The Diplomat
Madrid hosts since yesterday the third edition of Madrid Platform, the largest business hub in Europe and Latin America, which brings together more than 5,000 companies and 600 international investors from both sides of the Atlantic. The event has, for the first time, a guest country: Chile, “as a model of innovative and sustainable economy”, according to the organizers.
The meeting was inaugurated by the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida; the president and founder of Madrid Platform, Carlos Morales; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Héctor Gómez; the Chilean ambassador to Spain, Javier Velasco; and the secretary general of the OEI, Mariano Jabonero (via videoconference from New York). The 2023 edition of Madrid Platform, which will conclude tomorrow, brings together more than 16,000 participants, 5,000 companies and 600 international investors at Madrid’s Palacio de Cibeles (City Hall headquarters).
“Madrid wants to play that fundamental role as the capital of Spain and Europe towards Latin America,” declared the mayor during the inauguration, in which he also highlighted the importance of establishing synergies “between countries united by so many cultural and historical ties.” For his part, Héctor Gómez affirmed that “Spain has to present itself as the gateway from Europe to Latin America”, because “as a country that invests in Latin America, Spain has a privileged position”. “Years of opportunities are opening up, not without risk, and that is why the Government supports initiatives such as this one”, he concluded.
Likewise, the Chilean ambassador to Spain affirmed that “there is a node of intersection between great nations that are called to collaborate and understand each other”. “Latin America is present in Spain in a powerful way, but with different points of view,” he added. “We are living in a time of diverse challenges, in a world with tremendous tensions, that is where the Ibero-American zone as a concept can be key,” he concluded.
During the three days of Madrid Platform, the 5,000 European and Latin American companies will have the opportunity to present their projects, address investment opportunities and generate international business agreements. In addition, the event includes 78 simultaneous events, more than twenty investment agoras in the technological field, more than 1,500 business meetings and individual meetings to connect companies.
