Valencia’s tech ecosystem continues to grow, closing the third quarter of 2026 with 1,639 startups—a 7.17% increase from the previous quarter. The city’s startups now employ 23,250 people and have raised 234 million euros in funding so far this year.
These are the key findings of the Report on the Startup Ecosystem in Valencia for the third quarter of 2026, prepared by Startup Valencia, which reflects the evolution of the city’s entrepreneurial landscape and its growing role in job creation, attracting investment, and economic development.
The report also notes that 71% of startups have raised funding and that the total capital raised over the past ten years now exceeds 1 billion euros. These indicators provide a sense of the scale of the ecosystem’s activity and allow for an analysis of its evolution in a context of technological transformation and growing international competition.
Valencia Now Has 1,639 Startups and Grew 7.17% in the Third Quarter
The number of startups in the city stood at 1,639 at the end of September, representing a quarterly increase of 7.17%. This figure confirms that Valencia continues to expand its entrepreneurial ecosystem and create new opportunities for the development of technology projects.
This growth is driven by the activities of universities, research centers, accelerators, investors, and institutions that facilitate the creation and development of new companies. The connection between these stakeholders is essential for projects to gain access to the knowledge, funding, and resources they need at each stage of their development.
Initiatives such as Valencia Innovation Capital, Startup Valencia, Lanzadera, CEEI Valencia, and IDEAS UPV help strengthen this ecosystem through acceleration programs, training, business mentoring, and market connections.
The challenge is not only to continue increasing the number of startups, but also to facilitate their consolidation, support their growth, and help more companies compete in international markets.
The technology ecosystem already supports 23,250 jobs
The contribution of technology entrepreneurship to Valencia’s economy is also reflected in employment. According to the report, the city’s startups employ 23,250 people, a figure that highlights the scale the sector has reached.
The growth of these companies creates career opportunities in fields such as artificial intelligence, software development, engineering, biotechnology, digital health, and technology services, as well as positions related to business management, sales, and international expansion.
The ability to attract, train, and retain specialized talent will be crucial to sustaining this growth. In this regard, the connection between universities, training centers, and technology companies helps bridge the gap between market needs and professionals and facilitates their integration into the ecosystem.
During the quarter, initiatives such as Valencia Tech Talent Connect—launched by Valencia Innovation Capital and NextTalent—have helped strengthen this connection by facilitating meetings between students, young professionals, startups, and technology companies.
Employment is thus established as one of the key indicators of the impact that innovative entrepreneurship has on the city’s economic activity.
Investment will reach 234 million euros in 2026
Funding is another key indicator in the report. At the end of the third quarter, the Valencian startups included in the study had raised 234 million euros in 2026, while the total capital raised over the past ten years exceeds 1,000 million euros.
In addition, 71% of the startups included in the report have raised funds, a figure that reflects the importance of financing in the development of companies within the ecosystem.
The third quarter was marked by significant transactions in strategic technology sectors, particularly in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and biotechnology.
Notable among them is iPronics’ $125 million funding round, with NVIDIA among its investors. The company, which originated at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, develops photonic technology to improve communications in artificial intelligence data centers.
In the healthcare sector, iPremom has secured 15 million euros to advance its platform for the early molecular diagnosis of pregnancy complications. Meanwhile, Cubicup has closed a two-million-euro funding round to develop its technology and prepare for international expansion.
These transactions, which vary in size and span different sectors, illustrate the ecosystem’s ability to attract investment and develop technology projects with growth potential.
Access to capital, especially in later stages, remains one of the main challenges in supporting companies as they expand and go global.
Innovation, talent, and internationalization: the keys to continued growth
Beyond business indicators, the third quarter has seen significant progress in collaboration among the ecosystem’s key players and in the development of new opportunities for startups.
In the area of startup acceleration, Lanzadera has added 124 new startups to its program, expanding its support to companies in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, and operational optimization.
Public innovation has also continued to advance. Valencia’s Urban Sandbox has celebrated its second anniversary, having developed 48 innovative projects, enabling startups and tech companies to test solutions in real-world settings and help solve urban challenges.
In addition to these initiatives, Valencian companies are making strides in fields such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, photonics, and the aerospace industry, thereby expanding the region’s presence in high-value-added technology sectors.
The event’s international profile has also gained prominence with preparations for VDS 2026, which will hold its ninth edition on October 21 and 22 at the City of Arts and Sciences. The event will bring together more than 12,000 professionals from over 120 countries, 3,000 startups, and more than 800 investors, generating new opportunities for business, funding, and international collaboration.
The combination of talent, capital, knowledge, and international connections will be essential for the ecosystem’s growth to translate into companies that are increasingly competitive and better positioned for expansion.
Valencia is heading into the final quarter of the year with a growing ecosystem
The results for the third quarter of 2026 reflect the growth of Valencia’s technology ecosystem, which continues to see an increase in the number of startups, create jobs, and attract funding.
The 1,639 startups, 23,250 jobs, and 234 million euros raised so far this year demonstrate the scale that innovative entrepreneurship has reached in the city. The capital accumulated over the past decade and the activity of the ecosystem’s key players also provide a broader perspective on its development.
The challenge in the coming years will be to support this growth with new investment opportunities, facilitate access to specialized talent, and strengthen the connection between research, businesses, and international markets.
With VDS 2026 just around the corner, Valencia is entering the final quarter of the year with new opportunities to consolidate its position as a technology hub and continue transforming innovation into economic activity, jobs, and business growth.