Valencia once again proved it deserves its reputation as Europe’s capital of innovation. This year’s VDS 2025 gathered over 12,000 participants, 600 speakers, and founders of more than 300 international startups that have already raised €8.5 billion in funding. The conference took over the City of Arts and Sciences, with three stages built right over the water, a fitting symbol of how technology and creativity meet in this city. The main theme this year was “Collaborate Today. Transform Tomorrow.”
From artificial intelligence and blockchain to longevity research and space exploration, VDS 2025 covered nearly every frontier of modern tech. As someone who’s been attending this event for years, I can say this edition felt especially global and forward-looking.
Founders Share Insights on Building Unicorns and Scaling Startups
The first day started with Sacha Michaud, Co-founder of Glovo, and Enrique Linares, Co-founder of letgo, sharing stories about the chaos and grit behind building unicorns. It was an honest conversation about failures, resilience, and the will to keep going. Then Pablo Fernández (Clidrive) and Sergio Furió (Creditas) took the stage to talk about scaling startups while staying grounded in purpose.
The audience loved Minh Le, the co-creator of Counter-Strike, who mixed nostalgia with insight as he talked about how gaming culture helped shape digital communities. Later, a panel on diversity and inclusion featuring Ella McCann-Tomlin (Mews), Daniel Nieto (Remote), and Olivia McEvoy (Booking.com) discussed how diverse teams don’t just check boxes — they build better products.
Blockchain and AI Take Center Stage
One of the most anticipated moments was the keynote from Volodymyr Nosov, Founder and President of WhiteBIT, who explained why blockchain is becoming the foundation of the digital economy. He highlighted how tokenization is going far beyond finance — covering everything from real estate and gold to wine collections and even sports teams. The market could reach $2 trillion by 2028, with institutions like BlackRock and Goldman Sachs already investing in this direction. Nosov also spoke about the human side of the industry — how blockchain is creating new professions and how WhiteBIT’s 250 developers represent 5% of Europe’s blockchain talent pool. His message was simple: blockchain isn’t a buzzword, it’s the infrastructure of trust.
The second day focused heavily on AI. Christian Teichmann (Burda Principal Investments) led a discussion on AI as a new economic backbone, while Aubrey de Grey, the longevity pioneer, captivated the audience with his research on extending human life. Ana Peleteiro (Preply) brought an educational perspective, showing how AI can make learning truly personal.
Another highlight came from Laura Urquizu, CEO of Red Points, who spoke about cybersecurity not just as technology, but as responsibility. Later, Iñaki Berenguer (LifeX Ventures) shared a thoughtful take on Europe’s role in global innovation, emphasizing collaboration over competition.
The Next Generation and Future-Forward Initiatives
Meanwhile, the Sigma Squared Society brought youthful energy to the conference with founders like Haz Hubble (Pally) and Amelie Binder (CargoKite) proving that the next generation isn’t waiting — they’re already building.
Networking and Sustainability Drive Innovation
Outside the stages, networking buzzed everywhere. Investors like Jacky Abitbol (Cathay Innovation) and Alejandro Rodríguez (IDC Ventures) exchanged ideas with founders about scaling responsibly. Sustainability was another major theme, especially after the DANA storm that hit Valencia last year. The Hack the Future hackathon, organized with Estonia’s e-Residency program, showcased tech ideas aimed at building smarter, more resilient cities.
A Blueprint for Europe's Tech Ecosystem
By evening, the City of Arts and Sciences turned into a glowing backdrop for hundreds of conversations between startup founders, investors, and corporate innovators from Microsoft, Google, Volkswagen, and IBM. It felt like more than just networking, it felt like the blueprint of Europe’s future tech ecosystem taking shape.
As I left the venue, I couldn’t shake the feeling that VDS 2025 wasn’t just another tech event. It was a reflection of where innovation meets purpose. It showed that technology can still be human, grounded, and inspiring.