VDS is not just another international tech event. It is a space where something deeper accelerates: conversations that open doors, decisions that reshape careers, and connections that become projects. That same logic is what led to Next Talent, the VDS driven initiative designed to help the next generation get closer to entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation with a demanding, practical mindset grounded in the real world.
Next Talent shortens the distance between emerging talent and the tech ecosystem, not through slogans, but through access. In a landscape where many careers are shaped by exposure, sound judgement, and a strong network, Next Talent sets out a clear ambition: to turn curiosity into a path, and potential into action.
What is Next Talent, and why it starts at VDS
Next Talent is built on a principle that sits at the heart of VDS: the future is not observed from the outside, it is built by taking part. That is why Next Talent works as a gateway between people with drive and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
There are no shortcuts promised here. Instead, something more valuable is offered: context to understand how the sector moves, access to real dynamics, and a community that sustains learning over time. Next Talent is not about abstract inspiration. It is about activating a tangible journey for those who are starting out or reorienting their path towards innovation.
Who Next Talent is for
Next Talent is designed for students, early stage professionals, and people in career transition who want to go beyond the academic lens and get closer to what is happening on the ground. It is for those looking for real references before making decisions, and for an environment that combines ambition with discernment.
Inside the community, titles and CVs matter less than a specific attitude: active curiosity. What matters is the willingness to participate, learn, and understand the ecosystem from within, with an open mindset, a critical eye, and the drive to build.
Next Talent Crew, the first pillar of the initiative
If Next Talent is the framework, Next Talent Crew is its first expression. The entry point. A space where the vision becomes experience, and where being close to the ecosystem stops being a wish and becomes a starting line.
Crew connects talent with opportunities and people. Not as surface level networking, but as a community where participation has continuity and translates into real learning. From experiencing VDS from the inside through volunteering, to exploring opportunities at startups and connecting directly with industry professionals, the Crew is designed for growth to happen in context, not in theory.
Real experiences to understand the tech sector from the inside
There is a decisive difference between observing the tech ecosystem and inhabiting it. Next Talent Crew is built around practical experiences that help you understand how products, teams, and culture are built in the startup world, and how the actors driving innovation connect.
Experiencing VDS from within, for example, reveals what is usually invisible: the real pace of a major international tech event, the coordination, the priorities, and the conversations that matter. That perspective is reinforced through access to opportunities and proximity to professionals already operating in the sector, enabling direct learning and better informed decisions.
A community that continues beyond the event
Next Talent Crew does not end when the event is over. It is designed to stay active throughout the year, connected to what is happening in Valencia and to the main international movements in the sector.
That continuity is built through relevant content, interviews with leading voices, useful resources, and artificial intelligence tools applied to professional development, alongside updates on opportunities, roles, and trends. The goal is not to create noise, but to support with judgement and relevance so that growth is sustained, not occasional.
Benefits and in person meetups that create real connections
Beyond access to experiences and resources, Next Talent Crew includes VDS linked benefits, such as advantages for Next Talent Fest, and a calendar of monthly in person meetups designed to strengthen community.
In times of networking by inertia, the Crew focuses on the quality of relationships: useful conversations, honest connections, and shared learning. Less rapid exchange, more continuity.
Next Talent as a natural extension of VDS impact
With Next Talent, VDS expands its impact in a way that is fully aligned with its vision. If VDS connects the key players in the global tech ecosystem, Next Talent focuses on activating those who will drive it tomorrow. It is a bet on competitiveness, yes, but above all on people: on talent that needs context, a network, and real experiences to thrive.
Because the future is not waited for. It is built. And it starts when you decide to be part of it.
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Become a sponsor or exhibitor
Connect with the international tech ecosystem, increase your visibility and grow your business by meeting new partners, clients and hundreds of potential prospects.
