This year, access to 4YFN will be exclusive through the north entrance, a new feature aimed at optimizing the experience for attendees. Coinciding with the presence of major tech companies and mobile operators at MWC, the 4YFN organization is focusing its efforts on attracting visitors to Hall 8 of Fira Gran Via, where they can discover global entrepreneurial talent. The event positions itself as a key meeting point for investors and startups, facilitating connections that can translate into investment and growth opportunities. “Our obsession is to do business and transfer the synergies from MWC to 4YFN, helping entrepreneurs scale their projects,” says Pere Durán, director of 4YFN. Throughout the year, the 4YFN team organizes activities to foster interaction between startups, large companies, and investment funds. A jury of investors selects the most promising startups, aligned with the interests of corporations and venture capital funds like Telefónica, Qualcomm, or Samsung, which not only provide funding but also strategic alliances. Speed dating sessions allow for quick meetings between entrepreneurs and investors in a relaxed environment. According to Durán, the funds present at MWC and 4YFN represent a potential investment of $60 billion. In this twelfth edition, over 1,000 startups from 45 different ecosystems will showcase their projects, a figure that contrasts with the 70 from the first edition. Additionally, 380 national and international speakers will participate, reflecting the global nature of the event: 50% of exhibitors are Spanish and the rest international. This year's theme, ‘Infinite AI’, reflects the commitment to artificial intelligence as a driver of innovation. Last year, 70% of exhibitors were experimenting with AI; this year, over 56% are already commercializing products based on this technology. Durán highlights how AI is accelerating the creation and validation of startups and predicts that by 2025, it will attract nearly 50% of venture capital investment. Among the thematic novelties are creativity, cybersecurity, and a section dedicated to video games, exploring the impact of this industry on technological and economic growth. Quantum technology will also be featured, with startups like Multiverse Computing, Qilimanjaro, and Nu Quantum. In the 4YFN Awards, 20 semifinalist startups have been selected by investors, many focused on AI applications for various sectors: - In climate resilience and sustainability: Greenlyte Carbon Technologies (Germany), Sensegrass (UK), Skyfora (Finland), and URAPHEX (Spain). - In advanced AI and cybersecurity: AIM Intelligence (Korea), DeepKeep (Israel), Enhans (Korea), and NeuralTrust (Spain). - In financial services: Dost (Spain), DRUO (USA), Kistpay (Pakistan), and Spendbase (Ukraine). - In digital health: AI Diagnostics (South Africa), Biorce (Spain), Medwise AI (UK), and Sycai Medical (Spain). - In telecommunications and connectivity: ConnectHear (Pakistan), Kreios Space (Spain), OptAI (Korea), and ZIM Connections (UK). Only one startup from each vertical will advance to the final, which will be held on March 4 at the Banco Sabadell stage. The winner will receive €20,000 from GSMA Foundry. It is noteworthy that several Spanish startups that are now unicorns, such as Factorial, have gone through 4YFN, demonstrating the event's impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem.