Programa

The infinite AI of 4YFN reflects the relentless cycle of innovation, relentless learning, and the countless ways in which startups are using AI to reshape every aspect of our world. Because, what is AI without human intelligence? How will AI continue to innovate without the startup ecosystem?

Startups, investors, and corporations drive the extraordinary growth of AI. 4YFN supports, nurtures, and connects them. Join us to celebrate the human minds behind the infinite potential of AI and be part of this transformative journey.

The road to the 4YFN Awards final begins here. From hundreds of applications worldwide, the top 20 startups will take the stage to compete in five key categories: Fintech, Mobile Frontiers, Digital Horizons, Health Tech, and Climate Tech.

Each startup will present its solution before a panel of leading investors and industry experts, who will evaluate them based on criteria such as innovation, scalability, and impact.

At the end of the semifinals, only five finalists will advance to the grand final phase of the 4YFN Awards, earning a spot among the most promising startups of 2026.

For two decades, SaaS has been the dominant model: software delivered through the cloud, with subscriptions, feature updates, and incremental extensions. It transformed the way businesses purchase and adopt software.

Now, a deeper shift is taking place: generative AI is moving us from software as a tool to agents as the outcome. These are autonomous, context-sensitive systems that reason, act, and collaborate, effectively becoming the new "application layer."

In this keynote, we will explore how this transition is reshaping business opportunities, how multi-agent collaboration will unlock new value, and how startups and established operators must adapt (or risk being disrupted).

AI is rewriting the rules of financial technologies (fintech), from personalized banking and smart payments to smarter credit and fraud prevention. The fintech keynote brings together financial technologies and global finance to explore how generative and agent-based AI is driving new business models, enhancing customer experiences, and redefining trust. As financial services increasingly rely on data and automation, how can institutions balance innovation with responsibility? Join us for a forward-looking discussion on how intelligence, transparency, and human insight will shape the next era of money.

The climate crisis isn’t pausing, but global attention is shifting. Wars, political instability, and defense spending are pulling resources away from long-term climate goals, while the urgency of the problem only grows. Against this backdrop, the climate tech sector stands at a crossroads to avoid fall ing prey to hype and greenwashing. 

Europe is a scientific powerhouse. Its universities and research institutions have a significant influence on publications, fundamental discoveries, and patent generation. However, something doesn't quite add up: the business world rarely takes notice. Europe lags behind when it comes to building globally competitive tech companies, especially in deep tech and second-wave innovation.

This opening keynote will delve into this tension: why does the continent that leads research struggle to turn inventions into global impact, and how universities and spin-off companies need to evolve their models to tip the balance.

Vibrational coding is emerging as a radical shift in how humans interact with machines. Instead of writing precise syntax, developers are increasingly shaping outcomes through intent, mood, and multimodal cues (voice, gesture, sketches, and even emotion).

For engineering teams, this means moving from text-based logic coding to coding as the orchestration of AI interpreters. Both in startups and corporations, the impact is profound: productivity accelerates, barriers to product development lower, and entire categories of "non-programmers" can now participate in creation.

This keynote will explore what vibrational coding means for the future of engineering practice, team structures, and company building.

AI has long been touted as the miracle cure for medicine: a technology that would transform drug discovery, revolutionize diagnostics, and optimize overloaded healthcare systems. Yet, for every bold promise, skeptics ask: Does AI really cure healthcare, or is it closer to a placebo—impressive in theory, but with limited practical effect?

This conference invites the industry to confront this question head-on. From pharmaceutical labs using AI to accelerate clinical trials, to hospitals implementing AI in diagnostics and workflows, and insurers and startups experimenting with predictive analytics and virtual care—where is AI truly improving outcomes, and where is it still stuck in pilot mode?

Innovation arises when bold startups, visionary corporations, and smart investors align, but collaboration is not easy. The corporate innovation keynote brings together leaders from all three worlds to explore what really works in corporate innovation today. From CVC and venture capital clients to AI-driven partnerships, the session will examine how to bridge speed gaps, foster an entrepreneurial culture, and turn pilot projects into scalable growth. Where is smart capital flowing? How is AI reshaping corporate business? Join us to discover practical strategies for building sustainable, winning corporate innovation ecosystems that make a real impact.

When Intelligence Leaves the Screen and Enters the World

Focus Points:

• How embedded AI bridges digital and physical systems.
• Robotics, spatial computing, and autonomous infrastructure.
• Safety, regulation, and ethical boundaries in real-world deployment.
• The convergence of perception, reasoning, and action in machines.
• Industrial, urban, and environmental applications that shape everyday life.

Why it Matters:

The next frontier of AI isn't online—it's in motion. As machines begin to perceive and act in the real world, this conference explores the business, ethical, and social implications of intelligence that not only computes but moves.

In an era of wars, political instability, and digital battles for power, cybersecurity is no longer a last-minute technical consideration but a frontline issue in geopolitical conflict. Governments, businesses, and startups alike are navigating a world where cybercriminals and hostile states exploit instability at an unprecedented pace.

While much of the current debate focuses on AI ethics, bias, and performance, an equally urgent issue is often overlooked: the native vulnerabilities of AI applications. Every AI system deployed creates new attack surfaces—ones that can be poisoned, injected, manipulated, or exfiltrated. Unlike traditional software, these vulnerabilities are harder to predict, patch, and audit. And when scaled within critical systems, they multiply business risks.

Meanwhile, malicious actors face none of the regulatory or ethical constraints that legitimate players do. They are free to exploit generative AI and quantum tools to automate and repeat attacks relentlessly, putting defenders at a constant disadvantage.

In this context, the track asks: Are developers building AI securely by design? What must companies consider when implementing AI internally? And how can we prepare for the convergence of native AI vulnerabilities, quantum threats, and geopolitical instability?

The 4YFN Awards are a global startup competition aimed at finding the best digital startups from around the world. This is the highest official recognition exclusively awarded to startups during MWC and 4YFN Barcelona.

Five finalists will be selected during the semifinals by an industry expert panel and investors, based on criteria such as innovation, scalability, and impact. They will have the opportunity to present their projects on stage before a panel of prominent investors. The winning startup will receive a cash prize of €20,000.

Video games have evolved into one of the most dynamic and influential industries in the world, shaping culture, technology, and the digital economy. This conference brings together global leaders and innovators to explore how partnerships, platforms, and new business models are driving the next wave of growth. From cross-sector collaborations to immersive ecosystems spanning mobile, cloud, and content, video games are redefining engagement and opportunities.

What will it take to compete, invest, and innovate in this rapidly evolving landscape, and who will lead the next level of the game?

One of the most important questions raised by AI isn't about the technology itself, but about people: "Will AI take my job?" This keynote addresses that fear head-on and reframes it. AI is not just an automation tool; it's also a force that is reshaping the way we define roles, skills, and strategies for work.

For individuals, it means adapting career trajectories, cultivating new capabilities, and learning to work alongside AI. For businesses, it demands new talent strategies: how to hire, structure teams, reskill, and support employees in an environment where human-AI collaboration becomes the norm.

The session aims to equip both individuals and HR/leadership teams with clarity, strategies, and data about the future of work in an AI-driven economy.