During 17 and 18 July, Valencia received a high-level delegation from Munich made up of representatives of Hubert Burda Media, its innovation platform Digital Life Design (DLD) and its investment fund Burda Principal Investments (BPI).
Organised by Startup Valencia, the mission included Christian Teichmann, CEO of BPI; Alessia Sinzger, global director of strategic partnerships at DLD; Mark Fernandes, executive assistant & producer; and Christine Carboni, campaign and mobilisation director of the German CDU. The presence of Steffi Czerny, founder of DLD, was on the official agenda, although she ultimately could not attend for personal reasons.
DLD is a global network of events founded in Germany by Hubert Burda Media. Its flagship event, DLD Conference, is held each year in Munich and brings together tech leaders, investors, startups, creatives and scientists to discuss the future of digital innovation and its impact on society.
The goal of this visit was to strengthen strategic relations between both tech ecosystems, open new co-investment opportunities in Valencian startups and explore the viability of a possible Mediterranean DLD edition. Such an edition would connect Valencia with the international innovation network that DLD already orchestrates in cities such as Tel Aviv, New York, London and Singapore.
During their stay, the delegation held meetings with the Valencia City Council, Invest in Valencia, the Valencia Chamber of Commerce and the management team of Startup Valencia. They also visited strategic sites such as Base 2, La Harinera and Las Naves. The institutional agenda included a working lunch at Veles e Vents and a visit to the City of Arts and Sciences.
A growing tech ecosystem with global projection
The Valencian tech ecosystem continues to gain prominence in the European context. According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2024, Valencia ranks among the 100 most promising emerging ecosystems worldwide, with an estimated value of USD 3.9 billion, more than 1,500 active startups and a notable 34 % female-leadership rate (startups with at least one female co-founder).
Munich, meanwhile, is one of Europe’s most established hubs, valued at over USD 63.7 billion, driven by its focus on deeptech, artificial intelligence and defence technology, as well as scaleups such as Celonis and Helsing.
Juan Luis Hortelano, president of Startup Valencia, stressed: “With our startups, Valencia has the ambition and the capacity to play in Europe’s top innovation league. This visit confirms it and strengthens a shared-vision alliance with strategic players such as DLD and BPI, who represent an innovation model based on European values like diversity, sustainability and knowledge transfer. It encourages us to keep weaving connections that bring investment, visibility and purpose, boosting talent and technology in both directions.”
The visit by the teams of DLD and BPI to Valencia reinforces the city’s international positioning as a southern European tech hub and helps consolidate a shared roadmap with the continent’s leading innovation hubs.
