Santander strengthens its commitment to the Valencian innovation ecosystem in the seventh edition of VDS

Santander continues to support the Valencian innovation ecosystem by becoming the Diamond Sponsor of the seventh edition of VDS, one of the most important international tech events in Southern Europe. This platform transforms Valencia into a global tech hub on October 23rd and 24th at the City of Arts and Sciences.  

This collaboration highlights the bank’s commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship, while also providing a significant opportunity for the region’s tech projects. By renewing its role as Diamond Sponsor, Santander will enhance its presence at VDS, adding value to the more than 12,000 professionals from 100 different countries that Startup Valencia, the event’s organizer, expects to gather.  

This marks the second year that the financial institution has chosen to invest in the visibility and international growth of VDS. In the previous edition, Santander sponsored the Innovation Stage, where prominent figures such as Vala Afshar, Chief Digital Evangelist at Salesforce, and Ángel Rivera, former CEO of Santander Spain, took part. Discussions on this stage revolved around global trends in innovation and technology, and their impact on businesses and companies.

Support fot entrepreneurship

Banco Santander offers a variety of tools and resources specifically designed for entrepreneurs through its Santander Startup platform. This initiative provides support at every stage of business development, offering everything from financing and banking products to personalized advice. Additionally, Santander X, the Group’s global platform, supports companies across 11 countries in their growth at different stages: from launching a business project to scaling a startup/scaleup or transforming a business.  

The new edition of the Santander X Spain Award | Startup & Scaleup, a program that promotes high-impact Spanish startups and scaleups, will hold its final on October 23rd during VDS2024, awarding €65,000 among the six winners.  

Juan Luis Hortelano, president of Startup Valencia, highlighted the importance of Santander’s continued support, stating, “This commitment reaffirms the potential of VDS as one of the most important tech events in Europe, positions Valencia as a global hub, and strengthens its international standing.”

Seventh edition of VDS

Artificial intelligence and sustainability are some of the key topics that will be discussed at VDS2024. Under the theme ‘Embracing evolution: Invest in the leaders of tomorrow’, the seventh edition of VDS will also focus part of its agenda on sustainability, health, women in technology, the future of work, and the next generation of the audiovisual industry.

To address these topics, the international tech event will bring together world-class experts, as well as leaders from startups, scaleups, investors, and top corporations. Additionally, the importance of Valencia being named the European Green Capital for 2024 will be reflected in a dedicated forum at VDS’s Green Stage, held in collaboration with the European Commission and the Valencia City Council. This space will feature international experts discussing the role of the innovation ecosystem in finding solutions that promote a greener, more sustainable city. Moreover, the forum will highlight all the opportunities and advantages that Valencia offers as a representative of sustainability in 2024.

VDS2024 aims to surpass the record-breaking numbers of previous editions. The seventh edition is expected to attract more than 700 investors managing assets worth over €200 billion, along with the participation of more than 600 renowned speakers and over 2,500 startups.