The València Nomads Hub, an initiative of València Innovation Capital by the Valencia City Council, held the second edition of Nomads Connect on 10 June 2026 at La Harinera under the title Decoding the Ecosystem Playbook. The event brought together digital nomads, freelancers, entrepreneurs, local and international professionals interested in gaining a deeper understanding of Valencia’s innovation ecosystem and the opportunities available within it.
The gathering combined ecosystem onboarding, expert talks and networking opportunities designed to help international talent navigate the city’s entrepreneurial landscape. Throughout the evening, participants explored topics ranging from urban innovation and startup ecosystems to financial wellbeing and artificial intelligence, while connecting with key ecosystem stakeholders and fellow professionals.
Understanding Valencia’s Innovation Ecosystem
One of the central themes of the event was helping international professionals understand how Valencia’s innovation ecosystem operates and how they can actively participate in it.
Innovation Opportunities Beyond Traditional Entrepreneurship
The evening began with a presentation by Laura López García from València Innovation Capital, who introduced attendees to a few initiatives positioning Valencia as a testing ground for innovation and urban experimentation.
Through examples such as the Valencia Urban Sandbox and the GSIC Testing Lab València Center, López explained how the city is creating frameworks that facilitate collaboration between startups, technology providers, public institutions and citizens. Her presentation highlighted Valencia’s commitment to fostering innovation while addressing real urban challenges through experimentation and public-private collaboration.
Navigating the Ecosystem Through Strategic Connections
The first panel, moderated by Vladislav Busko, Partnerships Manager at Startup Valencia, explored how international professionals can successfully integrate into Valencia’s entrepreneurial and innovation community.
The discussion featured Adrián Villanueva Martínez, Head of Strategic Partnerships at CDTM Valencia, Carmen Durán Hernández, Account Manager of Corporates at Lanzadera, and Kristin Suleng Furió, Head of Communication and Marketing at Fundació Parc Científic Universitat de València.
The panelists offered practical perspectives on the different organizations that make up the ecosystem, their respective roles and the opportunities available to entrepreneurs, researchers, innovators and international professionals. A recurring message throughout the conversation was the importance of actively participating in communities, events and collaborative initiatives as a pathway to building meaningful relationships and discovering opportunities.
The speakers also emphasized that Valencia’s ecosystem benefits from a strong culture of collaboration among institutions, accelerators, universities and innovation organizations, creating an environment that is particularly accessible for newcomers looking to contribute and grow professionally.
Building Stability and Professional Growth
Alongside ecosystem knowledge, the event addressed two topics frequently identified as priorities for internationally mobile professionals: financial wellbeing and productivity.
Financial Empowerment for Global Professionals
Giovanna “Gigi” González, financial educator, author and founder of The First Gen Mentor, delivered a session focused on personal finance, financial resilience and long-term stability.
Drawing from her experience supporting first-generation professionals, González shared practical insights on managing finances while navigating international careers and independent professional paths. Her presentation resonated strongly with an audience largely composed of freelancers, digital nomads and remote professionals who often face unique financial challenges related to mobility, self-employment and cross-border living.
The session highlighted the importance of financial literacy as a key component of professional success and personal wellbeing, particularly for individuals building careers outside traditional employment structures.
AI as a Practical Tool for Independent Professionals
The final session of the evening featured Jean-François Gutierrez, CTO at My Tech Plan and a member of the team behind GenAI Summit EU.
His workshop explored practical applications of artificial intelligence for digital nomads, freelancers and solopreneurs. Rather than focusing on future predictions, the session demonstrated how AI tools can already support daily workflows through automation, productivity enhancement and operational efficiency.
Participants were introduced to emerging approaches involving agentic AI systems and practical use cases that can help independent professionals optimize repetitive tasks, improve decision-making processes and scale their activities more effectively.
Active Audience Participation
Audience engagement played an important role throughout the event. Attendees actively participated in discussions, shared experiences and exchanged perspectives during both formal and informal moments of the programme.
Questions from the audience focused on topics such as ecosystem access, startup support opportunities, international integration, financial planning and the practical adoption of artificial intelligence tools. The diversity of backgrounds represented in the room contributed to dynamic conversations and valuable peer-to-peer learning.
The networking session that followed the presentations provided additional opportunities for participants to connect directly with speakers, ecosystem representatives and fellow professionals. Many attendees remained at the venue after the official programme concluded, continuing conversations and building new relationships within the community.
About València Nomads Hub
València Nomads Hub is an initiative of València Innovation Capital, by the Valencia City Council, designed to strengthen Valencia’s position as a leading destination for international talent.
The project works to connect digital nomads, freelancers, remote workers and international professionals with the city’s innovation ecosystem, entrepreneurial community and local networks. Through events, community-building activities, ecosystem partnerships and knowledge-sharing initiatives, València Nomads Hub helps international residents better understand the opportunities available in Valencia while fostering meaningful connections across sectors.
As the community continues to grow, future activities will focus on facilitating integration, promoting collaboration and creating spaces where international talent and local ecosystem stakeholders can learn from one another and build lasting relationships.
Interested in joining the community?
Register as a digital nomad, register as an ecosystem agent and stay informed about upcoming València Nomads Hub events and initiatives.
To access more photos from the event, click here.
Watch the event recap video here: