Talent, innovation, funding: the agency highlighted the strengths of Madrid’s ecosystem and the support programmes developed to help businesses expand into the region.
A key event for technology entrepreneurship, Bits & Pretzels brings together startup founders, investors and business leaders around shared questions: how to finance growth, develop their business and enter new markets. AI, fintech and deeptech were at the heart of discussions at the 2026 edition, which gave Invest in Madrid, the region’s foreign investment promotion agency, an opportunity to meet entrepreneurs looking for the ideal location to accelerate their development. These meetings were prepared in advance to ensure qualified appointments with business leaders whose plans closely aligned with the ambitions of the Madrid Region.
Why Madrid?
A technology company expanding abroad needs more than office space. It must be able to recruit, connect with partners, find customers and, depending on its stage of development, access funding.
In Munich, Invest in Madrid met German entrepreneurs through 24 meetings qualified in advance. The companies had been identified based on the sectors and business profiles targeted by the region.
This preparation allowed discussions to focus on the projects themselves. The agency’s teams presented Madrid, answered entrepreneurs’ questions and explored their needs for a potential investment in the region. The value of these meetings lies in this tailored approach. Expectations differ depending on whether a company wants to establish a commercial presence, build a team or launch a new business activity. Invest in Madrid’s role is to understand these expectations and help each company assess the opportunities the region offers.
Madrid Investor talks
On 28 September, Diego de Aristegui, Investment Director at Invest in Madrid, also took part in the “Scaling your Business into Europe” panel discussion, alongside business leaders and experts who shared their experience: Yvonne Rauh (H&D Aplicaciones, Software y Desarrollo), Peter McCardle (Tenth Revolution Group), Jaime Villacieros (ARRK Engineering GmbH), Karl Lincke (Mariscal & Abogados | Lawyers, Rechtsanwälte, Avocats) and Munoz Lucinio (Fundación ICO).
Positive results
Less than a week after the event, Invest in Madrid had validated nine projects among the contacts it had met. This validation does not mean that the companies have already established operations in Madrid: it marks the start of a new phase of discussions to clarify their needs and assess the conditions for setting up in the region.
Participation in Bits & Pretzels thus helped connect German entrepreneurs’ ambitions with the opportunities offered by Madrid. For the companies involved, work now continues with a dedicated point of contact and an initial understanding of the resources available to them in the region.