Valencia: Innovation, Culture and a City of Opportunity

Valencia stands as a symbol of cycling culture, boasting a 160 km network of bike paths that weave through the city and invite everyone to move freely.

Innovation shapes Valencia’s landscape. The city is driven by a collective mission to design a better, people-centric urban environment, a trait passed down through generations. If one takes a journey into the past, it becomes clear that Valencians have always woven creativity and collaboration into the fabric of their daily lives. This historical thread helps explain how Valencia became what it is today.

Thanks to the enduring effort of grandparents, parents, and the many events that mark the city’s history, today’s residents enjoy a modern Valencia known for resilience and forward-thinking. The city’s spirit of innovation earned it recognition as a European Capital of Innovation in 2022, a distinction given to places that strengthen resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability while improving people’s lives and the surrounding environment. This is the essence of Valencia’s ongoing journey through time.

Exploring the past reveals significant milestones that shaped Valencia, from the founding of the University of Valencia in 1499 to the creation of enduring cultural institutions linked to the Silk Road era, including the Great College of Silk and Lonja, elements that remain part of Valencia’s cultural legacy today. The city’s response to the 1957 flood demonstrated remarkable resilience, as Valencia repurposed the former riverbed into Europe’s expansive urban garden network, a symbol of renewal and adaptive reuse that continues to inspire urban design.

Innovation also grows from everyday creativity. The region’s long tradition of citrus export helped foster a design culture, culminating in labels and packaging innovations that spread globally and still influence product presentation today.

A pivotal cultural and scientific hub is Valencia City of Arts and Sciences, which has evolved into a beacon of cultural exchange and scientific discovery. Among its milestones is the 1989 Jaume I Awards, a program that links science with industry to advance research, development, and entrepreneurship. Jaume I is recognized as one of the most prestigious international research awards, underscoring Valencia’s commitment to scientific excellence.

Today, Valencia continues to push boundaries. The maritime region is energized by a vibrant ecosystem that blends creativity with enterprise. The Polytechnic City of Innovation (CPI) at UPV and a broad range of tech ventures illustrate the city’s dynamic approach to innovation. Valencia is widely regarded as having one of Spain’s largest per-capita innovation ecosystems, underscoring its role as a center for technology and entrepreneurship.

Valencia’s innovative spirit is not just a nod to the past; it remains a constant driver in confronting humanity’s great challenges, including climate action. The city has embraced a collaborative ethos, bringing together diverse stakeholders to pursue ambitious goals under the banner of collective action. A notable example is the climate mission, which gained broad support from civil society, followed by government and political leadership, symbolizing a shared commitment to sustainable progress.

One landmark achievement in sustainable mobility is Valencia’s pioneering bike path network on Blasco Ibáñez Street, established in 1982 to promote non-motorized transport. Today, the city’s bike lanes exceed 160 kilometers and are utilized by more than 8,500 people daily. The cycling initiative has surpassed seven million users since its inception, reflecting a sustained dedication to accessible, green transport. Valencia’s pursuit of sustainable mobility continues, with ongoing plans to shape the future of urban transportation. Valencia’s tech sector is advancing cutting-edge projects such as Zeleros, a leading name in European hyperloop development, illustrating the city’s role in futuristic transport technologies.

Valencia’s innovation portfolio also spans sustainability-focused projects like the Requiem in Power initiative, which incorporates 7,000 solar panels within the city’s main cemetery to generate up to 2,000 households’ energy demand per hour. This municipal project demonstrates how public spaces can be transformed into large-scale energy resources, redefining urban energy models.

Recognition of Valencia’s forward-looking approach came in 2020 when the city was named one of six European innovation frontrunners at the iCapital Awards. The Valencia 2030 Missions, backed by the Las Naves innovation center and the Innovation and Knowledge delegation of the Valencia City Council, continues to guide the city’s strategic path. The ongoing work of Valencia’s entire innovation ecosystem keeps the city on a trajectory that could contribute to another historic chapter in its story, potentially influenced by the goal of European Capital of Innovation in 2022.

Valencia Tech City, innovation in the city of opportunity

In the last eight months, 1.5 million euros in investments supported 380 new jobs.

Valencia is often described as a tech city, a place where talent and modern technologies converge to form a vibrant landscape of opportunity. The VLC Tech City platform advances public-private collaboration with a mission to position Valencia as a center of innovation and technology. It forms a cornerstone of the Entreprenerial Nation of Spain strategy, aligning with broader national targets for business growth and knowledge exchange.

Within this framework, Valencia’s innovation system collaborates under a strategic plan to promote local technology-based entrepreneurship, empower the entrepreneurial community, attract international talent, retain homegrown talent, and stimulate investment and project creation. The result is a thriving ecosystem that positions Valencia as a benchmark for innovation and technology.

Following these foundations, the City Hall has launched Invest in Valencia, a service designed to attract high-quality foreign investment, offering tailored guidance and streamlined processes to reduce barriers. In less than nine months, eight investment projects revealed a value exceeding 1.5 million euros, with projected job creation of more than 380 roles over the next two years.

Valencia remains committed to the mission of showcasing the city as a true VLC Technology City, a place where innovation meets opportunity and people are at the center of every initiative.

September 30 – Valencia, candidate for European Capital of Innovation

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