Alicante Technology Forum gathers technology and innovation under one roof, opening officially at 11:30 on Tuesday, November 29. The event runs through Saturday, December 3, featuring fifty free activities that include workshops, roundtables, conferences, technology exhibitions, a hackathon, film screenings, and interactive games. Antonio Peral, the presidency and new technologies coordinator, oversees the program, which unfolds across three pillars: the congress, the ATF Battle Arena gaming championship, and the Alicante Smartphone Film Festival.
The event extends until Saturday, December 3. For the grand opening, MARQ anchors the Plaza de Toros as a central hub, while some activities move to ADDA and other city venues such as the Aguas de Alicante Museum and Puerta Ferrisa.
The ATF Battle Arena Championship is a Valorant-based tournament for amateur players, a fast-paced shooter and strategy title featuring eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals for a chance at public matches and online broadcasts. Forty-eight players from national and international backgrounds participate, with eight teams reaching the knockout stage.
Quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final in Alicante are held in a one-on-one format with professional commentators. The championship began online in October with 128 teams from diverse backgrounds and continues at the Plaza de Toros every afternoon. Since November 29, the awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, December 3.
Short film festival with smartphone
Alicante Smartphone Film Festival showcases award-winning short films created with mobile devices. The festival features 150 entries, marking the second edition of its kind in Spain after Barcelona. From Wednesday, December 30, to Friday, January 2, selected shorts are shown in public screenings in the late afternoon.
opening
The opening ceremony includes the president of the Alicante Provincial Assembly, Carlos Mazón, and the Minister of Innovation, Science, Universities, and Digital Society, Joséphine Good. The mayor of Alicante, Luis Barcala, also attends. Following remarks, councilor Antonio Peral introduces the planned activities and welcomes an international speaker and economic analyst, Marc Vidal, who is widely regarded as a leading voice in Spain’s digital economy. Vidal delivers the keynote on the topic of timely progress and industry challenges ahead.
He speaks candidly about the opportunities and obstacles facing the sector and the people who build it. The opening session features live music and a performance by a Star Wars ensemble with a concluding video sequence that enriches the ADDA experience.
Congress
The Alicante Technology Forum Congress brings together science, information, and industry insight. The morning program at Plaza de Toros features around 40 exhibitors, researchers, and technology experts.
On Wednesday, November 30, at 9:45 a.m., a roundtable led by the mayor Luis Barcala features Orizon, a provider of technology solutions for large enterprises, with participants from Huawei, Orange, NTT Data, and Facephi focusing on facial biometrics. Separate tables explore transformative projects that connect ecosystems and talent, with speakers including innovation leaders and best-selling authors. The day ends with a discussion on cryptocurrencies, their impact, and social risks.
Thursday, December 1, spotlights Telefónica Innovation Day, followed by presentations on innovative projects from the Alicante ecosystem at 11:00 a.m. A mid-day roundtable at 12:00 p.m. examines smart city best practices from Malaga, Valladolid, and Elche, with involvement from mayors of Alicante, Benidorm, and Las Rozas, plus municipal tech leaders from the RECI network. The afternoon introduces Alicante Futura and AL21, a project on Artificial Intelligence from Alicante Smart City.
On Thursday, an expert panel discusses who controls the balance of rights and technologies in metaverses, featuring Marta Pascal, a policy digitization consultant, and Diego Hidalgo, founder of multiple tech companies and author of Anesthesia: Humanity under the Technology Empire. Juan Pedro Moreno, former president of Accenture Spain, Portugal and Israel and executive chair of WPP in Spain, moderates.
Friday, December 2 opens with two Alicante-based scientists of international stature, Francis Mojica, a professor of Microbiology at UA, and Eduardo Fernández, a professor of Cellular Biology at UMH. At 10:30 a.m., educational teams Iñaki Bilbao and Pepe Arcos from Amazon and Apple share their contributions. At 11:30 a.m., UA and UMH Science Park projects are showcased, followed by Nuria Olivé, an Alicante native and AI expert, who speaks at 1:00 p.m. on Artificial Intelligence for Social Good. The day closes with a cybersecurity roundtable led by Civil Guard leaders, including Lieutenant General Arturo Espejo.