Bilbao Slush’D: The World’s Most Founder-Centric Event Debutes in Spain in 2025

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Witness the dawn of a new era at the inaugural Bilbao Slush’D on February 20th, 2025, a landmark moment for entrepreneurship and innovation in Spain.

Slush is a non-profit organization behind the world’s premier startup event, uniting the elite of the global entrepreneurial ecosystem with a focus on scalability, investment vehicles, and impactful innovation from Europe’s unicorn factory. As the largest venture capital gathering on the planet, it brings together an astounding $3 trillion in assets under management, all under one roof in Helsinki, Finland.

Slush’D is a vibrant spin-off and expansion initiative powered by the Slush community, empowering teams worldwide to craft events tailored to their local ecosystems, all in line with Slush’s mission: “to create and help founders that change the world.”

Chosen as the host city for Spain’s inaugural Slush’D event, Bilbao captivates with its iconic Guggenheim Museum and stunning location along the Bay of Biscay. On February 20, 2025, an electrifying fusion of Nordic innovation and the spirited Basque and Spanish entrepreneurial flair will converge in this dynamic city. Held at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC!) and powered by BayLoop Ventures, a venture studio co-founded and co-directed by Elena Popovici and David Cabezon, this event aims to create synergies between Biscay Startup Bay and the Nordic countries.

Elena Popovici and David Cabezon
Elena Popovici and David Cabezon

At the heart of Bilbao Slush’D is a dynamic core team of 15 young innovators from Spain and Finland. United by their passion for entrepreneurship and disruption, this talented group combines their diverse skills and perspectives to create an unforgettable experience for startups and investors.

Bilbao Slush’D is set to revolutionize the landscape for local, national, and international participants—about 600 in total—focusing on connecting the New Nordics with the Iberian Peninsula. Founders, investors, corporates, ecosystem key players, and university students will

converge to ignite youth entrepreneurship, foster international scalability, and empower startups to develop globally focused business models. The event will feature thrilling startup pitch battles. In these unique reverse pitching sessions, investors compete to attract startups, niche keynotes, curated workshops tailored for startups, and interactive panels exploring the latest breakthroughs in AI, Cleantech, Healthtech, Biotech, Deeptech, Fintech, Insurtech, SaaS, and more. The iconic techno afterparty promises an unforgettable experience to cap off the excitement.

Elena Popovici, Co-Director of Bilbao Slush’D, shares her vision:

Bilbao Slush’D will be a unique melting pot of talent and ambition. We’re creating an environment where ideas can spark, grow, and take flight globally.

Why Bilbao? With over 1,000 startups and €100 million in investments in 2022, the Basque Country is rapidly emerging as a tech hub. Bilbao Slush’D aims to supercharge this growth by attracting global investors and creating deeper connections with Europe’s unicorn factories.

Peter Vesterbacka, the founder of Slush and former CMO of Angry Birds, will be among the speakers at the event, along with Sari Rautio, the Ambassador of Finland to Spain, and many others to be announced soon. Additionally, this inaugural edition will feature representation from the regional government, showcasing the competitiveness and attractiveness of establishing a company in the Basque Country, thanks to its tax autonomy and favourable tax system. With robust regulatory and management capacity, the region is now recognized as one of the best places in Europe for business.

David Cabezon, Co-Director of Bilbao Slush’D, says:

We’re bringing the spirit of Slush to Spain, and it’s going to be monumental. Our goal is to put Bilbao on the map as a critical hub for European startups and innovation.

This event is proudly supported by the Basque Business Development Agency SPRI Group, the Industry, Energy Transition, and Sustainability Department (Industria, Trantsizio Energetikoa eta Jasangarritasuna [EJ-GV]), the Provincial Council of Bizkaia (Bizkaiko Foru Aldundia), and Bilbao City Hall (Bilbao Ekintza). Together, they are committed to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and regional growth.

This isn’t just another conference — Bilbao Slush’D is the startup revolution you’ve been waiting for. Tickets are limited, so secure your spot and prepare for Spain’s next entrepreneurial evolution!