Malaga in the Global Technology League (courtesy of Barcelona)

Out shot at Digital Enterprise Expo (DES)an event that makes Malaga a three-day event Technology sector center With distinction from all over the world. In a “one-on-one” battle with Barcelona, ​​while the economic impact of the boycott far exceeds 500 million euros thanks to the Mobile World Congress in February this year, DES 2024 hopes to welcome 17,000 participants and leave an impact worth 34 million euros in the capital of the Costa del Sol. the goal? That Spanish companies, and therefore many Catalan companies, are becoming more competitive thanks to technology. And attention to all measures to make the event more attractive and, at the same time, keep it for more years in the Andalusian city: two years ago, they invited the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, in a stellar speech and this year they are not short, since then Sorry Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela and chairman of the Mandela Legacy Foundation, to the world’s leading artificial intelligence experts. With one goal: to make DES 2024 “the best release in history.”

DES 2024: 17,000 participants in Malaga, 34 million economic impact and the clear slogan “Down with Exponential Intelligence”

Like most technology-related conferences, the DES 2024 logo isn’t entirely original: I feel exponential intelligence, With the Generative artificial intelligence As a focus and in the presence of 550 experts, including prominent media figures such as Neil Patelco-founder of NP Digital; Sarah Garcia AlonsoScientist and astronaut at the European Space Agency; or Mark Minevitch, digital AI innovation strategist. After eight sessions – the first five in Madrid and the last three in Malaga – this year you can learn more about success stories, strategies, training, how to get more funding and small revolutions in the form of successful startups. Which sectors should be addressed? Nobody escapes. From banking (the most numerous at the conference), manufacturing, health, mobility, and selling by pieces, Tourism and Hospitality. For the first time, the importance of entertainment and sports is highlighted. And the icing on the cake, from the organization they have France As a guest country, which will cover for three days how they approach preparing for the Olympic Games using technology.

More information: Conversation with Barack Obama: “Let’s try”

“This is a B2B (business-to-business) event involving multi-specialists, not generalists,” points out the event’s managing director, Sandra Infante. In addition, many visitors also take advantage of the encounter to enjoy a few days in the city, although the rains of the last few days and the delay of some planes have caused more than a headache for the speakers and many journalists to get into the act. In fact, the hotel sector is close to getting into the act. Occupancy rate is 85% during these dates. Out of curiosity, ticket prices are high, with VIP ticket prices ranging from 300 euros per day to more than 500 euros for the three days. He promised during the opening session of DES 2024 byAlicia SanchezConference Director: “There will be an explosion of knowledge and technological strategies non-stop for three days.”

Milan Berzosa, a digital start-up consultant and formerly of Meta and formerly Google, detailed during one of the most media-focused presentations at the opening of the DES conference the key trends shaping the world and how to navigate the complex panorama that lies ahead. The big question is how to gain a strategic understanding of the challenges and opportunities that will define leadership in 2025? First, for Berzosa, it is very important to retain and retain the best talent in organizations. It is necessary to develop attractive and ambitious retention strategies, for customers to be at the center of everything, and for diversity to be the mainstay of companies, from culture, background And identities. And living and working, above all, in a world of constant uncertainty.

Berzosa (formerly at Meta and formerly Google): “You have to live and work, above all, in a world of constant uncertainty.”

And an addition from the expert: What technologies should be considered in a second CAA? Quantum and artificial intelligence” after The noise“, VR, AR and XR, Internet of Things in all fields and Financial technology As a new era (growing at three times the growth rate of traditional banks annually). And without forgetting the ability to do so E-Commerce This never stops climbing.

Malaga’s qualifications for entering the Champions League

Is Malaga the Spanish Silicon Valley? According to the latest studies and surveys, Malaga is the most suitable city for establishing a new business in Spain, after Madrid and Barcelona. However, if we take into account that it is the sixth most populous city in Spain, it can be assumed that “something interesting” is brewing in Malaga. In fact, a few years ago, Google chose the Andalusian city to establish its new cybersecurity center with an investment of more than $650 million. What’s more, far from betting on the technology hub, it has recently entered the world of semiconductors. IMEC has chosen the Costa del Sol capital for its new microchip R&D centre.

Málaga TechPark contributes 19% of Malaga’s GDP and 20% of the city’s jobs.

In 1992, at the height of the “boom” of the Olympic Games in Barcelona, ​​they opened the Andalusia Technological Park, known as Malaga Tech Park. It is currently home to more than 600 companies and more than 22,000 workers. The University of Malaga also cooperates closely with the Technological Park. Curiously, Málaga TechPark contributes 19% to Malaga’s GDP and provides 20% of the city’s jobs.

If there are many cases of startup success in Barcelona, ​​there is one in Malaga Bernardo QuinteroFounder Total virus, the startup that will become part of Google. one of Joaquin CuencaAnother company innovator ended up in the hands of Palo Alto (Panoramio) and CEO of the company Freebec, a full range controlled by the Swedes in EQT. Or even that of Manuel Herediaauthor of the encyclopedia BeSoccer (Football results).

It also helps multinational companies to: inspiration, VodafoneThe same Google (listed above) or Hitachi They have offices or subsidiaries in the city; For decades, the University of Malaga has been proud of transferring knowledge to the private sector and its role as an incubator. Even big events are starting to occur in the region: two are taking place in April (Fintech Forward Summit, AI Tech Summit) and two more in June (this year’s DES and Startup Olé Marbella).

Investment tours are light years away from the Catalan capital

This summary of good news may be “trendy.” As a center (not counting international companies), Malaga has no more than… 40.2 million euros In investment rounds since 2018, according to Bankinter Monitor. This is a much lower number than the 205.7 obtained by startups in Seville in the same period and is light years away from the numbers of Barcelona or Madrid. Unfortunately, the “leakage” effect also thrives on the Costa del Sol. If a company proves to be highly scalable, staying in assets is not always the exit chosen by the founders.