Marbella hosts from Wednesday the second edition of Startup OLÉ to connect entrepreneurs and investors.

The Adolfo Suárez Conference and Exhibition Centre will host the second edition of Startup OLÉ on the upcoming 7th and 8th of May, establishing Marbella as an international entrepreneurship hub. This event is supported by the City Council, the Andalusian Regional Government, and Andalucía Emprende, among other entities, and aims to connect the international ecosystem based on the Costa del Sol with the national ecosystem, with a special focus on attracting investment, creating startups, and fostering global collaboration. The figures reached in 2024 include 1,000 attendees from all over Europe, about 300 speakers, and more than 70 startups, and this year the expectation is to exceed these numbers.

Moreover, this meeting will place special emphasis on new technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and 'gaming'. For this purpose, it will include various forums discussing investment, Cyber-Shube, public administrations, media, as well as a space for promoting products and services within Cyber Olé, which will feature talks, workshops, and a hackathon that will address issues such as digital and secure experience in the municipality, the drive towards a digital and resilient business ecosystem, and the pursuit of a smart, connected, and reliable Marbella city. The event will feature over 200 high-level speakers, who will present exclusive content in activities such as panel discussions, plenary talks, and workshops. There will also be other activities such as a startup fair, business rounds, and networking activities. In Marbella, Startup OLÉ will adapt to the unique characteristics of the region, facilitating the connection between the Nordic and Central European ecosystems and the entrepreneurial dynamism of Spain, supported by national, regional, and municipal entrepreneurship policies.

Among the participants in this second edition are the Mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz; the Director General for Entrepreneurship Promotion and Continuous Training of the Andalusian Regional Government, Javier González Navarro; the co-founder of Global Super Angels Club, Andreas Mihalovits; the CEO of The Pool Marbella, Christian Rasmusson; the COO of Bridge, Bob Van Winden. Also participating are, among others, the CEO of 3Wisemen, Germán Cutillas; the Head of Innovation at Talgo, Alfredo González; the Director of Investor Relations at PLD SPACE, Mariano García; the Director of Public Projects Area at EOI, Fernando Garrido, and the CEO of Saudi Business Council, Kira Negrón. The CEO of Startup OLÉ and professor at the University of Salamanca, Emilio Corchado, will act as the host of the event.

In total, more than 50 funds, corporations, and investment entities, as well as about a hundred startups will participate in the event. These will compete for the following awards: the top three ranked will receive direct passes to the Startup OLÉ Salamanca´25 events (15-17 October) and Miami´26 (20-21 April). Moreover, the top six will have all these services except for the direct pass to the pitch competition. Additionally, Startup OLÉ Marbella 2025 invites the general public to attend the event.