By: María Lada, Head of Operations at South Summit
What makes different from other entrepreneurship encounters?
Some talk about business, others talk about connections, and they all agree on the same definition: magic. Why South Summit? Because it’s the place where things happen. But what happens at South Summit, in Madrid, Brazil, Korea, Bilbao… To answer this question, we believe it’s best to look at specific examples that reflect what happens at South Summit.
Pau Gasol, founder of the Gasol16Ventures fund, has invested in the startup Idoven, specializing in the use of AI for cardiology and winner of the Health and Wellbeing vertical at South Summit 2021. This startup also has the support of another former athlete, Iker Casillas, who has participated in several editions of South Summit.
Payflow, the winning startup at South Summit 2022, and Factorial, one of the Spanish unicorns present at the 2023 edition and a South Summit finalist in 2021, have formed an alliance to promote digitalization in Human Resources departments and facilitate access to social benefits.
Renfe, which has always been a partner of South Summit, has invested €1 million in the startup Visualfy for its station lighting system for people with visual impairments.
In other words, at South Summit, valuable relationships are forged that lead to future-proof businesses, with the latest technologies as the guiding thread.
Family. Another of the most heard words at South Summit. Because despite the more than 18,000 attendees from 133 countries who pass through La Nave in Madrid each year, or the more than 6,500 startups, 6,000 corporations and speakers, and 2,000 investors, each South Summit is a gathering with family, a close experience, where everyone feels the connection that real business opportunities are brewing there.
And of course, South Summit is all about authentic character. It couldn’t be any other way, with María Benjumea being the founder and president of South Summit. Magic in capital letters.
Culture, leisure, and networking. All of this is possible at South Summit. Because innovation is everywhere.
One of the people who never misses an edition said that here, «every detail is meticulously taken care of, you make friends, and we make everyone feel special, no matter where you come from.» Because people are at the heart of everything we do. The South Summit experience isn’t just a three-day event, it’s a 365-day event. Throughout the year, we foster relationships in the world of innovation and entrepreneurship through all the activities we carry out, tailored to each of the stakeholders involved.
Our team asked us to explain what makes South Summit different from other innovation and entrepreneurship gatherings. Our answer is that we’re not different, but complementary, each with a distinct objective. Ours is clear: to connect all the key players in the world of innovation and entrepreneurship and generate the best business opportunities. In short, making things happen: the magic of South Summit.