In recent years, the map of technological innovation in Europe has begun to be reshaped. Capital, talent and technology-driven projects are no longer concentrated solely in traditional hubs, but are instead seeking environments capable of combining global ambition, operational efficiency and real execution capacity. In this context, Valencia has ceased to be a promise and has become a Valencian startup ecosystem in Europe that competes, head-to-head, with other European hubs in the creation and scaling of technology companies.
What is happening in Valencia is not the result of an optimistic narrative or a collection of isolated initiatives. It is the outcome of consistent data, relevant investment rounds and strategic decisions by founders and investors that place the Valencian startup ecosystem in Europe in a new category within the European startup landscape.
A record year that changes perceptions of Valencia’s tech sector
According to data published by El Referente, Spain closed the last financial year with €3.17 billion invested in startups, consolidating sustained growth at a national level.
In this context, the Valencian Community recorded its best year ever in startup investment, with €237 million raised across 36 deals, representing 19% year-on-year growth and a 26% increase over the historical total of the technology ecosystem. Beyond absolute volume, Valencia’s tech sector is beginning to demonstrate its ability to sustain larger rounds and support companies at later stages, a key indicator of maturity.
This change in scale follows a recognisable pattern seen in ecosystems that consolidate their position in Europe. Fewer opportunistic deals, a stronger focus on companies with clearly defined product, market and international ambition, and a natural selection process that rewards projects with real execution capacity.
Large funding rounds confirm ecosystem maturity
The past year has been marked by transactions that act as clear market signals. The Series A round of Quibim, worth $50 million, became one of the largest deals of the year in the field of artificial intelligence applied to healthcare in Southern Europe. Beyond the figure itself, the operation confirms that companies can be scaled from Valencia in the deeptech space with clinical impact and global reach.
This was followed by the Series A round of Maisa, raising $25 million, focused on developing advanced artificial intelligence solutions for complex enterprise environments. Its closing reinforces a clear trend: Valencia’s technology ecosystem is beginning to attract capital willing to back highly complex technological projects from early stages, with international ambition from the outset.
iPronics, a Valencian startup pioneering photonic computing, raised €20 million in a Series A led by Triatomic Capital, with participation from Fine Structure Ventures, Bosch Ventures, Amadeus Capital Partners and Criteria Venture Tech. The funding will accelerate the deployment of its Optical Networking Engine (ONE) in AI data centres, enabling fast, scalable and high-bandwidth communication for next-generation artificial intelligence infrastructure.
In the energy transition space, Matteco closed a €15 million funding round to scale deeptech solutions linked to green hydrogen. This illustrates how Valencia’s innovation ecosystem is beginning to combine science, industry and capital in next-generation industrial projects, an area traditionally dominated by far more established hubs.
Also noteworthy are the €6 million round raised by Vidext, focused on generative video artificial intelligence, alongside the capital increase of Internxt in digital privacy and cloud, and the seed round of Kimera in AI applied to e-commerce.
Not all rounds carry the same weight, but taken together they outline a clear pattern. Valencia not only generates startups; it is increasingly concentrating technology scaleups capable of competing in international markets, attracting specialised talent and raising rounds comparable in size to those seen in other European ecosystems at a similar stage of consolidation.
Founders choosing Valencia to build for the long term
This context explains why more and more founders are not only landing in Valencia, but are choosing to build here for the long term. This is not a matter of narrative, but of operational and strategic decisions that are often explicitly reflected in public statements linked to funding and growth milestones.
In the case of Quibim, its CEO and co-founder Ángel Alberich Bayarri linked the company’s momentum to its international projection, stating: “Our global expansion into the United States is a key milestone.”
In the energy transition field, Iker Marcaide, CEO and co-founder of Matteco, expressed it from an industrial scaling perspective rooted in the territory: “The idea is to accelerate to an industrial scale from Valencia and create a pioneer, a leader in new materials for the decarbonisation of the planet.”
And in applied AI for business, Jon Enríquez, CEO and co-founder of Vidext, summarised the company’s leap with a direct statement on technological capability from the city: “In just three years, we have proven that world-class technology can be built from Valencia.”
Christian Dupont, CEO of iPronics, is another example of how technological innovation developed within Valencia’s startup ecosystem has global impact. In the context of the funding round, he stated that “iPronics’ technology will enable the expansion of GPU domains with fast optical interconnects, increasing computing capacity and providing low latency, and that this capital injection will accelerate the market deployment of next-generation AI infrastructure solutions.”
Taken together, these statements are not isolated testimonials, but rather the confirmation of a structural shift. Valencia has become an environment where tech founders can develop products, attract investment and build global companies from a competitive and sustainable base.
The international community as a competitive advantage
One of the most significant changes in Valencia’s technology ecosystem has been the consolidation of its international profile. This evolution is supported by public data. According to figures from the National Statistics Institute and the Valencia City Council, the foreign population registered in the city has grown by more than 35% over the past five years, exceeding 130,000 residents.
This growth has intensified particularly since 2022, with a sustained increase in new registrations from European countries and Latin America. While official statistics do not segment by professional sector, municipal reports and international mobility analyses consistently point to a growing share of highly qualified profiles linked to technology, innovation and the digital economy, attracted by the combination of career opportunities, competitive costs and quality of life.
This is reinforced by Valencia’s recurring positioning in international rankings as a preferred city for tech professionals and digital talent, strengthening its appeal as an operational base for startups and scaleups in growth phases.
International recognition also plays a key role. Valencia’s inclusion by The New York Times in its list of “52 Places to Go in 2026” enhances the city’s global visibility and acts as an interest accelerator for international talent and investors.
VDS as a global showcase for Valencia’s tech ecosystem
Within this internationalisation process, VDS has consolidated itself as one of Europe’s leading technology events. In recent editions, close to 50% of the more than 12,000 attendees have had an international profile, with startups, investors and corporates from over 120 countries.
For Valencia’s tech ecosystem, VDS plays a strategic role. It not only projects local talent outward, but also facilitates high-value connections between Valencian founders and global decision-makers, generating opportunities for investment, commercial partnerships and international expansion without the need to leave the territory.
From a promising ecosystem to a competitive one
The leap Valencia has made is not only quantitative; it is qualitative. The city has evolved from a promising innovation ecosystem into a competitive environment for building and scaling technology companies. Investment figures, large funding rounds, the arrival of international talent and the consolidation of a mature entrepreneurial community all support this shift.
In the new European innovation map, the Valencian startup ecosystem in Europe does not compete with traditional hubs in terms of size or historical trajectory, but through its ability to offer founders an environment where they can build better, scale with purpose and think globally from day one. This is where its true competitive advantage lies.
