Starting this Wednesday, Alhambra Venture once again becomes the epicenter of entrepreneurship in southern Spain. Launched in 2014 with the aim of bringing together entrepreneurs and investors in a dynamic and educational environment, the event has established itself as the leading platform for startups in the region. Over its various editions, it has already facilitated more than €38.5 million in funding, positioning itself as a key driver of innovation and private investment in the emerging business landscape of southern Spain.
In its 2019 edition, Alhambra Venture has selected 27 innovative projects from the eight Andalusian provinces, as well as neighboring regions such as Extremadura, Murcia, and the Valencian Community. Many of these startups have participated in acceleration programs like Andalucía Open Future, Minerva, or Telefónica Open Future Extremadura, demonstrating the involvement of multiple stakeholders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The lineup also includes winners of the Young Entrepreneurs Association (AJE) awards in the entrepreneurial initiative category from provinces like Jaén, Seville, and Huelva.
The selected startups — including names like Competize, Courbox, eCapture3D, Healthinn, Smart IOT Labs, and Zityfy Mobility — received prior training to prepare their pitches to investors during the two-day event taking place at the Granada Conference Center. New additions this year include startups Continue and Next Sport, both incubated at IKEA Málaga Talento.
The program has been designed with a comprehensive approach, combining inspiring keynote speeches, real-life entrepreneurial stories, panel discussions on key industry topics, and numerous pitching sessions before national and international investors. Featured speakers include Isidro Laso, from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, and Punit Aggarwal, former Head of Entrepreneur Development at Google.
The opening day will feature testimonials from prominent figures like Íñigo Juantegui, founder of OnTruck, and Rodolfo Carpintier, one of Spain’s pioneers in tech startup investment. It will also host the roundtable discussion Women in Startups, moderated by Amparo San José (IESE), with participants including Mercè Tell (Nekko Capital), Carmen Carpintero (Tartessos Ventures), and Elena de Benavides (Gala Capital), who will address the still limited — but growing — presence of women in the investor and startup ecosystem.
Andalusian businesses and innovation will also take the spotlight in a session moderated by Fernando Seco, president of Cesur, exploring how traditional companies can adapt to new business models. The event will also highlight niche sectors such as B2B logistics, with case studies from Goi and Furgo.
The second day will focus on real success stories, including Grupo MOX, which was supported by Alhambra Venture in past editions. High-profile investors such as Tom Horsey, Andreas Mihailovits, and Andrée Dever will discuss why many of Andalusia’s leading business angels are foreigners. Other key topics include the role of accelerators in early startup phases, post-funding strategies, and a scientific and technological analysis of the startup ecosystem.
With its comprehensive approach and a setting designed to connect talent and investment, Alhambra Venture 2019 not only reaffirms its role as a visibility platform for southern Spanish startups but also as a national engine for economic development, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
