• Around twenty women entrepreneurs presented the projects they have developed following several months of training, mentoring and an international learning experience.

• The programme, led by the EOI School of Industrial Organisation with the support of València Innovation Capital, has strengthened female leadership and fostered connections with European innovation ecosystems.

Valencia has brought the second edition of The Break Valencia to a close with the celebration of its Demo Day, an event where participating entrepreneurs presented the projects they have developed over recent months to representatives of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, businesses and public institutions. Held at La Harinera, the event highlighted talent, innovation and female leadership as key drivers of the city’s economic and technological development.

Over the course of almost four months, the 22 participants completed a programme comprising around 100 hours of training and mentoring. The curriculum combined sessions on business development, female leadership, communication, artificial intelligence applied to entrepreneurship and regenerative approaches, alongside one-to-one mentoring and peer learning activities.

Paula Llobet, Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment Attraction at València City Council, said: “The Break demonstrates that when we connect training, innovation and collaboration, we create real opportunities for more women to develop high-impact projects. At València City Council, we remain committed to building an ecosystem where female talent can grow, innovate and access the tools needed to transform ideas into competitive businesses.”

She added: “This programme reflects València Innovation Capital’s commitment to an open, diverse and international model of innovation, where women entrepreneurs not only acquire knowledge but also build collaborative networks that strengthen our ecosystem and project Valencian talent across Europe.”

One of the defining features of this edition was its international dimension. Participants spent two weeks in Prague, where they gained first-hand insight into different European innovation ecosystems, met with companies, institutions and specialist organisations, and exchanged experiences with entrepreneurs from across Europe.

As part of this international experience, the group also visited the Port of Vienna through an activity organised with the support of Opentop, the open innovation initiative promoted by the Valenciaport Foundation.

As Councillor Llobet concluded, “This Demo Day reinforces València’s commitment to female talent, innovation and internationalisation as key pillars for fostering entrepreneurship with impact and creating new opportunities for the city’s economic and social development.”

A strategy to promote female talent

The programme forms part of València Innovation Capital’s wider strategy to promote entrepreneurship and female leadership as essential elements of the city’s innovation ecosystem.

Over the past year alone, the different initiatives promoted by València City Council have reached more than 2,500 women and girls, supporting every stage of the talent pipeline, from inspiring STEAM vocations to business acceleration and access to leadership positions.

This commitment is particularly significant in a context where the gender gap remains one of the technology sector’s greatest challenges. According to the 2026 National Report on Tech and Innovative Companies, women account for just 18% of technology company founders in the Valencian Community, slightly above the national average of 17%.