September 7, 2026
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Nealis Tech has launched the first edition of the Nealis Innovation Challenge , an open innovation program aimed at startups, emerging companies and technology projects capable of developing solutions to improve the management of urban services and strengthen the security of critical infrastructures.
The initiative, promoted by Nealis Innovation Hub and developed together with the Valencia City Council through Valencia Innovation Capital , will allow the selected proposals to be validated in real operational environments in the city of Valencia, accelerating their development and possible implementation.
The program was created with the aim of connecting entrepreneurial talent with strategic business and city challenges, fostering collaboration between companies, startups and institutions to develop technologies capable of responding to some of the main urban challenges of the present and the future.
This first edition of the Nealis Innovation Challenge presents two specific technological challenges related to the management of urban services in Valencia.
The first aims to develop advanced digital models that can anticipate incidents and improve decision-making through intelligent data analysis. The second focuses on increasing the safety and efficiency of urban networks through systems capable of detecting gas leaks early.
The challenges have been defined by Nealis Tech based on real business and city needs, with the aim of identifying solutions that contribute to a more efficient, safe, sustainable Valencia, prepared to face the challenges of the future.
Thanks to the collaboration with València Innovation Capital, the selected startups will be able to validate their proposals in the city's urban sandbox, using real infrastructures and spaces to test the functionality of their technologies and facilitate their future implementation.
Through this call, Nealis Tech is looking for startups and innovative companies with mature technologies ready to develop pilot projects with practical application in urban services.
The selected initiatives will work alongside the company's business, technology, and innovation teams to explore new avenues of collaboration and accelerate the development of solutions with real impact.
The evaluation of the applications will take into account the degree of innovation, technological maturity, potential impact and the ability of each proposal to be integrated into real operating environments.
The program's objective is to transform innovation into applicable solutions that improve city management and generate long-term collaboration opportunities between Nealis and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
"With the Nealis Innovation Challenge, we want to bring innovative talent closer to real challenges that affect the management of urban services and critical infrastructure. Our goal is to identify technologies with transformative potential and offer them an environment where they can demonstrate their value, accelerate their development, and generate a tangible impact for both our businesses and the city," says Marcos Rozas, director of Nealis Tech.
For her part, Paula Llobet, Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment Attraction of the Valencia City Council, states that:
"Open innovation is one of the most effective tools for transforming the challenges of our cities into opportunities. At València Innovation Capital, we work to connect entrepreneurial talent with the real needs of companies and institutions, promoting solutions with the capacity to generate a positive impact on people's lives."
The call for applications will remain open until September and is aimed at startups and technology companies with innovative solutions capable of responding to one of the challenges posed.
The selected candidates will gain access to a real validation environment, receive specialized support, and work alongside Nealis' business and technology teams during the development of the pilot projects.
All information about the program, participation requirements, schedule and registration process is available on the official Nealis Innovation Challenge landing page.
The Nealis Innovation Challenge is part of the open innovation strategy of Nealis, a business group made up of more than 40 companies that promotes technological development through Nealis Innovation Hub and Nealis Tech.
With this initiative, the company reinforces its commitment to collaboration between companies, startups, universities, technology centers and other agents of the innovation ecosystem to accelerate the development of solutions capable of generating a positive impact on cities and the provision of urban services.
