Submissions open for VDS Startup Competition

Participating startups have at least an MVP and present compelling proposals for investors, financial institutions, and companies. These projects are technically and commercially viable, scalable, and have the potential for internationalization and application in other countries.

VDS is the international tech event organized by Startup Valencia at the City of Arts and Sciences, which transforms the city into the global epicenter of innovation for one week.

VDS Startup Competition Tracks

• Startups participating in the VDS Startup Competition choose between the Early Stage Track or the Growth Stage Track, and then select two technology categories in which to compete.
  • Early Stage Track
    • Companies must be between bootstrapped to seed stage funding, i.e. self-funded or at your first formal round of external funding up until Series A. Startups here must have been founded between 2018-2025, employ under 100 people and build or market software or hardware products.
  • Growth Stage Track
    • Companies must have raised external funding and can be within Series A > B/C, i.e. at or beyond your first significant round of venture capital financing. Startups here must have been founded between 2010-2025, and build or market software or hardware products.

Categories

• Digital Transformation & Enterprise Solutions
• Consumer Technologies & Services
• Social Impact & Sustainability
• Media & Entertainment
• Emerging Technologies

Prizes Information

• The startups included in the TOP 50 will receive the following:
  • A free Pitcher Pass for the person doing the pitch
  • 2 VDS 2025 Business Passes for free
  • Pitch Opportunity at VDS 2025 (Time and place TBC by the Organiser)
  • Mentions on Social Media and Newsletter
  • Mention on the VDS 2025 website as Top 50 of the competition and the category in which the startup was selected.
• Each of the Pitch Competition Finalists will receive the following:
  • A free Speaker Pass for the person doing the pitch
  • Pitch opportunity on the Main Stage during the Competition Finale
  • 4 VDS 2025 Business Passes for free
  • Invitation to the Guest Reception on the 21nd of October (Valencia, Spain)
  • Access to the VIP/Business Lounges
  • Media coverage: startups will have the opportunity to be interviewed by their media partners who will enhance their visibility before, during, and after the event.
  • One highlight article on their blog previous to VDS 2025 featuring the finalists including their statements
  • Networking opportunities through the VDS App
  • Mention on the VDS 2025 website as a Finalist or TOP 10 of the Competition and the category in which the startup was selected.
  • Mentions on Social Media and Newsletter
• The Pitch Competition Winning startups will receive the following, in addition to the prizes specified above:
  • Own exhibition space at VDS2026
  • 4 VDS 2025 Attendee Passes for free
  • Exclusive networking opportunities at VDS 2025
  • Meet international press for the promotion of the winning startup
  • Interview with both winners (Early and Growth) that will be published on their blog after VDS
  • A dedicated article as a winner published on the VDS website and promoted across VDS marketing channels
  • Mentions on VDS Social Media and Newsletter
  • A VDS trophy

Eligibility Criteria

• VDS 2025 Competition is open to all startups from around the world.

Selection Process

• The VDS Startup Competition is organized by VDS in collaboration with Sesamers, the global platform that connects founders, investors, corporates, and tech events to foster meaningful growth opportunities across Europe.
• A jury of international experts will select 50 startups as semi-finalists, designating them as the Top 50 of the 2025 edition. From these, 10 startups in the Early Stage track and 10 in the Growth Stage track will be selected as finalists. These 20 startups will present their projects on the main stage of VDS on October 23, in front of more than 12,000 professionals from 120 countries, including over 800 investors.
• After the presentations, two winning startups —one in the Early Stage category and one in the Growth Stage category— will be announced and awarded a visibility and growth package that includes exhibition space at VDS 2026, international media exposure, and access to top-tier investors.

For more information, visit Startup Valencia.