2025 will be marked as a turning point in technological investment in startups in Valencia and in its technological evolution. It has not only been a year of record figures, but also the year in which the city has consolidated itself as a mature hub, with a growing international community, a more sophisticated entrepreneurial ecosystem and a volume of operations that shows that Valencia’s attractiveness is already on par with Europe’s most dynamic hubs. The leap is not only quantitative, but also qualitative, positioning the Valencian territory in a completely new phase of international visibility, technological innovation capacity and industrial impact.
At a national level, Spain closed 2025 with €3.17 billion invested in startups, according to data published by El Referente. The country thus maintains an upward trend driven by artificial intelligence, biotechnology, energy and deep technologies. The mega-rounds recorded in 2025 have placed Spain among the continent’s most active markets and have helped raise activity levels in regional hubs such as Valencia, which benefits from this context of technological and investment consolidation and from the growth of technological investment in startups in Valencia.
The Valencian Community records its best year ever in capital attraction
In this favourable national scenario, the Valencian Community has registered its best year on record. With €237 million invested across 36 operations, the region reaches an unprecedented volume, consolidating itself as the third Spanish hub by investment volume, only behind Madrid and Barcelona, and accounting for approximately a quarter of all accumulated investment since data began to be monitored in this field. This figure confirms a sustained growth that can no longer be interpreted as a one-off event, but as a structural trend strengthening Valencia’s position on Spain’s technological map.
This investment dynamism is accompanied by a significant expansion of the talent community. Startup Valencia closed 2025 with more than 48,000 connected professionals, an increase of 36% compared to the previous year. The internationalisation of the sector continues to rise, with more than 360 foreign profiles joining local innovative activity. Valencia no longer only retains talent; it attracts it. And this capacity to attract professionals acts as a driver of sophistication for startups, scaleups and corporations with global ambitions.
Beyond volume, 2025 has been particularly relevant due to the strategic nature of the operations. Although the year was not marked by emblematic exits, it did stand out for the entry of large corporations into the capital of Valencian startups. This type of movement is a clear indicator of sector maturity, as corporations participate not only for financial interest, but to integrate strategic innovation into real industrial challenges.
Among the most significant operations is that of Darwin Bioprospecting, a spin-off of the Universitat de València specialising in bioprospecting. Repsol acquired 21.4 percent of the company, incorporating it into its biotechnology and energy transition strategy. The operation demonstrates that the science developed in Valencia is aligned with the major industrial and environmental challenges of today.
The other highlighted case is FYLA, a photonics deeptech company specialising in laser communications and based in Valencia. Indra, one of Spain’s leading technology companies, acquired 24.8%, strengthening its commitment to advanced technologies in defence, communications and critical systems. The entry of an actor of this calibre projects the industrial capacity of the Valencian technological ecosystem.
These operations reflect a profound shift: Valencia is no longer seen as an emerging environment, but as a technological innovation hub capable of generating technologies that attract global corporations.
A sector that has already proven its ability to generate success
Although 2025 was not marked by major local exits, it is worth recalling that the Valencian Community has already produced some of the most relevant success stories in Spanish entrepreneurship. The case of Flywire, with its NASDAQ listing, remains the most emblematic milestone to emerge from the region. Added to this are significant operations such as the acquisition of Blinkfire Analytics by Moody’s, the IPO of Cuatroochenta on BME Growth, the integration of CloudAppi into the international group SoftwareOne, or partial divestments in companies such as Quibim and Zeleros through the entry of new strategic partners. Alongside the progress of PLD Space, Voicemod, Sales Layer or Sesame HR, these transactions demonstrate a real capacity to generate global projects, attract capital and create sustained value over time.
Current indicators suggest that Valencia is entering a new growth phase, marked by a greater prominence of science-based startups, the consolidation of deeptech, the strengthening of local funds and an increase in international connections. The city maintains increasingly fluid relationships with European hubs such as Lisbon, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Amsterdam, Munich, Rotterdam or The Hague, and with American hubs such as Miami and Medellín. This network facilitates talent mobility, the generation of commercial opportunities and the arrival of global capital.
2026: a year set to accelerate strategic operations and international projection
Everything points to 2026 continuing to reinforce this growth momentum. The growing interest of European and American corporations in the technology developed in the Valencian Community, together with the progressive maturity of the sector, anticipates a year in which strategic operations, growth rounds and open innovation agreements will become increasingly common. Today, the Valencian entrepreneurial environment boasts a solid international community, expanding scientific startups and an investment network combining local funds with international investors.
Valencia therefore finds itself at a critical point in its technological evolution. The talent arriving in the city, the technologies developed in universities and laboratories, the connection with industry and the growing flow of capital create a scenario that invites expectations of a decade of sustained expansion.
Valencia consolidates itself as one of Europe’s most relevant technological hubs
If 2025 was its best year for technological investment, 2026 could become the year in which Valencia makes the definitive leap into the group of Europe’s reference hubs. The figures support this, corporate operations confirm it, and the sector’s international projection reveals a phase of structural acceleration.
Valencia combines global talent, strategic technology, growing investment and an increasingly international entrepreneurial community. This set of ingredients places the region at a historic moment for its technological development. It is no longer a matter of circumstantial growth, but of a structural consolidation of technological investment in startups in Valencia that positions the city as a relevant player in the future of European technological innovation.
