Networking Events in Valencia | The 2026 Guide for Founders and CEOs
By Mickey Soto, CEO · · Leer en español
Cadena Hub | City guides | 9 min read
Looking for the best networking events in Valencia? The city has changed fast. A few years ago most founders here knew each other by first name. Today there is a global tech summit at the City of Arts and Sciences, an accelerator campus on the port, a city innovation hub at Las Naves and a founder meetup most weeks. The hard part is no longer finding events. It is knowing which ones are worth an evening when you run a company.
This guide sorts the Valencia 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 Valencia deserves a place in your networking calendar
Valencia is now Spain's third startup city. The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2026 by Startup Genome places it between 61st and 70th among the world's emerging ecosystems, behind only Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, after it sat in the 91 to 100 range in 2024.
The local numbers back that up. According to the Startup Valencia report for the third quarter of 2026, the city closed September with 1,639 startups employing 23,250 people, and those startups had raised 234 million euros so far in 2026.
What this means for you
The rooms are smaller. The same people show up again and again, so trust builds faster than in Madrid or Barcelona.
Reputation travels fast. A good follow-up gets mentioned. So does a hard sell.
The ecosystem is concentrated. A handful of hubs and organisers run most of the calendar, which makes it easy to plan.
1. The big event: VDS and the conferences around it
Big events are where the whole ecosystem shows up at once. They are best for visibility and for meeting people you would never reach otherwise. They are worst for deep conversations, so plan your meetings in advance.
VDS (Valencia Digital Summit)
VDS is Valencia's flagship tech event. It is organised by Startup Valencia and has been held at the City of Arts and Sciences since 2018. The ninth edition took place on 21 and 22 October 2026, with organisers expecting more than 12,000 attendees from over 120 countries, 3,000 startups, 1,500 corporates and more than 800 investors. Cadena Hub was there this year. The official app lets you book meetings with other attendees, and the side events around the summit are often the easiest places to talk.
Level Up Business Summit
The Level Up Business Summit took place at the Roig Arena on 3 November 2026, with the Asociación de Jóvenes Empresarios de Valencia (AJEV) as an official partner, according to the AJEV agenda. It was aimed at business owners, CEOs, founders and directors rather than only tech startups, which makes future editions worth watching if you sell to traditional Valencian companies.
2. Ecosystem hubs where the community lives
Valencia's startup life is anchored in a few physical places. Spend time in them and you will keep bumping into the same useful people.
Marina de Empresas (EDEM, Lanzadera and Angels)
Marina de Empresas is the entrepreneurship hub on the port promoted by Juan Roig. It brings together the EDEM business school, the Lanzadera accelerator and the investor Angels. Lanzadera has supported more than 1,800 startups. The campus hosts talks, demo days and open visits through the year, and it is the single densest concentration of founders in the city.
Valencia Innovation Capital, Las Naves and La Harinera
The city's innovation programme runs events from Las Naves and La Harinera. On 20 and 21 November 2026, VRDay26 at Las Naves brings together companies, talent and innovation leads around XR, robotics and AI, with a B2B day and an open demo and networking space. Another example is the Winter Meetup by Valencia Nomads Hub on 11 December 2026 from 17:30 at La Harinera. It combines pitches, talks by international founders living in Valencia, an Entrepreneur Fair and an evening of networking.
GoHub Ventures
The venture fund GoHub Ventures regularly opens its space on Calle Álvaro de Bazán to community events. In 2026 it has hosted a Startup Grind fireside chat on how VCs make decisions and an edition of The Founders Table.
3. Business associations and peer groups
Associations are where established business owners build lasting trust. The same people meet regularly, which is exactly what most one-off events lack.
AJEV, the young business owners' association
AJEV runs one of the busiest calendars in the city. It holds a monthly Afterwork for members with no talks and no set dynamics, plus larger events such as AJEVolution, held on 29 October 2026 at La Harinera, and the AJEV Awards Gala on 12 November 2026 at La Rambleta. It suits owners of growing SMEs who want peers in the same position.
AVE, the Valencian business association
The Asociación Valenciana de Empresarios brings together established business leaders. Its annual Jornada Paco Pons has run since 2017, draws more than 350 attendees on average and took place at the Roig Arena on 20 May 2026. These rooms are slower burn, but excellent for relationships with the region's larger companies.
4. Monthly founder meetups
Monthly community events are the easiest way into the Valencia scene and the best way to stay visible without a big time commitment.
Startup Grind Valencia
The Startup Grind Valencia chapter runs fireside chats, Beer & Business Networking evenings and events tied to VDS, such as an evening with Ukrainian startups on 22 October 2026. Many of its sessions run in English.
The Founders Table
The Founders Table is a monthly founder night with short, honest talks and a room small enough to talk properly. The November edition, "Women Who Build", is on 11 November 2026, and "The Art of Becoming", the last table of the year, is on 9 December 2026. Venues are shared with confirmed guests.
Meetup, Luma and Eventbrite
International professionals in Valencia organise frequent mixers on Meetup, Luma and Eventbrite. Quality varies a lot, so treat your first visit as a test. If the room matches the people you need, go back. If not, move on.
How to choose the right networking events in Valencia
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. Make VDS your anchor and plan your meetings before you arrive.
You want clients in traditional sectors. Go where business owners meet, such as AJEV, AVE and the Level Up Business Summit.
You want peers who understand your challenges. Join a recurring founder night and keep going back.
You want investors. Focus on the VDS investor meetings, the Marina de Empresas ecosystem and warm introductions, not open mixers.
A simple yearly plan
For most founders, a good balance is VDS each autumn, one association and one or two monthly meetups. That is roughly two evenings a month, which is sustainable alongside running a company and leaves room to follow up properly.
6 habits for networking well in Valencia
1. Plan VDS weeks ahead
Look at the attendee list in the app, pick the people you want to meet and send a short note before the summit. It turns two crowded days into a set of planned conversations.
2. Go back to the same rooms
In a city this size, showing up three times matters more than showing up once everywhere. People start to recognise you, and introductions follow.
3. Mix the local and international scenes
Valencia has a large international community and a strong local business culture. The best opportunities often come from connecting the two.
4. Respect the language mix
Tech events often run in English, while associations and traditional companies usually work in Spanish, and Valencian is widely spoken. A few words of Spanish go a long way.
5. Follow the local rhythm
Lunches start late and evenings run long. Many of the best conversations happen over a drink after the official programme ends.
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 near the Marina.
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 Valencia introductions to come to you every week? Apply for access to Cadena Hub.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best networking events in Valencia for founders?
VDS is the biggest tech event in Valencia, the Marina de Empresas campus is the centre of the startup community, and Startup Grind Valencia and The Founders Table are good monthly options. For relationships with established business owners, AJEV and AVE tend to deliver more than one-off events.
When is VDS 2027?
The 2026 edition took place on 21 and 22 October at the City of Arts and Sciences. Dates for 2027 had not been announced when we published this guide, so check the official VDS website before you plan your trip.
Are networking events in Valencia held in English?
Many tech and startup events are, especially at VDS, Startup Grind and international community meetups. Business associations and traditional companies usually work in Spanish, so some Spanish helps you build trust faster.
Where can I find low-cost networking events in Valencia?
Community meetups such as Startup Grind evenings, The Founders Table and the city's innovation programme events cost little or nothing to attend, although some require registration or host approval. Large conferences and associations usually charge, so check each organiser before you register.
Is Valencia or Madrid better for business networking?
Madrid is bigger, with more corporates and investors. Valencia is smaller and more connected, so it is easier to become known quickly. Many founders do both. Our guide to networking events in Madrid covers the capital, and our guide to networking events in Barcelona covers Spain's other big hub.
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 Valencia work for your business
The founders who get the most from Valencia are not at every event. They pick a few rooms that match their goals, show up consistently and follow up properly. Choose VDS, 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.
Also available in Spanish. Leer en español.