Valencia continues to reinforce its international profile as one of Europe’s most dynamic technology ecosystems. A delegation comprising Valencia City Council, València Innovation Capital, Cámara Valencia (Invest in Valencia) and Startup Valencia carried out an institutional mission to San Francisco and Silicon Valley with the aim of building partnerships with some of the world’s leading organisations in artificial intelligence, technology and innovation.
The agenda included meetings with leading companies such as OpenAI, NVIDIA, Google and PayPal. As well as Stanford University and representatives from the city governments of San José and Los Angeles, two internationally recognised leaders in technology-driven public policy.
International partnerships to drive innovation
The mission provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge with organisations at the forefront of global artificial intelligence. Exploring new avenues for collaboration in areas such as digital transformation of public administration, open innovation, talent development and the deployment of smart city solutions.
These meetings help bring the latest AI trends to Valencia while strengthening the city’s ability to offer an increasingly attractive environment for technology companies, startups and international investors.
Valencia’s innovation model attracts international attention
One of the mission’s highlights was the presentation of Valencia’s Urban Sandbox. A pioneering initiative that enables companies to test and validate innovative technologies in real urban environments before commercial deployment.
The model promoted by València Innovation Capital was recognised as a benchmark in public innovation and GovTech. Attracting significant interest from both public administrations and technology companies for its ability to accelerate the adoption of innovative urban solutions.
In addition, meetings with the cities of San José and Los Angeles established the foundations for ongoing collaboration focused on sharing knowledge about the responsible use of artificial intelligence and its application to public services.
Connecting Valencia’s ecosystem with global AI leaders
The delegation also met with entrepreneurs, startups and Valencian and Spanish professionals based in Silicon Valley at Plug and Play Tech Center, one of the world’s leading innovation hubs.
Their objective was to strengthen connections with international talent, encourage new collaborations and bring investment, innovation and business opportunities closer to Valencia’s ecosystem.
The visit to Stanford University also explored future collaboration in education, research and talent attraction. All of which are key pillars for building a competitive artificial intelligence ecosystem.
An ecosystem ready for technological growth
This international mission forms part of València Innovation Capital’s strategy to position Valencia as one of the leading technology hubs in the Mediterranean. Today, the city is home to 1,689 active startups, more than 20,000 highly skilled technology professionals, and achieved a record €229 million in investment attracted in 2025. Consolidating its position as Spain’s third-largest innovation ecosystem.
Strengthening relationships with the world’s leading artificial intelligence organisations represents another step forward in attracting international companies, investment and talent. While enabling Valencia’s business community to access global knowledge, cutting-edge technologies and new collaboration opportunities.
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