SOUTH EUROPE’S TRAILBLAZERS MADE MÁLAGA THE BEATING HEART OF INNOVATION

8 Oct

On 8 October, the city of Málaga became the beating heart of innovation. The inaugural GSA South Europe Regional Awards Ceremony marked a new chapter for the region, uniting trailblazers determined to shape the future.

Over two inspiring days, the festivities kicked off on 7 October at the Cybersecurity Centre Málaga with the South Europe Ecosystem Summit, setting the stage for an unforgettable celebration.

The excitement continued on 8 October with pre-networking at Polo Digital Content Málaga, followed by the official awards night at the Colección del Museo Ruso.

There, Kim Balle and Zoltan Vardy opened the evening with powerful keynote speeches that set an inspiring tone for the night.

“Over more than a decade with the Global Startup Awards, I have witnessed three key forces reshaping innovation that are particularly visible in Europe. First, the democratization of technology has lowered the barriers to building products and solutions, a transformation now accelerating with the rise of AI. Second, access to knowledge, role models, and cross-border programs has grown exponentially, giving European founders opportunities and inspiration at their fingertips. And third, local startup ecosystems across Europe are strengthening, with the most successful ones embracing collaboration across borders as their superpower. Together, these forces signal that the next wave of global innovation can truly come from anywhere - and Málaga is making a bold statement in placing itself firmly on that map.”

— Kim Balle (CEO and Co-founder, XO Group and GSA)

📍 Venue: Cybersecurity Center of Málaga (Copy)

Trends in the Spotlight

This year, startups truly stood out, making up 20% of all shortlisted finalists, a 93% jump compared to the previous edition. It’s a clear sign that the South Europe startup ecosystem is buzzing with energy and ambition.

One of the most exciting trends was the remarkable rise in founders stepping into the spotlight. More people than ever are launching bold ideas and building exceptional ventures, raising the bar for innovation across the region.

The Founder of the Year category became one of the most inspiring and fiercely competitive highlights of the entire event.

A Celebration of South Europe Innovation

With 272 finalists from nine countries — Cyprus, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, and Türkiye — the ceremony showcased the diversity, talent, and unstoppable drive shaping the future of technology and business across the region.

Across 13 award categories, the spotlight shone on the region’s most inspiring achievements, celebrating standout titles like Startup of the Year, Founder of the Year, Best Accelerator/Incubator Program, Best Greentech Startup, Diversity Role Model, and People’s Choice.

The night celebrated not only groundbreaking ideas and bold founders but also the strength of a connected ecosystem that continues to grow, inspire, and push boundaries across South Europe.

THE WINNERS ARE

BEST COWORKING SPACE -
MUG

**MUG - Magazzini Generativi** ran with this edition’s regional title as **BEST COWORKING SPACE**. The award was handed over by Lejla Omerinović, MA from Global Startup Awards.👏

**MUG** is Emil Banca’s innovation hub — an open, inclusive space where startups, freelancers, and socially driven companies collaborate. It also houses the bank’s own innovation office, reflecting its commitment to new ideas. As part of a cooperative credit bank rooted in social responsibility, MUG promotes entrepreneurship with a focus on community impact, sustainability, and collaboration.

WEBSITE

ECOSYSTEM HERO OF THE YEAR -
Katerina Saridaki

**Katerina Saridaki** ran with this edition’s regional title as **ECOSYSTEM HERO OF THE YEAR**. The award was handed over by Francisco Salas from Promalaga. 👏

Her mission is to build a vibrant travel and hospitality ecosystem by connecting startups with investors, experts, and partners. Through CapsuleT, she supports young entrepreneurs and industry leaders, mentors startups in shaping their strategies and pitches, and fosters collaboration to strengthen the industry.

diversity role model OF THE YEAR - Julia Ruiz Vozmediano

**Julia Ruiz Vozmediano**, represented by Iván Aragón Perea, ran with this edition’s regional title as **DIVERSITY ROLE MODEL OF THE YEAR**. The award was handed over by Lejla Omerinović, MA from Global Startup Awards. 👏

**Julia Ruiz Vozmediano** is a medical oncologist and PhD from University of Granada, specializing in integrative oncology. She works to improve cancer patients’ quality of life, especially for women and underserved groups. Alongside her public health role, she leads a pioneering integrative care and training center in rural Granada. Her multidisciplinary approach—nutrition, exercise, emotional and environmental health—aims to reduce care inequalities. Committed to equity and empowerment, she drives initiatives that humanize and transform oncology.

FOUNDER OF THE YEAR -
Ana Karina D'Orazio

**Ana Karina D'Orazio** ran with this edition’s regional title as **FOUNDER OF THE YEAR**. The award was handed over by Alicia Izquierdo from Promalaga. 👏

**Ana D’Orazio** is the CEO of SendingBay, a logistics tech company in Valencia. A former psychologist and migrant, she has spent 10 years driving digital transformation in urban logistics. At Sendingbay, she scaled a platform to 1,500+ users, secured innovation grants (NEOTEC, ENISA), and built a 12-person tech team. Known for her people-centered leadership, she fosters commitment, resilience, and growth, mentoring young talent. She’s now developing AI tools to help small logistics operators adapt to sustainable urban mobility.

HEALTHTECH STARTUP OF THE YEAR - Omniscope

**Omniscope** ran with this edition’s regional title as **BEST HEALTHTECH STARTUP.** The award was handed over by Lejla Omerinović, MA from Global Startup Awards. 👏

**Omniscope** is building the world’s largest Immune Databank to make healthcare accessible everywhere by unlocking immune data. Using proprietary lab and AI technology, it delivers high-resolution immune insights at scale, enabling precise prediction of immune responses. Its mission is to drive breakthroughs in personalized medicine and set a new standard in immune health.

WEBSITE

STARTUP OF THE YEAR -
SendingBay

**SendingBay** ran with this edition’s regional title as **STARTUP OF THE YEAR**. The award was presented by Francisco de la Torre Prados, Mayor of Málaga and President of Promalaga. 👏

**SendingBay** helps small transporters digitize and thrive in last-mile delivery. Its SaaS platform connects local carriers with e-commerce networks, serving 110+ agencies in Spain and handling 400,000 monthly shipments. Its AI tool, SB BestMile, groups shipments to cut costs and CO₂ emissions. Backed by NEOTEC, it aims to set the standard for sustainable urban logistics in Europe.

WEBSITE

PEOPLE’S CHOICE -
GAG Token

**GAG Token - Adgager** ran with this edition’s regional title as PEOPLE’S CHOICE. The award was handed over by our main coordinator in the South Europe region Arturo Villar Menéndez, PhD. 👏

**GAG Token**, integrated into the Adgager ecosystem, pioneers cryptocurrency in research, offering investors sustainable value and fostering a dynamic community where members earn tokens by contributing insights to brands' projects, envisioning this for the entire research sector.

WEBSITE

a night to remember

Thirteen outstanding winners will now step onto the Global Stage in 2026, carrying with them the ambition, creativity, and energy of an entire region.

But beyond the awards, this night marked the beginning of a tradition - a moment when communities come together to celebrate ideas that can change the world.

Congratulations to all finalists, winners, and partners who made this first South Europe edition truly unforgettable.