Moving Your Business Venture to Valencia: A Comprehensive Overview
Valencia, Spain, is rapidly establishing itself as a vibrant and dynamic startup ecosystem, attracting entrepreneurs from around the globe with its collaborative, affordable, and increasingly international environment.
**Growth and Expansion**
Valencia's startup scene has witnessed a significant surge, with a 15.45% increase in the number of startups from 2023 to 2024[1]. This growth has been fueled by strategic partnerships, enhanced financial support, and a supportive regulatory landscape.
**International Collaboration**
Valencia is actively fostering international ties, notably through partnerships such as the recent agreement between Startup Valencia and Unicorn Factory Lisboa from Portugal. This alliance aims to strengthen the startup ecosystems in both Spain and Portugal, promoting talent exchange and creating joint opportunities for startups and scale-ups[3].
**Financial and Infrastructural Support**
The Valencia City Council has increased seed funding by 50%, raising the total available to €600,000 to support early-stage ventures[1]. The Invest in València Program, which attracted foreign investment and entrepreneurs, has resulted in over 1,500 new jobs and a €149 million economic impact over two years, further bolstering the ecosystem[1].
Valencia offers a variety of coworking and coliving spaces designed to foster collaboration, growth, and networking among digital nomads, freelancers, and startup teams[2].
**Attractive Business Environment**
Spain offers two main business structures: Autónomo (sole proprietor) and Sociedad Limitada (SL), with the latter being the preferred choice for most startups. New businesses in Valencia enjoy a reduced corporate tax rate of 15% for the first two years of profit (standard rate is 25%)[2].
To explore Valencia as a potential location for setting up a startup, the VDS 2025 tech event is an excellent opportunity, bringing together over 1200 attendees annually to share ideas, network, and build connections[2].
**Supporting Startups**
Valencia provides a strong talent pool from local universities and offers grants and subsidies for innovation through institutions like IVACE and Lanzadera, which incubates hundreds of startups per year with funding and mentoring[2].
For non-EU founders, the Entrepreneur Visa (Ley de Emprendedores) is a startup-friendly visa option, requiring a scalable business model, solid business plan, proof of funding, health insurance, and a clean criminal record[2]. Approval for the visa is granted after submitting the plan to the Spanish Economic and Commercial Office, followed by application at the local Spanish consulate[2].
For EU founders relocating to Valencia, the main administrative hurdle is securing the NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero)[2]. Spain requires private, no-copay, comprehensive health coverage for most visa applicants, with insurers like Innoinsure catering specifically to startup founders and expats[2].
**Promising Future**
Valencia's startup scene in 2025 is marked by robust growth, proactive international partnerships, and enhanced financial and infrastructural support for early-stage startups, positioning it as an emerging tech hub in Southern Europe under an attractive Mediterranean lifestyle[1][3][2]. With 34% of startups in Valencia having a female co-founder, the city also shows a promising growth in female entrepreneurship[1].
In summary, Valencia's startup scene offers a promising future for entrepreneurs seeking a supportive, collaborative, and international environment in which to grow their businesses.
[1] Startup Valencia (2025). Valencia's Startup Scene: A Promising Future. [online] Available at: https://startupvalencia.com/valencia-startup-scene-future/
[2] Valencia Tourist Board (2025). Valencia: A Vibrant Startup Community. [online] Available at: https://www.visitvalencia.com/en/valencia-vibrant-startup-community
[3] Startup Lisboa (2025). Startup Valencia and Unicorn Factory Lisboa Announce Strategic Partnership. [online] Available at: https://startuplisboa.com/en/startup-valencia-unicorn-factory-lisboa-announce-strategic-partnership/
An entrepreneur seeking to scale a tech-focused business could find Valencia, Spain, an appealing destination, as its rapidly growing startup scene offers financial support, such as increased seed funding and the Invest in València Program. Additionally, the city fosters international collaboration through partnerships, like the one between Startup Valencia and Unicorn Factory Lisboa, hence providing opportunities for technology-driven businesses to expand globally.
