TNW Valencia is finally here! Founders, investors, business leaders and tech enthusiasts descended on the Valencia Marina this morning to discover the next technology now. It didn’t take long for the venue – nestled between the historic city center and the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea – to be buzzing with talks, deals, pitches and lots of fun.
TNW Valencia is officially open! It’s #Time4València and you’re all invited to enjoy the @FinancialTimes #tech Festival and discover the innovative ecosystem of Valencia.
Be amazed by the future of technology! 🖤👾 pic.twitter.com/e1oAse7yEF
— VLC Tech City (@VLCTechCity) March 29, 2023
The talks ranged from financing secrets to industry spotlights, keynotes, startup battles, panel discussions, workshops, fireside chats and much more. Actually too much to take part in everything – but don’t worry, we have everything under control. Read on for a few highlights.
MC Oison Lunny speaks to a full audience on the Impact Stage on the first day of TNW València
Our moderator for the event, the award-winning Oison Lunny, opened the event with a call for contacts in the technology sector in Valencia. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. If you want to go fast AND far, go as part of an ecosystem,” he said.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. If you want to go fast AND far, go as part of an ecosystem.
After the opening speech, a battle ensued between Valencia’s most promising startups. There were some really impressive pitches and the winners will now go head-to-head in tomorrow’s final.
The winners of today’s startup battles will compete against each other tomorrow in the final.
The role of ecosystems was a recurring theme throughout the first day. Boardwave CEO Phill Robinson explained how Europe can emulate Silicon Valley’s famous network effects, while Erwin Verstraelen, digital chief at the port of Antwerp-Bruges, revealed why he founded The Beacon, an IOT ecosystem of startups, scale-ups, and researchers to drive innovation.
Many of the startups in attendance have plans for global expansion, but conference speakers emphasized that they need local roots. CaixaBank DayOne’s Vanessa Palmer said in a presentation titled “Going global: a VC’s guide to Preparation for International Investment,” startups need people “who work locally in this country and understand this market.”
We are here at ‘Going global: a VC’s guide to Preparation for international investment’ at #TNWValència. For startups to be successful abroad, they need to have people who “work locally in this country and understand this market,” says @vpalmerbcn. pic.twitter.com/UEY39dsY3Z
— TNW (@thenextweb) March 30, 2023
One of the contenders in the startup pitch battle summed up the balance sheet succinctly.“Our base is in Spain, but our focus is global,” said Mario García-Granero, CEO and co-founder of Feending.
Amidst the rush to innovate and grow, attendees at the event often emphasized the importance of technology for good – especially when it comes to sustainability. “We have to accelerate,” said Raquel Espada, head of sustainability at Schneider Electric in Spain. We do not have time. Climate change is happening, there’s wildfire around here and it’s 30 degrees [centrigrade] March.”
Undoubtedly one of the most inspiring moments of the day was when endurance athlete and Barcelona Ambassador Alex Roca took the stage to share his unique perspective on persevering against the odds.
We could talk endlessly about the highlights of Day 1, but then you wouldn’t have time to enjoy today’s celebrations and side events. See you tomorrow for another day of TNW València. To find out what’s on the agenda, click here.
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