• 50,000 euros per startup to accelerate its growth and international expansion through the Early Stage program at València Innovation Capital
• Paula Llobet, the councilor for Innovation, notes that the city is strengthening its position as a European technology hub with a program focused on startups that already have traction and have received prior private investment

On Monday, Valencia hosted the kickoff of the Early Stage Program, an initiative launched by the Valencia City Council through Valencia Innovation Capital with a budget of 400,000 euros, in collaboration with Startup Valencia, which marks the start of support for a new generation of startups in the scaling phase. The opening ceremony took place at Les Naus, where the selected startups officially began their acceleration journey as part of a program designed to strengthen companies with traction, prior private investment, and the potential for international growth.

Paula Llobet, the Valencia City Council’s Councilor for Tourism, Innovation, and Investment Attraction, emphasized during the opening ceremony that “this program reflects Valencia’s commitment to supporting startups that have already validated their business model and are ready to grow. We want them to scale up from here, connected to investment, talent, and international markets, thereby consolidating Valencia as a leading technology hub in Europe.” The participating companies reflect the diversity of Valencia’s innovation ecosystem and are grouped into several strategic lines of development.

In the field of urban technology and the transition toward smarter cities, we find Batteryfly, which focuses on advanced energy solutions for urban environments; Enerlind, which focuses on energy efficiency and sustainability; and CivitPhone, which develops digital solutions for urban management and the improvement of public services.

At the forefront of public sector digitization and process automation are Feending and Voicit, two GovTech solutions that aim to improve efficiency, decision-making, and interaction between the government and citizens through advanced software technologies.

ByteHide operates in the fields of cybersecurity, resilience, and dual-use technology, while Dryfing provides solutions related to emergency management and security, with applications also in sustainable tourism and the management of complex environments.

The program also incorporates innovation in digital health through Biotasmart, which focuses on wellness and smart monitoring, as well as the promotion of the creative economy and digital entertainment through Kämpe, which focuses on immersive technologies and video games.

The Early Stage Program offers each startup a grant of up to 50,000 euros, along with specialized support aimed at professionalizing teams, scaling the business, connecting with investors, and facilitating international expansion. The goal is to strengthen the maturity of Valencia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and facilitate its access to more advanced funding rounds.