Overview
- VDS 2026 opened in Valencia on Wednesday as a two‑day gathering expected to host roughly 12,000 professionals, 3,000 startups, 1,500 corporations and more than 800 investors from over 120 countries.
- The conference theme, 'GENESIS. Origin of What's Next', places AI and deep tech at the centre of sessions that feature more than 600 speakers from firms such as Nvidia, Spotify, Rolls‑Royce and AstraZeneca.
- The Universitat de València is showing a multidisciplinary 'Science Today. Resilience Tomorrow' programme that includes an immersive DANA demonstration using virtual and extended reality, 3D printed models and projection mapping and a UV FORUM on applying AI to climate prediction.
- VDS Defense is running its first major activation at the summit to link EU member states, allied partners, defence industry players and investors around dual‑use technologies and coordination opportunities.
- The event moves into startup finals and investor matchmaking on Thursday, with organisers pointing to an EY‑Parthenon estimate that VDS generated €26 million for Valencia in 2025 as a measure of the summit's local economic impact and job‑creation potential.