the Valencia and Tallinn City Councils. It seeks startups developing innovative solutions to mitigate the impact of natural disasters, with a particular focus on climate resilience, smart infrastructure, and emergency management.
The initiative includes a hackathon in Tallinn (May 20-21) as part of the Latitude59 event, followed by a real-world implementation phase in Valencia. Selected solutions will receive financial and technical support to be tested in an urban environment. The winning startup will have the opportunity to showcase its project at VDS 2025, taking place on October 22-23 at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, in front of a global audience of investors, corporates, and tech industry leaders.
A packed agenda of activities and discussions
Startup Valencia actively participated in various panel discussions addressing key topics related to the growth and consolidation of the tech sector.
On the first day of the event, Nacho Mas, CEO of Startup Valencia, joined the roundtable discussion “Supporting Growth Companies from Regional Hubs”, organized by CaixaBank DayOne. This session, which also featured representatives from the Aragón Emprende Foundation and the European Center for Business and Innovation of Navarra, analyzed strategies for supporting startups within different local ecosystems.
That same day, Startup Valencia, one of the 12 facilitating agents representing the Valencian tech sector at the Valencia Innovation Capital Stand, presented its support program for startups and entrepreneurs.
The March 4 session kicked off with the “Women Tech Talks” panel, moderated by Marta Gironés, Account Executive at Startup Valencia. She led a discussion between Paula González, CEO of Blue Bamboo, and Macarena Aguirre, CEO of MAE Sports & Education.
Another key session was “The Next Big Thing in Valencia”, featuring speakers such as Aldebarán Bermell, CEO of Emendu; Amaia Rodríguez, co-CEO of Gravity Wave; Mario García-Granero, CEO of Feending; and Ángela Castelló, CRO of Startup Valencia.
Additionally, the “The Rise of Entrepreneurs & Innovators” panel brought together David Rosa, CEO of Valencia Innovation Capital; Ricardo Marvao, co-founder of Beta-i; and Nacho Mas, who discussed the key factors shaping the European startup ecosystem.
International connections and global positioning
As part of the event, Startup Valencia took part in the “Barcelona Networking Breakfast”, an initiative that promoted networking and collaboration between the Valencian and Dutch tech ecosystems, strengthening synergies and exploring new international cooperation opportunities.
Throughout 4YFN, Startup Valencia supported startups and scaleups from the Valencian Community at the Valencia Innovation Capital Stand—a space that served as a showcase for Valencia’s innovative potential and its startups. Here, attendees could learn about the advantages the city offers for business establishment, as well as the investment opportunities available in the region.
