Tenerife wraps up the fifth edition of ciberEmprende with a DemoDay focused on innovation and cybersecurity

On 16 March, Tenerife hosted the closing event of the fifth edition of ciberEmprende with a DemoDay focused on the promotion of entrepreneurial projects linked to cybersecurity. The programme, promoted by mentorDay and funded by INCIBE, has supported innovative initiatives in a field that is becoming increasingly strategic for businesses, public administrations and society as a whole. 

Boosting entrepreneurial talent in cybersecurity

The opening of the event featured the mentorDay team and Estrella Martínez, Project Management Technician for Cybersecurity Entrepreneurship at INCIBE, who highlighted ciberEmprende’s contribution to the development of innovative projects in the field of cybersecurity.

Representatives from the entrepreneurial and financial ecosystem of the Canary Islands also took part in the event, including Raquel Bezares from SODECAN; Gema Báez from CaixaBank DayOne Canarias; Nelson Yanes from Inversiones Suvican; Igor Suárez from CidiHub; and Imanol Navarro from UGT Canarias.

In addition, entrepreneurs specialising in technological solutions shared their experience and vision of the cybersecurity market and its growth opportunities. Among them were Santiago Cavero, CEO of BalanzIA, and José María Fraile from Marpel Energy.

Immersion in Tenerife’s technological ecosystem

As part of the programme agenda, on the day before the DemoDay, the finalist entrepreneurs took part in an immersion in Tenerife’s innovation ecosystem. During this session, they visited Innovalia, a company specialising in advanced technological solutions, and the Technological Institute of Renewable Energies (ITER), one of the archipelago’s leading scientific and technological institutions.

These visits allowed participants to gain first-hand insight into the potential of the Canary Islands as an environment for the development of technological projects and to strengthen ties with local companies and institutions.

InvestorDay and Pitch Combat: visibility for the projects

One of the key moments of the DemoDay was the InvestorDay, a space designed for entrepreneurs to present their projects to potential investors and validate the strength of their proposals. In this phase, four startups took part: Sennia IA, GOCANARY, TemotivaLab and LocalBird.

Afterwards, ten finalist projects pitched their initiatives in a one-minute pitch, explaining their solution, business model and the cybersecurity elements integrated into their proposals. After this round, the jury selected eight teams for the Pitch Combat, an elimination competition in a head-to-head format, in which the jury and the audience decided the progress of each project by vote.

In this fifth edition, LocalBird, an app designed to connect travellers with local communities and experiences, was recognised as the most investable company in the programme.

For its part, the awards granted by INCIBE recognised Sennia IA, a platform aimed at reducing teachers’ administrative workload.

The day concluded with the Pitch Combat final, in which MUYAMAMA, a project focused on supporting motherhood and parenting, was proclaimed the winner after a final in which initiatives led by women entrepreneurs stood out. 

A programme that connects talent, investment and ecosystem 

The event concluded with a networking session in which entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem representatives exchanged ideas, explored collaborations and generated new development opportunities.

With this fifth edition, ciberEmprende consolidates its role in supporting startups specialising in cybersecurity, strengthening the connection between entrepreneurial talent, investment and the technological ecosystem.

The close of the programme also confirms the growing positioning of the Canary Islands as a strategic territory for digital innovation and the development of cybersecurity solutions, a key field for the future of the technological economy.