VDS 2025 unveils its international keynote speakers, consolidating its position in its eighth edition as one of Europe’s most relevant tech events. Under the theme “Collaborate Today. Transform Tomorrow” and with Symbiosis as its narrative axis, the annual gathering organized by Startup Valencia invites a shared reflection on how technology, connected to human purpose, can provide real answers to the world’s most pressing challenges.
The summit will bring together some of the most influential voices in global innovation and culture. Among them, Kelly Rutherford, Hollywood actress, startup investor and style icon known for her role as Lily van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl and as Megan Lewis in Melrose Place, will address topics related to lifestyle, wellbeing and social leadership.
Sol Campbell, renowned captain and legend of English football, Premier League champion and three-time World Cup player, will take the VDS 2025 stage to share his experience of resilience and winning mindset as inspiration for entrepreneurs, leaders and innovators.
From the Netherlands, Gillian Tans, former CEO and Chairwoman of Booking.com, who led the platform’s global expansion to become the world’s largest online travel company, will also join. She is recognized as an international reference in business leadership, scaling growth and digital transformation.
More than 12,000 attendees from 120 countries will take part in VDS 2025, alongside over 3,000 startups, 1,500 corporations and 800 investors. Confirmed visionaries include Aubrey de Grey, gerontologist and President of the LEV Foundation, pioneer in longevity therapies; Minh Le, creator of Counter-Strike, one of the most influential video games in history, who will share his vision on the future of gaming and esports; Ana Peleteiro, VP of Data & Applied AI at Preply, promoting the “Human-first. AI-enabled” artificial intelligence strategy; Enrique Linares, co-founder of Letgo and partner at Plus Partners; Gwen Kolader, VP Global Head of DE&I at Hexaware Technologies, a leading Indian multinational operating in 30 countries; and Ella McCann-Tomlin, VP ESG at Mews, who will showcase how to integrate sustainability and corporate governance in tech expansion. Diversity, inclusion and equity will also play a central role in this edition, with speakers and themes reflecting a plural vision of innovation.
Unicorns, investors and trendsetting scaleups
The stage will also host leading unicorns and global companies. Sergio Furio, founder and CEO of Creditas, Latin America’s fintech unicorn leader; Laura Urquizu, CEO of Red Points, a SaaS scaleup at the forefront of online brand protection; and Sacha Michaud, co-founder of Glovo, the on-demand delivery platform with operations in more than 20 countries and millions of users.
Alongside Glovo, Letgo and Creditas, the unicorn Remote will also be represented at VDS 2025 by Anastasia Pshegodskaya, Director of Talent Acquisition.
As a showcase for startups that have successfully scaled, VDS will feature renowned international scaleup leaders such as Roman Orus, co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer of Multiverse Computing; Iñaki Berenguer, CEO and founder of LifeX and founder of Pixable, Contactive and CoverWallet; Jaime Bosch, co-founder & CEO of Voicemod; Ezequiel Sánchez, Executive Chairman of PLD Space; Marcos Valera, GTM at ElevenLabs; Hugo Arévalo, co-founder and Executive Chairman of ThePowerMBA; David Bäckström, CEO of SeQura; Álvaro Martínez, CEO of Luzia; and Nico de Luis, founder & COO of Shakers.
The summit is expected to attract over 800 international investors managing more than €300 billion in assets. Among the global funds already confirmed are Fridtjof Berge, co-founder & Chief Business Officer of Antler, and Jacky Abitbol, Managing Partner at Cathay Innovation. Leading corporations, funds and accelerators such as JME Ventures, Kibo Ventures, Kfund, Seaya Ventures, Adara Ventures, Banco Santander, GoHub Ventures (Global Omnium), BStartup (Banco Sabadell), Wayra (Telefónica Group), Elewit (Redeia, Red Eléctrica Group), Plug and Play, HP, BBVA Spark, Angels Capital, CaixaBank DayOne, Naturgy, and Google for Startups, among many others, will also be present.
Among the major corporations confirmed are Just Eat, Hitachi and WhiteBIT, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange platforms and an official sponsor of FC Barcelona.
Collaboration and transformation
The content of VDS 2025 will be structured around seven major themes: Smart Cities & Digital Infrastructure, Next-Generation Consumer Tech, Talent & Future of Work, HealthTech & Longevity, Future of Energy & GreenTech, DeepTech & Scientific Innovation, and Aerospace Industry & Cybersecurity.
These areas will explore how collaboration among entrepreneurs, corporations, investors and public institutions can generate transformative impact. The approach is inspired by the spirit of cooperation that emerged in Valencia after the DANA storm in October 2024, a reminder of the need to align innovation with service to society. Sustainability will also be a key pillar of VDS 2025, with discussions ranging from the future of energy to the responsible use of technology.
As every year, VDS 2025 will count on strong institutional presence, with the participation of Spain’s Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, the Mayor of Valencia, Mª José Catalá, and the Regional Ministers of Innovation and Finance of the Generalitat Valenciana, consolidating the summit as a benchmark for public-private collaboration.
On October 22 and 23, Valencia will become the global stage for the conversations shaping the future of tech innovation.
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