In recent years, the Balearic Islands have begun to establish themselves as an emerging destination for entrepreneurs, investors, and digital nomads, drawn by a combination of quality of life, international connectivity, and a growing calendar of tech events.
Although far from traditional hubs such as Barcelona or Madrid, the archipelago has gained prominence as a meeting point for high-level networking and international capital, a context that explains the commitment to initiatives aiming to attract global start-ups.
One such initiative is the Ibiza Tech Forum 2026, which is once again positioning itself as a meeting point for the international entrepreneurial ecosystem with the launch of The Next Unicorn, a start-up competition designed to assist them with investment, connections, and direct access to Silicon Valley.
The event, to be held from 18 to 22 May in Ibiza, will bring together 30 selected startups from around the world in a competitive format combining evaluation, pressure, and real-world negotiations with investors. At stake are not only prizes, but up to €5 million in letters of intent to invest and a direct pass to the global final of the Startup World Cup in San Francisco, USA, where the winner will compete for $1 million.
Pitch, investment, and global access
Unlike other competitions, The Next Unicorn features a format designed to assess execution under pressure. Over four days, the startups will go through various stages, from lightning-fast pitches to direct negotiations with investors, in a process culminating in the selection of a single winner.
The initiative is backed by Pegasus Tech Ventures, one of the most active venture capital funds globally, which has signed a partnership with the forum to make the competition a regional partner of the Startup World Cup. Furthermore, investment offers will be backed by Parque Tec México, led by Ron Oliver.
Beyond the winner, the organisers highlight that all participating startups will gain access to investors, international feedback, and media exposure—an increasingly valuable asset in an environment where raising capital depends as much on visibility as on the product itself.
A distinguished judging panel
One of the key distinguishing features will be the judging panel, comprising six international figures who combine expertise in venture capital, startup scaling, regulation, and global operations. Among the first names confirmed is Marcus Dantus, known for his appearance on Shark Tank and his track record as an investor in Latin America.
The final verdict will combine the jury’s assessment (80%) with the vote of a selected audience of attending investors (20%), reinforcing the market component of the decision.
Ibiza reinforces its commitment to the tech ecosystem
The competition runs alongside the Ibiza Tech Forum, which, in its fourth edition, will bring together more than 500 C-level executives from over 30 countries. In previous years, the forum has featured representatives from major corporations such as NVIDIA, IBM, Mastercard, and Telefónica.
The event will be held across various venues on the island, combining high-level networking with an experiential format designed to stand out from traditional conferences.
The Next Unicorn is aimed at startups from early stage to Series A, particularly in sectors such as artificial intelligence, fintech, mobility, healthcare, and blockchain. Applications will remain open until 19 April, with the final selection announced a few days later.
In parallel, the competition will be produced as a 50-minute documentary in collaboration with Apollo Film, to boost the international visibility of the participating teams and the European ecosystem.
At a time when Europe is seeking to consolidate its role in global innovation, initiatives such as this reinforce the idea that access to capital, networks, and markets can also be built from less traditional hubs. Ibiza aims to be one of them.