In the Valencian tech and innovation ecosystem, November marks the first month of the post-VDS calendar. Following two days of a packed agenda featuring over 70 hours of engaging talks, presentations and networking sessions at the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia, coupled with more than 40 Side Events, it is almost surreal to believe that there is life beyond. This sixth edition of VDS not only met but surpassed all expectations, boasting a turnout of 12,000 professionals from 91 countries. The event featured 500 speakers, attracted over 600 international investors with a combined investment portfolio exceeding €8 billion, and showcased the projects of 2,200 startups.
Underlining the significance of this gathering as a leading international tech event in Europe, Ismael Vargas, Senior Growth Analyst at Startup Valencia, actively participated in Event Tech Live in London on the 17th of November, sharing insights into the tools Startup Valencia used to organise the event.
However, life has indeed continued, and the momentum of activities in the tech and entrepreneurial sphere has not waned. Just last Thursday, we celebrated the VLC Startup Awards, in which the President of Startup Valencia, Juan Luis Hortelano, extended a warm welcome to attendees and presented the Best Entrepreneur award to Fernando Pérez from AUNOA. The other winners included ARTHEx Biotech (Best Startup), EBHealth3 (Best Seed Startup), Mc Reif (Software), Mendel Brain (Health / Wellbeing / Medtech /Sportstech), Liight (Industry 4.0/Logistics/Mobility), Persiskin (Cleantech/Energy/Sustainability/Impact), World Challenge Gaming (Gaming/Entertainment/eSports), Concierge Friend (Traveltech/Tourism), Mediterranean Agro Technologies (Fashion/Textile/Design), ImpactE (Govtech/Smart Cities), Organic Boosting (Foodtech/Agrotech), Inversiva (Fintech/Insurtech/Legaltech) and Evolving Therapeutics (Triple Impact).
Continuing with the reflections on VDS2023, the 29th featured the Artificial Intelligence Day, VDS Side Event organised in collaboration with Startup Valencia. Nacho Mas and Ángela Castelló, CEO and Head of Partnerships of Startup Valencia respectively, were present to gain insights into real success stories of companies leveraging artificial intelligence as a differentiating factor. This use of AI not only increases their competitiveness but also provides opportunities for other companies to develop business solutions based on the latest technologies associated with artificial intelligence.
On the 9th, we hosted the Llamp Tech Transfer Demo Day, showcasing the projects that have successfully completed the Llamp Tech Transfer programme. These projects had an exhibition space at VDS2023.
In the midst of what seems to have been award season, we made sure not to miss the Llamp 3i Awards ceremony on the 6th of November. This initiative, promoted by GVA Innovación with the coordination of the CEEI network, had Karina Virrueta, head of Innovation Ecosystem, as a member of the jury. She also contributed as a participant in the pitch competition of the 3rd edition of #FoundersDayMadrid on the 22nd. Diego Ferragud, head of Operations at Startup Valencia, took on the role of jury member at the 17th edition of the IDEAS UPV Awards on the 13th of November. The following day, Ferragud participated in the ‘V Congreso Emprendimiento e Innovación Territorial CV‘ organised by CEEI, taking part in the round table discussion on the new Startups Law.
Nor did we miss the VLC Tech Xperience, a tech and innovation festival held on the 11th of November, in which Karina Virrueta played a key role in the round table discussion titled ‘VLC Tech City, Valencia as a tech and innovation hub‘. Furthermore, on the 13th, Karina participated in the kick-off session of the ‘España Latam Scale up‘ programme, organised by ICEX-Invest in Spain, BID Lab and Endeavor. On the 15th, she was part of the 3rd edition of #ENCUENTROS D+I, an event organised by ‘Disruptores e Innovadores’ (Disruptors and Innovators) and Valencia Activa that brought together universities, startups and journalists to discuss generative AI. Karina also represented us at ‘Entrepreneurship in Xàtiva: Challenges and Opportunities‘, a gathering organised in collaboration with the City Council of Xàtiva. The event featured entrepreneurs and experts sharing their experiences in entrepreneurship and how the growth of the Valencian entrepreneurial ecosystem has influenced their projects and careers. They focused mostly on the early stages of a startup: the Seed and Pre-Seed stages.
Thanks to our collaboration with Feria Valencia, from the 14th to 16th of November, ten of our startups showcased their most innovative projects in the energy and sustainability sectors at ENERGY GLOBAL EXPO & CONGRESS (EGEC), the Energy and Energy Transition Fair, and at Ecofira.
On the 16th of November, we attended the 7th QuieroCorredor Business Event and 2nd Biannual Check-up, which brought together 1,800 entrepreneurs and representatives of civil society at IFEMA (Madrid). We concluded the week with the celebration of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, a significant occasion in the Valencian tech and innovation ecosystem which, according to El Referente, is the third leading in Spain in terms of the number of startups founded by women.
We travelled to Barcelona on the 20th to personally extend our congratulations to our partner, BStartup, on its tenth anniversary. Upon our return to Valencia, we celebrated the second anniversary of Invest in Valencia and the remarkable 20th anniversary of Fundación ValenciaPort.
Nacho Mas took the stage on the 23rd of November at the 2nd Economic Forum of the Valencia Region, participating in the round table discussion titled ‘The Great Technological Challenges‘. Additionally, he took part in the event ‘The Challenges of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Valencia‘, organised by El Mundo, Expansión and Unidad Editorial on the 28th of November, with the collaboration of BBVA Spark and Startup Valencia. The discussion revolved around the status of Valencia as one of the primary entrepreneurial ecosystems at both the national and international levels.
At this exhilarating pace, we approach the final month of the year already reflecting on the goals and positive intentions we have outlined for 2024.
