Approximately 500 participants, including BBVA companies, investors, funds, and partners, gathered for the new edition of the BBVA Open Summit, where the bank showcased its innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. The BBVA President, Carlos Torres Vila, attended the conference to hear the transformative proposals from the participating companies and to reflect on the thriving spirit of entrepreneurship in Spain. “We want to be the bank for companies shaping the future”, Torres Vila stated. (Source: BBVA/Open Summit)
BBVA Open Summit reopened after a two-year pause caused by the pandemic. The fifth edition spotlighted technology-driven firms that have propelled digitization and sustainability. “Innovation has long been the key driver for BBVA, simplifying customers’ lives”, the organizers explained. “Open Summit enables us to connect the bank’s own talent with external talent, thereby enhancing the value proposition and improving the customer experience across industries.” (Source: BBVA/Opening remarks)
Belausteguigoitia, responsible for BBVA Spain, emphasized the importance of Spanish entrepreneurs with whom BBVA collaborates across multiple areas, including digital customer service, the development of financial health tools, and the integration of third-party services into BBVA’s offerings. This collaboration is visible with companies like Trucksters, which provides BBVA logistics services to SMEs seeking international growth, a value that complements the bank’s financial products, and Usyncro, which offers a customs management solution. Another collaboration highlighted at the opening involved Sentimer’s artificial intelligence tools integrated into the bank’s digital channels, enhancing processes such as new customer registrations and reducing abandonment rates. (Source: BBVA Spain)
“Our aim is to stay close to these innovative companies and act as a bank that supports them in the medium and long term”, Belausteguigoitia remarked.
In the event’s demo area, roughly 30 demonstrations captured attention. Some of the partners BBVA joined include Wiserent with its rental model for consumer electronics, Cledara which streamlines corporate software subscriptions, and Veridas, a specialist in biometric technologies. Others selected for strategic value included Submer, offering solutions to boost data center energy efficiency, and Paack, providing a traceable service to improve e-commerce deliveries. (Source: BBVA Demo Day Highlights)
Carlos Torres Vila, the BBVA President, met with several attendees later in the day and underscored the pivotal role entrepreneurs play not only in job creation and wealth, but also as a driving force in facing major future challenges, such as decarbonizing the economy and accelerating society’s digital transformation. He noted that these challenges demand both innovation and investment, describing the moment as a turning point for Spain’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. (Source: BBVA President remarks)
Torres Vila recalled BBVA’s track record of investing in innovative financial services firms and said, “At BBVA, we aim to capitalize on the opportunities generated by these innovations.” He cited Sinovation Ventures, a Chinese fund with a portfolio of more than 400 companies focused on artificial intelligence, along with new contributions from Leadwind and Lowercarbon funds as examples of strategic partnerships. (Source: BBVA Investment Highlights)
Looking ahead, BBVA intends to go beyond investments to become the bank of choice for future-defining companies. The goal is to offer financial services tailored to the needs of fast-growing firms, with products and solutions aligned to evolving technology-based business models. (Source: BBVA Strategic Vision)
BBVA will continue to engage with the innovation ecosystem through ongoing events like the Open Summit. The gathering concluded by inspiring entrepreneurs to build new, sustainable, inclusive futures powered by technology and invention. (Source: BBVA Open Summit Closing Remarks)