What does an international community look like when it comes together?
On 16 July 2026, the answer could be found at La Harinera, where around 130 people gathered for the first edition of the Summer Meetup, organised by València Nomads Hub, an initiative of València Innovation Capital by the Valencia City Council.
Professionals from 47 different nationalities, entrepreneurs, remote workers, creatives, founders, freelancers and members of Valencia’s innovation ecosystem, spent an evening sharing ideas, experiences and conversations with one thing in common:
They have all chosen Valencia as the place where they are building this chapter of their lives.
More than a networking event, the Summer Meetup celebrated the diversity, talent and sense of community that already exists across Valencia’s international ecosystem.
Building Community, Together
Living in the same city does not automatically create meaningful connections.
Communities grow when people have opportunities to meet, share experiences and discover common interests.
That is the purpose of València Nomads Hub: creating spaces where international professionals already living in Valencia can connect with one another, become more engaged with the local innovation ecosystem and contribute to the city’s future.
The Summer Meetup was designed around that idea.
Throughout the evening, inspiring talks, entrepreneurship, networking and community experiences came together to create an environment where conversations happened naturally and new relationships began.
A Welcome from the City
The evening opened with Paula Llobet, Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and International Investment at the Valencia City Council.
In her opening remarks, she highlighted the importance of the international community that has chosen Valencia as home and the valuable contribution these professionals make to the city’s innovation ecosystem, entrepreneurial landscape and international character.
Her message reflected a shared vision: Valencia grows stronger when local and international communities have opportunities to connect, collaborate and build together.
Stories That Inspire
One of the most memorable moments of the evening was the launch of Nomad Talks, a new storytelling format created by València Nomads Hub to showcase the experiences of people who are contributing to the city in different ways.
Rather than focusing on business presentations, the talks explored the personal journeys behind international careers, entrepreneurship and community involvement.
The first talk was delivered by Christin Niehus, founder of Paws & Presence, who shared an inspiring presentation about volunteering, community and wellbeing. Her talk resonated strongly with the audience, leading to the spontaneous creation of a group of attendees interested in getting involved with the volunteering initiatives promoted by her project, demonstrating the event’s ability to spark new connections and inspire community-led action.
The second talk was presented by Ana Clara Schuler, content specialist for Freedom Boat Club, entrepreneur, content creator and marketing expert. She reflected on her journey across different countries as a digital nomad, sharing the personal and professional lessons she has learned while building a life shaped by mobility, curiosity and the ability to adapt to new environments. Her talk offered an authentic, optimistic and highly relatable perspective on the digital nomad lifestyle.
The third and final talk was delivered by Antonio Barbus, a 23-year-old serial entrepreneur and founder of Clover. He shared his personal and entrepreneurial journey, explaining how his international experiences ultimately led him to build a company focused on sustainable mobility and urban living in Valencia. His story brought the session to a close with an inspiring message about entrepreneurship, resilience and finding purpose while building a new life abroad, but mainly about following your dreams.
Together, the three talks demonstrated the diversity of experiences that make up Valencia’s international community while reinforcing a shared commitment to contributing positively to the city.
Conversations About Innovation and Wellbeing
The programme also featured a panel discussion moderated by Maya Middlemiss, founder of Solopreneur Superpowers.
Joining her on stage were Guilherme Fernandes Miguel (Bonding), Tarcísio A. Corrêa (Lumiere Psy) and Angélica Triviño (Kaizen Consulting), who shared their perspectives on building companies in Valencia, entrepreneurship, remote work and the growing importance of mental wellbeing for founders and independent professionals.
The discussion highlighted how innovation is increasingly connected with creating sustainable ways of working and supporting healthier entrepreneurial journeys.
Entrepreneurship at the Heart of the Community
This edition also introduced the first Nomad Entrepreneur Fair, a new initiative created to showcase businesses founded by members of Valencia’s international community.
Following an open call and public selection process, ten projects were invited to present their work during the event:
Cuanto Cuesta
DefendSphere
Bonding
Lumiere Psy
Paws & Presence
Kaizen Consulting
Solopreneur Superpowers
ClassBliss
TicketRojo
Clover
Representing fields including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, education, mobility, mental wellbeing, community building and digital entrepreneurship, the Entrepreneur Fair reflected the breadth of talent already contributing to Valencia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Throughout the evening, founders had the opportunity to introduce their projects, exchange ideas, connect with attendees and explore new collaborations in an open and informal setting.
The response from both entrepreneurs and visitors was overwhelmingly positive, confirming the value of creating dedicated spaces where international founders can share their work while becoming more connected to the wider community.
Strengthening the Ecosystem
The Summer Meetup also provided an opportunity to bring together organisations that actively support Valencia’s innovation ecosystem.
Representatives from València Innovation Capital, Startup Valencia, Invest in Valencia, Startup Weekend, CSS Consulting and Expert Agency, among others, joined the event alongside entrepreneurs, community leaders and international professionals.
The conversations continued beyond the event itself, with several organisations expressing interest in collaborating with future València Nomads Hub initiatives and supporting the continued growth of the community.
An Evening That Continued After the Programme Ended
As the talks concluded, the conversations continued across the Entrepreneur Fair and the garden spaces of La Harinera.
Attendees spent the rest of the evening meeting new people, discovering local projects, exchanging ideas and strengthening relationships that had begun only a few minutes earlier.
The atmosphere remained vibrant until the very end of the event, reflecting the openness and generosity that characterise Valencia’s international community.
The following day, the València Nomads Hub WhatsApp community was filled with messages and expressions of gratitude from participants who had enjoyed the experience and were already looking forward to meeting again.
For the organising team, that was perhaps the clearest indication of the event’s impact: a community that continues connecting long after the event itself has finished.
Looking Ahead
The Summer Meetup demonstrated the value of creating spaces where international professionals already living in Valencia can meet, collaborate and become more connected to one another and to the city’s innovation ecosystem.
It also introduced new formats, such as the Nomad Talks and the Entrepreneur Fair, that will continue evolving in future Meetup editions as part of València Nomads Hub’s commitment to strengthening the international community already established in the city.
Because thriving innovation ecosystems are built not only through ideas and companies, but also through relationships, trust and collaboration.
And every meaningful connection starts with the right conversation.
About València Nomads Hub
València Nomads Hub is an initiative of València Innovation Capital by the Valencia City Council, dedicated to supporting the integration and participation of international professionals already living in Valencia.
Through events, research, community programmes and ecosystem partnerships, the Hub connects entrepreneurs, freelancers, remote workers and digital professionals with the city’s innovation ecosystem, creating opportunities to collaborate, contribute and grow together.
Videos of the Summer Meetup are already available on the Valencia Innovation Capital Youtube Channel.