TL;DR
- GooApps® and GooVentures traveled to San Francisco, Silicon Valley and TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 to expand Venture Capital and Corporate Venture Capital dealflows across health, sport, and wellness.
- The core mission was achieved through more than 15 meetings held over four days, involving Silicon Foundry (Kearney), Cathay Innovation, and Hilti Venture, among others.
- The trip accelerated GooApps® and GooVentures’ strategy to establish international investment relationships, activate follow-ups with global partners, and open new opportunities for venture co-creation.
From October 26–30, our team –Eric Garcia (CEO & CTO) and Vinni Biazzus (Growth & Client Success Lead)– travelled to San Francisco for the Innovation Mission to Silicon Valley initiative, with TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 as the anchor event. The goal was to listen, learn, and link GooApps® and GooVentures with global partners who share our belief in technology with purpose across health, sport, and wellness.
Five days, countless conversations, and one clear purpose: to connect with leading Venture Capital and Corporate Venture Capital teams, open dealflow opportunities, and build long-term relationships that strengthen our startups’ growth pathways.
“This journey represents a firm step toward the internationalization of GooApps® and GooVentures. We came to learn from the ecosystem that has redefined technology worldwide and to strengthen alliances with organizations that share our vision: innovating to improve people’s lives.” – Eric Garcia
An agenda focused on AI and corporate venture
The mission began with a welcome reception at the Salesforce Tower, where the delegation met representatives from other corporations forming part of the mission, such as Alsina Formwork, ERIA InnoHub, Frit Ravich, INDPULS, Sarah Marlex, and SEAT | CUPRA.
The opening discussions set the tone for a week centered on two pillars of global innovation: Artificial Intelligence as a transformative engine, and Corporate Venture Building as a bridge between startups and established industry.
Key encounters with investors and corporate venture teams
On the first full day, GooApps® and GooVentures participated in sessions at Silicon Foundry (Kearney), exploring open-innovation models with Mark Menell and Xavier Trilla; Cathay Innovation, where Silvia Pascual and Matthieu Soulé presented their $1 billion AI-focused fund; and Hilti Venture, which illustrated how global corporations drive long-term change through strategic partnerships with startups.
Silicon Foundry (Kearney): innovation models & dealflow alignment
Discussions focused on:
- how corporates structure and scale their venture pipelines,
- how AI verticals are redefining early-stage investment,
- collaboration frameworks between startups and enterprise partners,
and strategic alignment criteria for pilot-ready projects.
This session gave GooApps® and GooVentures direct insight into international venture-validation models and opened pathways for mutual exploration.
Cathay Innovation: a $6B fund and global investment strategy
Key takeaways from the meeting with this global VC fund included:
- cross-border investment dynamics between Europe and the US,
- what deeptech and applied AI startups must demonstrate to secure VC interest,
- the importance of early-stage validation in health and wellness,
- how global funds prioritize categories with social impact.
This meeting established several next-step opportunities, including potential investor intros and investment committee follow-ups for future GooApps® and GooVentures portfolio companies.
Hilti Venture: long-term corporate partnerships
Topics included:
- decision criteria for CVC engagement,
- forms of support beyond capital (pilots, user access, validations),
- and how startups can accelerate adoption through strategic alignment.
This reinforced GooApps® and GooVentures’ belief that impactful growth happens when funding and market access advance together.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: innovation on a global stage
The second day centered on TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, an event held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, bringing entrepreneurs, investors, and tech enthusiasts together. The delegation had a visible presence on the exhibition floor and during the Catalan Startups Pitch Session, showcasing solutions in health, AI, and sustainability.
During the event, the team connected with pioneering founders, including Yuzi Care, Ovul, Avarabio, Vital Audio Inc, FounderWay, and Akara, discovering new approaches to human-centered technology. These global exchanges also strengthen initiatives we lead locally, such as Break The Gap, our AI-focused summit designed to accelerate innovation in health and sport.
That evening, GooApps® and GooVentures joined the Barcelona × Silicon Valley Innovation Meetup at Mind the Bridge. The event fostered collaboration between European and American innovation ecosystems and highlighted Catalonia’s growing global presence.
Learning from leading innovators
Day three brought a mix of insight and inspiration. The delegation met Michael Burtov, serial entrepreneur and Chief Innovation Officer at Nova Southeastern University (Florida), who shared lessons from mentoring thousands of founders through MIT Enterprise Forum and Harvard i-Lab.
“Failure isn’t the opposite of success–it’s the engine that drives innovation.” – Michael Burtov
Later, Carlos Escapa, Director of Data & AI at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and co-author of The AI-Driven Business, discussed Amazon’s innovation culture and its practical application of artificial intelligence. The GooApps® and GooVentures team also visited the Google campus in Mountain View and Stanford University, gaining firsthand insight into the connection between academia, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Closing at Plug and Play Tech Center
The final day concluded at the Plug and Play Tech Center in Sunnyvale, one of the world’s leading corporate-innovation platforms and startup accelerators. The delegation was welcomed by Paula Ramoneda (Corporate Partnerships Manager), and then learned from Sakura Grant (Corporate Innovation Manager–Mobility), Pablo Gil (Ventures Associate–Energy), and Leonardo Rocchetti (Senior Ventures Associate–Built Environment & Deep Tech) about Plug and Play’s vertical programs and the origins of its historic Lucky Building–an early home to companies such as Google and PayPal.
Key takeaways and next steps
- Internationalization with purpose
- Corporate venture is a two-way street
- AI responsibly applied and human-centered
- Barcelona/Asturias ↔ Silicon Valley / San Francisco corridor
- Connections with VCs and CVCs for partner intros, pilots, and investment committees
“Silicon Valley is where ideas become revolutions,” Eric notes. “Our purpose is to contribute — connecting talent, vision, and technology from Barcelona to the world.”
This mission was made possible by Catalonia Trade & Investment and Barcelona Activa; and powered by the founders and corporate leaders who showed up with curiosity and courage.
For GooApps® and GooVentures, this experience has accelerated our role as a venture studio: backing and co-founding startups, building MVPs, opening doors to pilots, and co-investing where technology meets impact.
For more updates on venture building, AI, and innovation across health, sport, and wellness, subscribe to the GooApps® and GooVentures newsletter. It’s the easiest way to stay connected with our latest insights and activities.
Are you a corporation or startup exploring an AI-enabled pilot or early-stage project in health, sport, or wellness?
Let’s connect and explore how we can co-create meaningful impact together. Reach out to the GooApps® and GooVentures team to discuss investment, pilots, or venture-building opportunities.
