Networking Events in Málaga | The 2026 Guide for Founders and CEOs
By Mickey Soto, CEO · · Leer en español
Cadena Hub | City guides | 8 min read
Looking for the best networking events in Málaga? The city has become one of the most talked-about places to build a company in southern Europe. There is a technology park with hundreds of companies, a trade fair centre that hosts some of Spain's biggest business events, and an international founder community that meets for coffee most mornings. The hard part is not finding events. It is knowing which ones are worth your time when you run a company.
This guide sorts the Málaga scene into four clear categories, explains who each one suits and gives you a simple plan to turn a few good rooms into partners, clients and investors. It is written for founders, CEOs and senior professionals who want fewer, better conversations. If you are new to doing business in Spain, start with our guide to networking for founders in Spain.
Why Málaga is worth a place in your networking calendar
The numbers behind Málaga's tech story are solid. Málaga TechPark closed 2025 with 29,018 workers, 719 companies and institutions, and 4,896 million euros in combined revenue. It is also home to 73 companies with foreign capital from 22 countries.
New companies keep arriving too. The city's business development agency Promálaga helped create 349 startups in 2025, according to El Español. Add a large international community along the Costa del Sol, and you get a city where English and Spanish business circles sit side by side.
What this means for you
Two scenes, one city. The international founder community and the local business community often meet in different rooms. Knowing both is an advantage.
The calendar is seasonal. Many of the biggest events happen at FYCMA in autumn, late winter and early summer.
The region matters. Marbella, Fuengirola and the rest of the Costa del Sol are part of the same network, so plan for short trips along the coast.
1. Large events at FYCMA
The Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga (FYCMA) is where the whole ecosystem shows up at once. Big events are best for visibility and meeting people you would never reach otherwise. Plan your meetings in advance.
Málaga Sun&Tech
Málaga Sun&Tech takes place at FYCMA on 18 and 19 November 2026. It brings together startups, investors, corporates and institutions, with speakers including the director general of Málaga TechPark and partners from venture capital funds. It is a strong option if you are raising or looking for corporate partners.
Talent Land España
Talent Land España runs at FYCMA from 24 to 26 November 2026. It focuses on innovation, entrepreneurship and tech talent, so it suits founders who are hiring or want to meet the next generation of builders.
BiznagaFest
BiznagaFest takes place at FYCMA on 7 November 2026. It is the Costa del Sol's big tech festival, organised by GDG Málaga, the local Google Developer Group, with talks and workshops on AI, DevOps, cybersecurity and more. The organisers say the last edition drew more than 800 attendees. It suits founders who are hiring developers or looking for a technical cofounder.
Andalucía Management
Andalucía Management takes place at FYCMA on 3 December 2026 under the theme "Liderar lo imprevisible". It is a meeting point for Andalusian business leaders, with sessions on management, leadership, the economy and AI. It suits CEOs who sell to established companies.
Transfiere and DES
Two more dates are worth saving for 2027. Transfiere, the forum for science and technology transfer, runs from 10 to 12 March 2027. The Digital Enterprise Show runs from 8 to 10 June 2027 and expects more than 15,000 professionals and more than 400 exhibitors and partners.
2. Business associations and structured networking
Associations are where local business owners build lasting trust, and some of them run formats designed to avoid the usual small talk.
AJE Málaga
The young business owners' association runs formats such as First Date Empresarial and Crosspitch, where participants are matched with other business owners according to their interests and needs, as described in this Marlife guide to Málaga networking events. Check the association's own channels for upcoming dates.
Chamber of Commerce and sector events
The Cámara de Comercio de Málaga runs sessions for local companies, such as the customer experience and AI session in Torremolinos listed in the same Marlife guide. Check the Chamber's agenda for the next dates. These rooms are slower burn, but excellent for relationships with established Spanish businesses.
3. Recurring meetups and the international community
Monthly and weekly community events are the easiest way into the Málaga scene and the best way to stay visible without a big time commitment. The MalagaStartups events calendar is a good place to see what is on each week.
Startup Oasis Innovation Café
A morning coffee for entrepreneurs at the Carmen Thyssen Museum café, every two weeks at 10:00. There is no formal agenda and no moderation, just conversation, mostly in English.
HUSTLE Entrepreneur Networking Málaga
HUSTLE meets on the fourth Thursday of each month except December, from 17:00. Check the event page for the next date. The format uses structured mingling so you do not spend the evening talking to one person.
Malaga-AI Networking Night
Malaga-AI runs a monthly networking evening for people working with AI. The next one is on 5 November 2026 at Innovation Campus, from 18:30 to 20:30, with registration required and a cap of 50 people. It is a good room for AI founders and anyone looking for technical talent.
Tech & Beers, Eat & Meet and coastal meetups
Tech & Beers brings together developers and digital founders in the centre, Eat & Meet runs a Wednesday networking breakfast at a coworking on Avenida de Andalucía, and the Fuengirola Tech Meetup covers the coast. Quality varies, so treat your first visit as a test.
Costa del Sol communities
Along the coast, communities such as The AI Collective Costa del Sol and accelerator programmes such as Startup Olé, which runs editions in Marbella, bring founders and operators together. They are worth following if your customers or partners live along the coast.
How to choose the right networking events in Málaga
Before you register for anything, decide what you want from the next three months. Then pick events that match that goal.
You want visibility or market insight. Choose one FYCMA event per season and plan your meetings before you arrive.
You want clients among local companies. Go where business owners meet, such as AJE Málaga, the Chamber of Commerce and Andalucía Management.
You want peers who understand your challenges. Join a recurring meetup and keep going back.
You want investors. Focus on Málaga Sun&Tech, curated startup events and warm introductions, not open mixers.
A simple yearly plan
For most founders, a good balance is one big FYCMA event, one association and one or two recurring meetups. That is roughly two mornings or evenings a month, which is sustainable alongside running a company and leaves room to follow up properly.
6 habits for networking well in Málaga
1. Plan around the FYCMA calendar
The biggest events cluster in a few weeks of the year. Book meetings before you arrive and keep the evenings around them open for side events.
2. Use the mornings
Málaga has a strong morning coffee culture among founders. A 10:00 coffee is often easier to get than an evening slot.
3. Bridge the two scenes
Introduce people from the international community to local business owners, and the other way round. Being the person who connects both is one of the fastest ways to be remembered.
4. Respect the language mix
Community meetups often run in English, while associations and traditional companies work in Spanish. Some Spanish helps you build trust faster.
5. Think in terms of the coast
Plenty of the people you want to meet live in Marbella, Fuengirola or Benalmádena. Group your meetings by area and the coast becomes easy to work.
6. Follow up within 48 hours
Send a personal message that mentions something specific from your chat and proposes one clear next step, such as a coffee in the centre.
Skip the guesswork with curated networking
Events are great, but they leave the most important part to chance. You meet whoever happens to be next to you. Curated networking flips that around, so the right person is chosen for you based on what your business needs and what you can offer.
That is why we built Cadena Hub, a curated B2B network headquartered in Madrid and going global, for founders, operators and professionals who want real collaboration, not mass networking. Here is how it works.
Matched by AI. Our AI learns what your business needs and finds the members you should meet next.
A new match every week. One curated 1:1 introduction to a vetted member, generated every Monday and booked for you. You can change the time if it does not suit.
Your monthly Hub. A group of four to six members from different sectors who connect, collaborate and grow together.
Partner rewards. Membership unlocks exclusive benefits with our partners.
Every member applies and is personally reviewed, so every introduction starts with someone worth meeting.
Want the right Málaga introductions to come to you every week? Apply for access to Cadena Hub.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best networking events in Málaga for founders?
Málaga Sun&Tech and the Digital Enterprise Show are the biggest business and tech events, while Startup Oasis, HUSTLE, Malaga-AI and Tech & Beers are good recurring options. BiznagaFest is the one to pick if you want to meet developers. For relationships with local business owners, AJE Málaga and the Chamber of Commerce tend to deliver more than one-off events.
When is the Digital Enterprise Show 2027?
DES 2027 takes place at FYCMA in Málaga from 8 to 10 June 2027, according to the organisers. Book meetings early, as it is one of the busiest weeks of the year in the city.
Do I need to speak Spanish to network in Málaga?
Not for the international and tech community, where English is common. Associations and traditional companies usually work in Spanish, so speaking some Spanish helps.
Where can I find low-cost networking events in Málaga?
Community meetups such as Startup Oasis, HUSTLE and Tech & Beers cost little or nothing to attend, although at some venues you are expected to buy a drink. Large conferences usually charge, so check each organiser before you register.
Is Málaga a good city for startups?
Yes. Málaga TechPark, a growing number of new startups and a large international community make it one of the most active ecosystems in southern Europe. Madrid and Barcelona remain bigger, and our guides to Madrid and Barcelona cover them.
How does Cadena Hub work?
Cadena Hub uses AI matching to give you one curated 1:1 introduction every week, generated every Monday and booked for you, plus a monthly Hub of four to six members from different sectors. Every member is personally reviewed. See how it works and our FAQ.
Make Málaga work for your business
The founders who get the most from Málaga are not at every event. They pick a few rooms that match their goals, show up consistently and follow up properly. Choose one big event, one association and a couple of meetups, and let every conversation count.
If you would rather have the right people introduced to you each week, apply for access to Cadena Hub. Every application is reviewed personally. Quality over volume, always.