Participating in the South Summit Startup Competition means international visibility for the competing projects, but also success, development and growth. On this, María Luke, founder and CEO of Uelz, global winner in 2023, shares: "The opportunity to showcase what we do to the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem was invaluable. Winning the Startup Competition put us in the spotlight for a long time and, even today, it continues to open doors for us and build trust in the industry." 

This is evidenced by the fact that more than 1,000 finalist startups that have participated over the 13 editions have achieved a survival rate of nearly 90%, and generated approximately $11,4 billion in revenue, raising $17 billion in investment rounds, and creating nearly 60,000 jobs. Additionally, finalists from different editions have led to more than 100 exits and nine of them have become unicorns, among which the Spanish Cabify, Factorial and JobandTalent stand out. "The visibility and impact it has given us has been enormous, allowing us to connect with investors, customers and strategic partners who have driven our growth," adds Luke.

In the last edition, more than 4,700 startups applied, of which 81% came from outside Spain, highlighting the global nature of this competition. Among them, the title of the global winner was awarded to the Madrid-based startup Invopop. In contrast, the rest of the awards were awarded to Sycai (Most Disruptive), Navilens (Most Sustainable) and Shakers and Embat (Most Scalable and Startup with the Best Team, respectively).

Precisely, Héctor Mata, founder and CEO of Shakers, highlights the importance of the South Summit Startup Competition in giving visibility to participating startups. "Winning the Most Scalable Startup award has given us exceptional visibility among international investors, potential clients and top talent." In addition, Mata also emphasizes the significance of showcasing an entrepreneurial project at an event like this. "Presenting Shakers on the main stage of South Summit was an incredible experience, a truly memorable moment. But it's also an excellent opportunity to challenge yourself, improve and learn to manage the nerves that we all face."

Ana Zamora, CEO of Vitancee, and also a finalist in the last edition, advises future participants to "prepare thoroughly, know their value proposition inside out, and enjoy the experience. South Summit is a unique opportunity to showcase your startup to the world."

 The next edition of South Summit Madrid will take place from June 4 to 6, 2025 at La Nave under the theme 'In Motion'. It will also be a unique opportunity for the finalist startups to showcase their projects to investors and representatives of large international companies, as well as to participate in one-to-one meetings and join an exclusive network for innovation and growth.

In its previous edition, South Summit Madrid brought together over 18,000 attendees from 133 countries. Among them were more than 6,500 entrepreneurs, 2,000 investors with a combined investment portfolio exceeding $500 billion - an increase of $174 billion compared to the previous year - as well as 6,000 representatives from international corporations and 26 globally renowned unicorns.