South Summit Madrid 2025: Opens its doors as a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship
Once again, the Spanish capital becomes a key meeting point for startups, investors and corporations with the official opening of South Summit Madrid 2025 at La Nave, one of the city's main innovation centers, taking place from June 4 to 6.
Report by Dam Sifuentes
With the presence of King Felipe VI, South Summit Madrid 2025 kicked off its fourteenth edition, reaffirming the role of the Spanish capital as a global reference point in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Under the motto "In Motion", the event positions itself as a key platform to foster innovation, talent and investment in a world marked by technological transformation and the need for constant adaptation.
The opening ceremony brought together international leaders, prominent entrepreneurial figures and institutional representatives. Among them was María Benjumea, founder and president of South Summit, who highlighted Spain's leadership in European innovation and emphasized the importance of joining forces to build a strong, competitive entrepreneurial ecosystem with the ability to retain talent.
"Our focus is on driving growth while keeping people and the planet at the center, with cutting-edge technologies as our greatest allies. More innovation means more growth and more competitiveness, something Europe urgently needs," she stated, referencing the European strategy "Choose Europe to Start and Scale", which aims to prevent talent drain and make it easier for startups to grow within Europe.
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King Felipe VI: "To innovate is to stay ahead of change"
During his speech, King Felipe VI stressed the role of entrepreneurship as a driver of social and economic transformation.
"This fourteenth edition of South Summit, under the motto ‘In Motion,’ reminds us that entrepreneurship cannot remain static. We live in an environment of constant change. To innovate means staying ahead of change, adapting to new technologies, emerging products and the evolving needs of society," he said.
The monarch placed a particular focus on artificial intelligence as a key engine of change.
"AI is no longer just a promise, it has become a key driver of innovation, scalability and competitive advantage. More and more startups are integrating it into their processes and Spain is producing talent and gaining momentum in sectors such as digital health, cybersecurity and natural language processing, while also advancing in the development of ethical algorithms. But we must ensure this technology serves the common good, developed responsibly and with a people-centered approach," he noted.
He also acknowledged Spain’s increasing relevance in the European innovation landscape: "We are the seventh-largest country in Europe in terms of venture capital investment and the fourth in number of operations. These figures reflect a vibrant and growing innovation ecosystem."
Institutional support: New grants to help Madrid-based companies scale
As part of the event, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, President of the Community of Madrid, announced a new line of grants—a first of its kind in Spain—aimed at boosting the growth of already established SMEs.
"The regional government will offer subsidies of up to €140,000—and up to €150,000 in municipalities with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants—to help companies scale and consolidate. We are committed to sustainable growth, innovation and creating quality jobs," she said.
Ayuso reaffirmed Madrid’s commitment to being a business-friendly region: "The Community of Madrid will remain a territory where talent finds opportunities, not obstacles," and reiterated her support for digital entrepreneurship, sustainability and strengthening the regional business ecosystem.
Record numbers and global participation
This year, South Summit Madrid 2025 brings together over 600 speakers, 150 investment funds (70% of them international) and 19 unicorns from around the globe. Notable figures include Marc Randolph (co-founder of Netflix), Greg Hoffman (former CMO of Nike) and Dennis Hong (robotics expert), who will share the stage with leading women entrepreneurs like Marci Zaroff, a pioneer in sustainable fashion and Pinar Demirdag, founder of generative AI startup Cuebric.
The Startup Competition, a core feature of the event, has broken participation records with more than 4,500 applications from 23 countries. The top 100 finalist startups will pitch their projects before a panel of experts and an audience of over 30,000 attendees, including investors with portfolios exceeding $500 billion.
Thematic Focus: Growth, Sustainability and Human-Centered Innovation
This year’s edition focuses on four major themes: Growth, Sustainable Action, Humanity 2.0 and Tech Horizons. South Summit not only serves as a platform for showcasing and networking but also as a space for reflecting on the major challenges of both the present and future, connecting communities, promoting ideas and generating new learning and collaboration opportunities.
Co-organized by IE University, South Summit is supported by the Government of Spain, the Community of Madrid and the Madrid City Council, along with partners such as Mutua Madrileña, BBVA Spark, Wayra - Telefónica Innovation, Google for Startups and Banco Sabadell’s BStartup.
With a practical, diverse and international approach, South Summit Madrid 2025 cements its role as one of the most important events shaping the future of global entrepreneurship.