VDS 2026: two days when Valencia becomes the tech capital

Mark these two dates: on 21 and 22 October 2026, the City of Arts and Sciences becomes a European tech capital. VDS, the Valencia Digital Summit, brings together more than 12,000 attendees, 3,000 startups and 800 investors (organiser figures, vds.tech, October 2026). If you go to only one professional event in Valencia this year, make it this one. Here is everything you need to know: dates, passes, programme, who is coming, and how to get the most out of it.

What is VDS?

VDS is the Valencia Digital Summit, the city's flagship technology conference, organised by Startup Valencia, the association that drives the local startup ecosystem. The idea is simple: put startups, investors, large corporations and public institutions in the same place for two days of talks, business meetings and demos. It has grown into one of the main tech gatherings in southern Europe, and the setting helps: the summit takes over the City of Arts and Sciences, the futuristic complex that sits at the end of the Turia gardens. The 2026 edition runs under the theme "GENESIS. Origin of What's Next" (vds.tech, checked 4 October 2026).

When and where is VDS 2026?

VDS 2026 takes place on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October 2026 at the City of Arts and Sciences, Avinguda Professor López Piñero 7, Valencia (vds.tech and visitvalencia.com, checked 4 October 2026).

• Dates: 21-22 October 2026
• Venue: City of Arts and Sciences, Avinguda Professor López Piñero 7, 46013 Valencia
• Theme: "GENESIS. Origin of What's Next"
• Organiser: Startup Valencia
• Daily opening hours: not disclosed at the time of writing, check vds.tech

How do I get a ticket, and how much does it cost?

Tickets are sold only on the official site, and as of 4 October 2026 four passes were on sale, from 179 euros for one day to 799 euros for the investor pass (vds.tech/get-tickets, checked 4 October 2026). Prices can change, so check the official page for the current rate.

Two things to know before you buy. First, the early-bird "2-for-1" offer is over: it ended on 2 September 2026. Second, every category was close to sold out on 4 October 2026, so if you are planning to go, don't wait. Students should look at the "VDS NextTalent" programme: the official page we checked did not detail its prices or conditions, so check them directly on vds.tech.

What's the programme, and what are the big themes?

The 2026 programme packs more than 200 sessions and about 100 hours of content across 8 themed stages, with more than 600 speakers, 46% of them from outside Spain (vds.tech; Valencia Plaza, 29 September 2026; El Español Invertia, 2 October 2026). Stages include the Main Stage, the Santander Stage, the Future Stage and the Innovation Stage. The official programme is organised into 8 tracks (vds.tech, checked 4 October 2026):

• AI & Deep Tech
• Climate & Energy
• Defense & Aerospace
• Talent & Future of Work
• Health
• Mobility & Logistics
• Digital Wealth
• Policy

Among the speakers named by the press are Chris Cunningham, co-founder of ClickUp, David Shim, CEO of Read AI, analog astronaut Carmen Köhler, and José Carmena, a specialist in brain-computer interfaces (El Español Invertia, 2 October 2026). The full session-by-session schedule is on vds.tech: build your agenda there before you arrive, because the two days go fast.

Which startups and investors are expected?

Organisers announce more than 3,000 startups and over 800 investors who between them manage more than 300 billion euros in assets, with 12,000+ attendees from over 120 countries (vds.tech; Valencia Plaza, 29 September 2026). On the headline-name side, the Spanish press counts 17 unicorns among the participants, including ClickUp, Harvey AI, Miro, Preply, Hostinger, ElevenLabs, Qonto and Poolside, plus more than 20 scaleups and over 50 VC funds (El Español Invertia, 2 October 2026; ecosistemastartup.com).

Large corporations and investors cited include NVIDIA, IBM, Spotify, AstraZeneca, Rolls-Royce, Qualcomm, LG Technology Ventures, Plug and Play and Applied Materials (El Español Invertia, 2 October 2026; Valencia Plaza, 29 September 2026). The participating startups have raised more than 26.75 billion euros between them. Note that this is a cumulative figure across all their funding rounds over the years, not money raised in 2026 (El Español Invertia, 2 October 2026). The local ecosystem gets a push too: Valencia City Council is funding the participation of 24 Valencian startups at VDS 2026 (valencia.es; Valencia Plaza).

Why go, even without a startup?

VDS is not just for founders raising money. If you are looking for a job in tech, it works as a full-scale recruitment fair: local and international scaleups come looking for developers, product, marketing and sales people, and the "Talent & Future of Work" track is built for exactly that conversation. Before you go, check what Valencia's startups actually pay so you know your number when someone asks. If you are a freelancer, it is two days of concentrated prospecting with a badge around your neck. If you are simply curious, the talks cover AI, climate, health, mobility and defence, with a strongly international line-up, so a large share of the content is in English.

A few practical habits make the difference:

• Plan your schedule ahead. Pick your must-see sessions and book meetings with other attendees before day one: the good slots go first.
• Prepare a one-sentence pitch in English. "So, what do you do?" is the most-asked question of the fair.
• Do your homework on the investors. Our roundup of Valencia's 2025 funding rounds tells you who has been backing whom locally.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Eight stages spread across one large complex means a lot of walking.

What else is happening around the summit?

As of 4 October 2026, the organisers have not yet published the detailed side-events programme for 2026. Previous editions followed a familiar pattern, though: an exclusive after party, a networking happy hour at the end of day one, private investor meetups and pitch sessions, and plenty of afterworks across the city during summit week, from the Marina to Russafa. That is often where the most useful conversations happen. Treat this as the usual pattern rather than a confirmed 2026 schedule, and follow Startup Valencia's official channels (startupvalencia.org and its social accounts) and vds.tech for the confirmed list. We will add it here as soon as it is published.

How do I get there and where should I stay?

The City of Arts and Sciences sits at the southeastern end of the Turia gardens, the old riverbed turned into a park that crosses the city. From the centre, the most pleasant way to get there is on foot or by bike along the Turia: it is a flat ride, and Valenbisi, the city's bike-share scheme, has docks nearby. Metro and EMT bus routes also serve the area: check the current lines and timetables on the official Metrovalencia and EMT València sites, since services can change during big events. If you are coming from out of town, the complex is also within taxi distance of Valencia's airport and Joaquín Sorolla station.

For accommodation, book early: a 12,000-person event fills the rooms around the venue fast. The neighbourhoods closest to the City of Arts and Sciences (Penya-roja, Quatre Carreres) let you walk to the venue, Russafa puts you near most of the evening afterworks, and the Marina and Cabanyal areas suit those who want the sea nearby. Organisers had not published any official hotel partnership at the time of writing: check vds.tech before booking.

Why is Valencia becoming a tech hub?

VDS is the showcase of an ecosystem that is genuinely growing. Valencian startups raised 229 million euros in 2025, making Valencia Spain's third city for startup investment behind Madrid and Barcelona, and the city now counts 1,689 active startups, up 11.3% (Spanish Tech Ecosystem Report 2026 by Dealroom, BBVA Spark, Kfund, Endeavor, GoHub Ventures, SpainCap, Wayra and Enisa, relayed by Startup Valencia on 21 May 2026). The summit itself feeds that growth: according to figures published after the 2025 edition, VDS 2025 generated 26 million euros of economic impact for the city, up 29% year on year.

Add a lower cost of living than Madrid or Barcelona, the sea, the climate and a well-connected airport, and you understand why founders and remote tech workers keep landing here. For the full picture, read our panorama of Valencia as a tech city.

The takeaway

Two days, a setting like nowhere else, and the highest concentration of professional opportunities in Valencia's year: VDS 2026, on 21 and 22 October at the City of Arts and Sciences, deserves a place in your diary now. Passes were nearly sold out in early October, so if you are going, buy your ticket on vds.tech without waiting. And if the summit makes you want to build something of your own, our guide to going autónomo in Spain and our tour of Lanzadera and Marina de Empresas will help with the next step.

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Live updates

This section will be updated live on 21 and 22 October 2026 with the key announcements, talks and news from the summit floor. Bookmark this page and come back during VDS.

VDS 2026: frequently asked questions

When is VDS 2026?

VDS 2026 takes place on 21 and 22 October 2026 (vds.tech, checked 4 October 2026).

Where does the Valencia Digital Summit take place?

At the City of Arts and Sciences, Avinguda Professor López Piñero 7, Valencia (vds.tech; visitvalencia.com).

How much does a VDS 2026 ticket cost?

As of 4 October 2026: 179 euros for the Thursday Pass (1 day), 299 euros for the Ecosystem Pass, 599 euros for the Business Pass and 799 euros for the Investor Pass, the last three covering both days (vds.tech/get-tickets). Check the official page for current prices.

Is there still an early-bird discount?

No. The early-bird "2-for-1" offer ended on 2 September 2026 (vds.tech).

Is there a student ticket?

Students can look at the "VDS NextTalent" programme. Its prices and conditions were not detailed on the page we checked on 4 October 2026, so check vds.tech directly.

How many people attend VDS?

Organisers announce more than 12,000 attendees from over 120 countries, 3,000+ startups and 800+ investors (vds.tech; Valencia Plaza, 29 September 2026).

Are the talks in English?

The official site does not give a language breakdown, but 46% of the 600+ speakers are international (Valencia Plaza, 29 September 2026), so expect a large share of English-language sessions. Check each session's details on vds.tech.

Want to see all our Valencia tech resources in one place? Our complete guide to startups and tech in Valencia brings them all together.