Everything that happened at the 3rd edition of Al Andalus Innovation Venture
Al Andalus Innovation Venture, the leading event in the investment world, celebrated its 3rd edition on September 24 and 25 at the Navigation Pavilion in Seville and broke records. In total it has accumulated more than 2,300 attendees, nearly 600 startups, 171 investors and 105 corporations, significantly exceeding last year's data. Among the different conferences, pitches, meetings, networking and the final competition, this year there has been an increase in quality and quantity in the program of activities. And this has succeeded in consolidating the position of the event as a useful instrument for the Sevillian and Andalusian entrepreneurial ecosystem. We tell you everything that has happened!
Records in the third year of AAIV 2024
Al Andalus Innovation Venture is a business and business meeting focused on open innovation which aims to facilitate the development of startups through access to funding.Diego Vargas, co-founder of AAIV, Borja Cabezón, CEO of Enisa, Álvaro Pimentel, the delegate of Cartuja, Innovative Parks, Mobility, Economy and Commerce of the Seville City Council, and José Carlos Gómez, director of University, Research and Innovation of the Junta de Andalucía, presented and welcomed the meeting. The Seville City Council, through its deputy mayor, Álvaro Pimentel, showed the honor of hosting the event. One more year, this was once again becoming a meeting point and reference within the calendar of the country's business and investment forums. And it's not surprising, since representatives from various sectors attended, including energy, health, mobility, industry and aerospace; in addition, it serves as a platform for generating key agreements between emerging companies, technology SMEs and large corporations. All this was demonstrated by the figures collected at the end of the event. Over the two days of duration, more than 2,300 people participated in the activities, seeking to establish 200 strategic alliances in the Seville Navigation Pavilion. This has meant creating a space of opportunities for companies at different stages of development, whether they are small startups or technological SMEs with increasing success in the market.
Speakers of national and international relevance at Al Andalus Innovation Venture
Diego Vargas, one of the co-founders, stated that the event would mark a very significant qualitative and evolutionary leap, while emphasizing the relevance of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Seville. In the words of Vargas,”AAIV is the main point of union of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in southern Spain”, especially this third edition, which went a step further with the incorporation of Portugal as a guest country, adding an international component with the participation of its scaleups in the presentations. At the opening of the meeting, Borja Cabezón highlighted that the event represents a “clear demonstration of the talent present in the region's innovative entrepreneurship ecosystem”. He also noted that this success is possible thanks to the efforts of entrepreneurs who seek to materialize their dreams and to public-private collaboration, essential to turn these visions into reality.David Jiménez-Blanco, vice-president of Spanish Stock Exchanges and Markets (BME), was another of the most prominent figures who participated in the event. Jiménez-Blanco presented the paper “Access to markets and the importance of the investment ecosystem”. In it, he explained How has the Spanish economy evolved thanks to the flow of investment, both nationally and internationally. The result of his experience as an investor and his extensive network of contacts, which have consolidated him as a reference in the world of startups, Jacky Abitbol he was also one of the greatest exponents. He is a managing partner of Cathay Innovation, one of the largest European funds with more than 1 billion euros under management. Abitbol gave the presentation “The vision of the European innovation ecosystem”, where he presented data and statistics about the growing investment landscape in the continent, led by the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and France.
The presence of AI in Al Andalus Innovation Venture
The main room, the Mainstage, has been totally dedicated to Generative Artificial Intelligence. In the words of Vargas, innovation is at the heart of all the pillars of the event, and he took the opportunity to highlight the transcendence that lies in this versatile and unknown technological implementation. The Deputy Director of Digital Society of the Digital Agency of Andalusia, Carmen León Bertrand, has delved into risk prevention with AI and the incursion of this system into the work plans of companies and their employees. “Not only do we have to implement solutions in internal processes, but also you have to know how to provide service to society”.Francisco Herrera, professor in the Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Granada and a great Spanish figure in AI, has starred in the paper “Generative AI: Opportunities, Hallucinations, Security and Risks. Use case: Fullstep”. In it, he analyzed the Chronological development since the beginning of AI in image interpretation until its emerging boom that has flooded all existing platforms. Several speakers also had the opportunity to present different sessions on generative Artificial Intelligence and its application in different business cases.
Twenix, the scaleup winner of Al Andalus Innovation Venture 2024
Of the 20 scaleups finalists of this edition, Twenix turned out to be the winner. As a result, it has been recognized as an emerging company with high growth potential. In addition, scaleup has received the prestigious BME Scaleup award, including an exclusive three-year course valued at 7,600 euros. The program is designed to guide the company in its IPO, offering a unique opportunity for visibility in front of future investors. Twenix is a edtech that helps companies to make their employees speak English fluently. It has a unique methodology that offers 26-minute private lessons with teachers from all over the world. This innovative business model has attracted the attention of large renowned companies. In short, this award has consolidated Twenix as one of the most promising startups in the Spanish business ecosystem.
20 promising startups from AAIV 2024
During 2022, 2023 and 2024, AAIV has become a meeting point for investors, startups, scale-ups, corporations and other players in the Spanish entrepreneurial ecosystem. But it is also an ideal showcase to present and learn about some of the most innovative, disruptive and cutting-edge proposals in southern Spain. These are 20 startups which are driving the transformation of various sectors and realities:
