South Summit: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
“South Summit Madrid brings together startups, investors, and corporations in an environment with critical mass, international reach, and proven results in investment, growth, and exits.”
Verified ·30 official sources·Organised by Spain Startup and Investor Services S.L. (South Summit), co-organized with IE University
- Next edition
- Jun 2–4, 2027 · South Summit Madrid 2027 source
- Where
- Madrid, Spain
- Format
- in-person · 3 days (2026; the announced 2027 dates also span three days)
- Tickets
- 299€–1.399€ (Madrid rates shown on the organiser’s FAQ, edition unspecified; FAQ dated 2026). No Madrid 2027 ticket prices are posted. source
- Startup pass
- The Madrid FAQ lists Startup Pass – 399€; it does not identify the edition, and no Madrid 2027 pass price is posted. source
- Cadence
- Annual in Madrid; the completed 2026 edition ran June 3–5, and the next announced edition is June 2–4, 2027.
- Economic impact
- €41.9 million projected economic activity in Madrid (2026) source
GeneralistAIClimateFintechDefenseFoundersInvestorsCorporates
Next edition
| Dates | Jun 2–4, 2027 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | South Summit Madrid 2027 |
| Venue | Madrid, Spain |
| Tickets | southsummit.io source |
Deadlines that matter to founders
- Jan 31, 2027 — Startup programme application · apply
- Jan 31, 2027 — South Summit Startup Competition application · apply
Ticket tiers as published
| Tier | Price | Includes | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecosystem source | 299€ (FAQ listing; edition unspecified, page dated 2026) | Not itemized in the organiser’s FAQ. | — |
| Startup Pass source | 399€ (FAQ listing; edition unspecified, page dated 2026) | Not itemized in the organiser’s FAQ. | — |
| Executive Pass source | 949€ (FAQ listing; edition unspecified, page dated 2026) | Not itemized in the organiser’s FAQ. | — |
| Investor Pass source | 1.399€ (FAQ listing; edition unspecified, page dated 2026) | Not itemized in the organiser’s FAQ. | — |
How founders get in
South Summit describes Madrid as a place for startups to scale, gain global visibility and connect with key people. The 2026 founder experience included masterclasses, founder meetups, a digital book of investors and corporates, curated forums and social gatherings. The organiser recommends using its app to find relevant investor and corporate contacts and plan meetings.
- For the next Madrid edition, listed for June 2–4, 2027, join the official waiting list for first access to presale tickets. The organiser has not posted 2027 ticket prices. Its Madrid FAQ lists a Startup Pass for 399€, but does not identify the edition for that price.
- To pitch as a startup, apply to the South Summit Madrid 2027 Startup Competition by 2027-01-31. Applications must be in English; startups from any country, industry or development stage may apply. Application and participation if selected are free.
- If selected, join the Top 100 finalist group, receive 3 Startup Passes, take part in mentoring and training, and pitch live on stage in a 3-minute slot before investors and corporations. Finalist networking begins on day 0.
- To meet investors outside the competition, use the South Summit App’s AI-powered matchmaking to identify relevant investors and arrange 1:1 meetings; the organiser also describes founder meetups and other networking activities.
| Startup programme | For general attendance, buy a Startup Pass when tickets are on sale; the Madrid 2027 page currently directs visitors to a waiting list for presale access. Alternatively, apply to the Startup Competition; selected 2027 finalists receive 3 Startup Passes. source |
|---|---|
| Startup price | The Madrid FAQ lists Startup Pass – 399€; it does not identify the edition, and no Madrid 2027 pass price is posted. source |
| Includes | The FAQ does not itemize purchased Startup Pass inclusions. Separately, Madrid 2027 competition finalists receive 3 Startup Passes and a 3-minute stage-pitch opportunity. |
| Eligibility | The organiser labels this ticket for startups. For the Madrid 2027 Startup Competition, any startup from any country, industry or development stage may apply; submissions must be in English. |
| Students | The organiser’s Madrid FAQ does not list a Student Pass; it lists Ecosystem, Startup, Executive and Investor passes. |
| Investor pass | The FAQ lists an Investor Pass for purchase. For Madrid 2027, the event page currently offers a waiting list for first access to presale tickets; no separate investor application is published. source |
| Press | For the completed Madrid 2026 edition, media could request a press pass using the organiser’s Press Pass form. A 2027 media-accreditation process is not yet stated on the current Madrid pages. |
| Application required | No, tickets are purchased |
South Summit Startup Competition
| Format | South Summit Startup Competition (Madrid 2027 open call; 100 finalists, mentoring and training, and live 3-minute pitches). |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | For Madrid 2027, any startup from any country, industry or development stage may apply; submissions must be in English. The call states that application and participation if selected are free. |
| Application deadline | Jan 31, 2027 source |
Winners
- Mitiga (2026) — Global Winner, Startup Competition source
- Wise CX (2026) — Most Scalable source
- Floatech (2026) — Most Disruptive source
- Macadam (2026) — Most Sustainable source
- Xplora (2026) — Best Team source
- Altum Sequencing (2026) — Health vertical winner source
- Floatech (2026) — Industry 5.0 vertical winner source
- Granter (2026) — Fintech & Insurtech vertical winner source
- Macadam (2026) — Consumer vertical winner source
- Mitiga (2026) — Climate Tech & Sustainability vertical winner source
- Secrets Vault (2026) — Trust Tech & Data vertical winner source
Meeting investors there
Founders can use the South Summit App to identify investors by thesis and schedule relevant connections; the organiser also offers 1:1 investor meetings through its AI-powered matchmaking app. Competition finalists pitch to investors and corporations, while meetups and forums provide additional ways to connect. source
| Investors attending | More than 2,100 (2026) source |
|---|---|
| Matchmaking | South Summit App source |
| Formats | AI-powered matchmaking and personalised 1:1 investor meetings · South Summit App investor discovery and recommendations, including filtering investors by investment thesis · Startup Competition finalist pitches before investor and corporate juries · Founder meetups, community networking and curated forums |
Investor firms the organiser lists (Most recent completed flagship: South Summit Madrid 2026 (June 3–5, 2026). Next announced flagship: South Summit Madrid 2027 (June 2–4, 2027); the organiser is collecting names for its waiting list.)
Eight RoadsAntlerMangrove Capital Partnersi5investLightspeedIndico Capital PartnersOpenspace CapitalEarlybird Venture CapitalInnova CapitalWBAF Angel Investment FundPractical Venture CapitalPegasus Tech Ventures
Before you go: the hub's cold email to VCs playbook covers the pre-event outreach that fills a meeting calendar, and Causo matches your stage and thesis to the funds in its database so you know who to ask for a meeting.
Who speaks (Most recent completed flagship: South Summit Madrid 2026 (June 3–5, 2026). Next announced flagship: South Summit Madrid 2027 (June 2–4, 2027); the organiser is collecting names for its waiting list.)
- Kim Perell, Founder of nine successful companies; investor in 100+ startups; Founder & CEO of 100.co · 100.co
- Sebastian Thrun, Founder of Google X, Waymo, Udacity and Kitty Hawk Cora; CEO of Stealth Startup · Google X; Waymo; Udacity; Kitty Hawk Cora; Stealth Startup
- Andre Penha, Chairman · Antiwire
- Daniela Espinosa, Founder · Crakit
- Jack Mardack, Co-Founder · Oyster®
- Jean-Charles Samuelian-Werve, Co-Founder & CEO · Alan
- Joleen Liang, Co-Founder & International CEO · Squirrel Ai Learning
Full lineup: official speakers page.
Sponsors and partners
Global Partners 5
Mutua MadrileñaBBVA SparkGoogle for StartupsBanco SabadellWayra
Pioneer Partners 4
Fundación ONCEMastercardTech FabLabPwC
Innovation Partners 15
UberMoeveCINFA LaboratoriosSantanderAstraZenecaArquetipoIberiaMecidesCuatrecasasBankinterMondragon CorporationSacyrEnagásValorizaMahou San Miguel
Media partners: Telemadrid, El País, Cadena Ser, Sifted, Emprendedores, La Vanguardia, Business Insider, La Información Económica, Alto Nivel, The Officer, Emprendedor.com, El Referente, El Mercurio, Startups Latam, Maeil Business, Himalaya Diary, India Education Diary, Business World, Economía Digital, Startup Business, Fundspeople, Europa Press, El Diario de Madrid, Capital, OdT, El Observatorio del Trabajo, Madrid Secreto
Government partners: Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, Community of Madrid, Madrid City Council
Full list: official partners page.
Startups there
Programme
| Tracks | Madrid 2026 content theme: Ecosystem Growth · Madrid 2026 content theme: Sustainable · Madrid 2026 content theme: Tech Shift · Madrid 2026 content theme: Human Futures · Madrid 2026 content theme: Defense & Dual-Use · Madrid 2026 Startup Competition vertical: Climate Tech & Sustainability · Madrid 2026 Startup Competition vertical: Consumer · Madrid 2026 Startup Competition vertical: Digital & Tech Solutions · Madrid 2026 Startup Competition vertical: Fintech & Insurtech · Madrid 2026 Startup Competition vertical: Future of Work & Talent · Madrid 2026 Startup Competition vertical: Health · Madrid 2026 Startup Competition vertical: Industry 5.0 · Madrid 2026 Startup Competition vertical: Mobility & Smart Cities · Madrid 2026 Startup Competition vertical: Trust Tech & Data · Madrid 2026 Startup Competition vertical: Enterprise Solutions source |
|---|---|
| Side events | Madrid 2026’s official programme described Social Summits and private gatherings such as dinners, cocktails and an after-party at La Nave. The organiser described some gatherings as invitation-only and exclusive to VIP and Investor Pass holders. A 2027 side-event schedule has not been published. |
| Hackathon | The Madrid 2026 AI Venture Buildathon by IE University was a 3-hour live sprint in which participants used AI to take an idea to a pitched proof of concept. Teams could have 1–6 participants; laptops were required and prior product-building experience was not. A jury of investors and leaders selected a winner. |
| Volunteering | The organiser’s Madrid volunteer page, which does not identify an edition, offers selected volunteers free access for all three event days, meals, a participation certificate, a recommendation letter and a €150 bonus for participating on all three days. Applicants are reviewed and invited to a selection interview; the page also asks for an attendance commitment and training participation. source |
| Official app | South Summit |
| Hashtag | #SouthSummit26 |
Past editions, as published
| Edition | Dates | Attendees | Investors | Startups | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 source | Jun 3–5, 2026 | 18,000+ attendees (2026) | 2,100+ investors (2026) | 7,000+ startups; 100 Startup Competition finalists; Global Winner Mitiga, Most Scalable Wise CX, Most Disruptive Floatech, Most Sustainable Macadam, and Best Team Xplora (2026) | recap · photos |
| 2025 source | Jun 4–6, 2025 | — | — | Global Startup Competition winner: Lain Tech (2025) | recap |
| 2024 source | Jun 5–7, 2024 | — | — | — | recap · photos |
| 2023 source | Jun 7–9, 2023 | — | 2,000+ investors; $326B investment portfolio (2023) | — | recap |
| 2022 source | Jun 8–10, 2022 | — | — | — | recap · photos |
| 2021 source | — | — | — | — | recap |
| 2020 · Virtual / online source | — | — | — | — | recap |
| 2018–2019 source | — | — | — | — | recap |
| 2016–2017 source | — | — | — | — | recap |
| 2014–2015 source | — | — | — | — | recap |
| 2012–2013 (Spain Startup history) source | — | — | — | — | recap |
Cities: Madrid (first edition in 2012; annual Madrid flagship)
Formerly: Spain Startup
Who attends
| Geography | Attendees from 141 countries (2026) source |
|---|---|
| Roles | Founders, Investors, Corporates |
Official links and socials
Travel & apps
In the press
- EL REY VI RECIBE EN AUDIENCIA A UNA REPRESENTACIÓN DE SOUTH SUMMIT MADRID 2024 — Europa Press (2024)
- INVOPOP, GANADORA DE SOUTH SUMMIT 2024 — Expansión (2024)
- SOUTH SUMMIT ES LA MEJOR SEÑA DE IDENTIDAD DE MADRID — La Razón (2024)
- SOUTH SUMMIT 2024 EN MADRID, IMPULSAR EL TALENTO Y EL EMPRENDIMIENTO — Telemadrid (2024)
- MARÍA BENJUMEA: LA CUNA TE FACILITA LA ENTRADA, PERO ARRIBA LLEGAS SOLA — El País (2024)
- NACHO MATEO, NUEVO CONSEJERO DELEGADO DE SOUTH SUMMIT — Europa Press (2024)
Prepare for it
- How to cold email VCs — book the meetings before you land.
- The 12-slide seed deck — what to have ready when a partner says "send me the deck".
- Pitch Deck Roaster — a slide-by-slide pass before you submit to South Summit Startup Competition.
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 7, 2026:
- competition.southsummit.io/calls/south-summit-2025
- competition.southsummit.io/calls/south_summit__madrid_2027
- facebook.com/ssouthsummit
- facebook.com/ssouthsummit/posts/investors-from-more-than-12-countries-one-stage-in-madrid-the-investment-funds-s/1451547600106698
- ie.edu/university/news-events/news/south-summit-madrid-2025-brings-together-400-speakers-140-investors-17-unicorns-around-world-boost-entrepreneurship-innovation
- instagram.com/south.summit
- linkedin.com/company/southsummit
- southsummit.io/e/madrid/en
- southsummit.io/e/madrid/en/content/madrid-2022
- southsummit.io/e/madrid/en/content/madrid-2023
- southsummit.io/e/madrid/en/content/partners
- southsummit.io/e/madrid/en/content/partners?page=2
- southsummit.io/e/madrid/en/content/waiting-list-2027
- southsummit.io/en/articles/0eebac62-ef54-f111-8fca-000d3a3a75fd/the-definitive-guide-for-first-time-south-summit-attendees
- southsummit.io/en/articles/2c9f6594-9b68-f111-8fca-000d3a3a75fd/three-catalan-startups-awarded-at-south-summit-madrid-2026
- southsummit.io/en/articles/6f7be06d-aac3-f011-8195-000d3a2226fe/5-revolutionary-startups-from-south-summit-2025-that-stole-the-spotlight
- southsummit.io/en/articles/8171ac44-9a68-f111-8fca-000d3a3a75fd/mitiga-a-startup-that-uses-ai-and-supercomputing-to-mitigate-the-risks-of-climate-change-winner-of-south-summit-madrid-2026
- southsummit.io/en/articles/8986149f-b760-f111-8fca-000d3a3a75fd/the-startup-granter-winner-of-the-fintech-insurtech-vertical-of-south-summit-madrid-2026
- southsummit.io/en/content/about-us
- southsummit.io/en/content/article-kim-perell-llega-a-espana-con-ssm26
- southsummit.io/en/content/article-madrid-hosts-europe-s-top-ai-forum
- southsummit.io/en/content/article-south-summit-madrid-2026-reveals-100-ai-driven-finalist
- southsummit.io/en/content/faqs
- southsummit.io/en/content/madrid-2024
- southsummit.io/en/content/press
- southsummit.io/en/content/startup-competition
- southsummit.io/en/content/volunteers-madrid
- southsummit.io/pt/articles/2435cf76-9468-f111-8fca-000d3a3a75fd/two-startups-from-madrid-awarded-at-south-summit-madrid-2026
- youtube.com/@south_summit
- x.com/south_summit
South Summit: frequently asked
When is South Summit 2027?
South Summit 2027 runs Jun 2–4, 2027 at Madrid, according to the organiser's published dates.
How much does South Summit cost?
Published ticket prices run 299€–1.399€ (Madrid rates shown on the organiser’s FAQ, edition unspecified; FAQ dated 2026). No Madrid 2027 ticket prices are posted.. Startups: For general attendance, buy a Startup Pass when tickets are on sale; the Madrid 2027 page currently directs visitors to a waiting list for presale access. Alternatively, apply to the Startup Competition; selected 2027 finalists receive 3 Startup Passes. (The Madrid FAQ lists Startup Pass – 399€; it does not identify the edition, and no Madrid 2027 pass price is posted.).
How do startups get into South Summit?
For general attendance, buy a Startup Pass when tickets are on sale; the Madrid 2027 page currently directs visitors to a waiting list for presale access. Alternatively, apply to the Startup Competition; selected 2027 finalists receive 3 Startup Passes. Eligibility as published: The organiser labels this ticket for startups. For the Madrid 2027 Startup Competition, any startup from any country, industry or development stage may apply; submissions must be in English.
How many investors attend South Summit?
The organiser reports More than 2,100 investors for the 2026 edition. Founders can use the South Summit App to identify investors by thesis and schedule relevant connections; the organiser also offers 1:1 investor meetings through its AI-powered matchmaking app. Competition finalists pitch to investors and corporations, while meetups and forums provide additional ways to connect.
What is South Summit Startup Competition?
South Summit's pitch competition. Eligibility: For Madrid 2027, any startup from any country, industry or development stage may apply; submissions must be in English. The call states that application and participation if selected are free.
How big is South Summit?
More than 18,000 attendees (2026), More than 7,000 startups, from 141 countries, per the organiser.