VDS 2025 has cemented its position as the international technology event where the future of innovation is defined, bringing together 12,000 global leaders, investors and founders. The event transforms Valencia into the world capital of technological innovation and entrepreneurship. Now in its eighth edition, held today and tomorrow at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, VDS brings together more than 3,000 startups, 1,500 corporations, and 800 investors with over €300 billion in assets under management.
VDS 2025 once again surpasses records for international participation, with 45% of attendees arriving from more than 120 countries, representing a 41% increase over 2024.
More than 600 speakers, including founders of 300 international startups that have raised over €8.5 billion in funding, will take the stage across seven venues (three of them floating on the lake). Under the theme “Collaborate Today. Transform Tomorrow” and the concept of Symbiosis as its narrative thread, VDS 2025 invites a shared reflection on how technology, when aligned with human purpose, can deliver tangible solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
People at the Heart of Innovation
The spirit of solidarity and collaboration shown after the floods caused by Storm DANA in 2024 sets the tone for this year’s edition. As Juan Luis Hortelano, President of Startup Valencia, remarked, “That experience reminded us of the urgent need to act through innovation and collaboration to build more resilient and sustainable cities.”
The event opened with a tribute video to those affected by the DANA floods. Hortelano recalled initiatives launched by the tech ecosystem, such as DANA Help and Adopt a School, which mobilized startups, institutions, and civil society, raising nearly €1 million in direct and indirect aid. “That experience taught us that resilience must not be limited to reaction, it has to be built into the very design of how we innovate,” he said.
Sustainability and diversity are central themes across panels and talks, emphasizing collaboration between startups, institutions, and corporations to tackle social and climate challenges. The winning project of the Hack the Future international hackathon, organized by Estonia’s e-Residency program and Startup Valencia, together with the municipalities of Tallinn and Valencia, was unveiled during the event.
Pilar Mateo, scientist, entrepreneur and VP of Impact at Startup Valencia, presented the Woman Paint Too initiative, which encourages women to turn adversity into action and invention into hope. Artist Vesna González created a live painting that welcomed the institutional delegation upon their arrival.
Across the seven VDS stages, discussions explore key global technology trends, from smart cities, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and space & defense to next-generation consumer tech, talent and the future of work, health and longevity, the energy transition, and deeptech. All themes are approached from a cross-sector, collaborative perspective that fosters connections between startups, corporations, investors, and institutions.
The Keys to Scaling Startups
VDS 2025 features a series of panels and networking sessions designed to help startups gain the insights and tools they need to scale successfully.
Hollywood actress Kelly Rutherford, alongside Benjamin Buthmann (Koalo) and Sam Eshrati (TechBBQ), discussed aligning personal purpose with professional ambition. Gillian Tans (former CEO of Booking.com) and Ingrid Tappin shared strategies for scaling people-centered companies in today’s business landscape.
Sacha Michaud, co-founder of Glovo, joined Enrique Linares (Plus Partners, letgo) for the talk “The Real Road to Unicorn: Grit, Chaos and Everything in Between.” Pablo Fernández (Clidrive), Sergio Furió (Creditas), and Paloma Vila (Endeavor Spain) also shared their experiences on growth and reinvesting success. Meanwhile, Minh Le, co-creator of Counter-Strike, reflected on the creation of one of the most influential video games in history.
In a session on diversity, equity, and inclusion, Ella McCann-Tomlin (Mews), Terence Guiamo (Just Eat), and Olivia McEvoy (Booking.com), moderated by Ingrid Tappin (Diverse Leaders in Tech), discussed how DEI policies shape company strategy and talent retention.
For the first time in Spain, VDS brings together the founders of eight unicorns valued at over $1 billion: Creditas, Glovo, Remote, letgo, Mews, Exoticca, Qonto, and ElevenLabs. Also participating are three former unicorns now listed global tech giants, Booking.com, Just Eat, and Adyen, along with 22 European scaleups growing more than 20% annually and over 25 international corporations including Microsoft, LinkedIn, IBM, PowerCo, Mapfre, Volkswagen, Amazon, Google, HubSpot, Hitachi, Just Eat, Booking.com, EHang, and Hexaware Technologies.
Official Opening Ceremony
Valencia Mayor Mª José Catalá, Ruth Merino (Regional Minister of Finance and Economy), and Javier Gallardo (Territorial Director of Banco Santander for Valencia–Murcia) took part in the official inauguration of VDS at midday. After the official photo and tour of the exhibitor area, they joined Pilar Mateo, Juan Luis Hortelano, and Nacho Mas, President and CEO of Startup Valencia, on stage for a discussion.
Mayor Catalá highlighted that this international technology event places Valencia ahead of Madrid and Barcelona, announcing that the City Council will continue supporting VDS for two more years. During the ceremony, María Marced received the VDS City of Valencia Honorary Award for her outstanding contribution to the tech ecosystem.
The Regional Minister for Innovation, Industry, Trade, and Tourism also toured the exhibition area later in the morning.
Thematic Forums
Opentop brought together global leaders in port innovation at VDS 2025 for the third Port Entrepreneurship International Congress (PEIC). The session began with a dialogue between Mar Chao, President of the Port Authority of Valencia, and Antonio Torregrosa, CEO of Fundación Valenciaport, discussing the international impact of logistics innovation originating from Valenciaport.
The program features top-level keynotes from Grant Brown (Hitachi) and Nil Angli (European Space Agency).
The aerospace and defense sectors also take center stage, with a forum promoted by the Generalitat Valenciana. Taking place this afternoon, the session brings together innovators, startups, and institutions to explore how emerging technologies and cross-sector collaboration drive innovation, sustainability, and security on a global scale.
Upcoming Sessions
Later today, Emanuele de Leonardis (Cathay Innovation), Fridtjof Berge (Antler), and Alejandro Rodríguez (IDC Ventures) will discuss investment strategies.
The 10 finalists of the VDS International Startup Competition (TaxDown, SPHERICAL, Arkadia Space, Kreios Space, Spendbase, Latitudo 40, Zibra AI, Altum Sequencing, Spacebackend, and CETO Innovation) will also pitch their projects this afternoon, selected from more than 1,200 applications across 84 countries.
The jury, comprising Sebastien Lefebvre (Elaia), Manal Belaouane (HV Capital), Ramzi Rock (Work in Progress Capital), Iryna Krepchuk (Trind Ventures), and Javier Megias (Startup Valencia), will choose winners in the Early Stage and Growth Stage categories, to be announced tomorrow.
The Santander X Spain Awards ceremony will also take place this afternoon on the Santander Stage.
On October 23, artificial intelligence will take center stage with “AI as the New Infrastructure: Investing Beyond the Hype” by Christian Teichmann (Burda Principal Investments). Volodymyr Nosov (WhiteBIT) will address the role of blockchain as the foundation of the new digital economy. Former Premier League champion Sol Campbell will join a conversation on resilience and success, while Hugo Arévalo (ThePowerMBA) and Luis Garay (Samaipata) will lead a panel on evaluating investor fit.
World-renowned longevity researcher Aubrey de Grey will present “Taking Rejuvenation Research to Escape Velocity”, followed by Ana Peleteiro (Preply) discussing the future of AI-powered personalized education. Laura Urquizu (Red Points) will lead a cybersecurity session, and Iñaki Berenguer (LifeX Ventures, Coverwallet) will share his perspective on Europe’s role in global innovation in a discussion moderated by Mounia Berrada-Gouzi.
Meanwhile, Gwen Kolader (Hexaware Technologies) will address inclusive leadership in international contexts on the Santander Stage, and Scalability Day— organized by Adigital and EsTech —will gather founders, investors, and experts to exchange strategies and success stories on business growth.
Support from Leading Corporations and Institutions
This year, VDS is supported by Banco Santander as main sponsor, Valencia Innovation Capital of the City of Valencia as host partner, and Estonia’s e-Residency program as the event’s partnering country. Numerous technology companies, startups, and organizations also serve as strategic partners, contributing to the event’s global reach and success, including Wayra Telefónica, EY, Fundación LAB, CaixaBank DayOne, PowerCo, Volkswagen, IBM, OVHcloud, Mobile World Capital, Bit2Me, Adigital, EsTech, Opentop (Valenciaport), and MAPFRE. Among the technology partners supporting the event are Microsoft, Amazon, Google for Startups, and HubSpot for Startups.
VDS 2025 continues to enjoy the backing of key institutions that consolidate its reputation as an international benchmark for innovation and technology, including Spain’s Ministry of Industry and Tourism, the Generalitat Valenciana, the Valencian Institute of Finance (IVF), the City of Arts and Sciences, TechFabLab, University of Valencia, Scientific Parks of UV, UMH, and UPV, ENISA, CDTI, ICEX, Renfe, and the Autonomous City of Melilla.
Together, they strengthen Valencia’s position as a global innovation hub and a leading space for the exchange of ideas, talent, and technological solutions.
