The forum brought together companies, investors, institutions, and economic agents to discuss investment opportunities and strengthen the region as a prime destination for foreign investment. The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, announced at the opening session that Madrid's economy grew by 3% last year, surpassing the national average (2.6%) and the eurozone (1%). These figures, from the second quarter of 2026, consolidate the region, which contributes 19.8% of Spain's GDP.
This dynamism is reflected in the labor market, with a record 3,871,993 Social Security affiliates in August. The forum continued in Valdemoro, Tres Cantos, Villanueva de la Cañada, Villaconejos, and culminated in Alcalá de Henares with an awards ceremony. The Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment, Rocío Albert, highlighted that the Community of Madrid leads Spain in foreign-owned companies, with over 15,500 (43.5% of the national total), attributing this dominance to economic freedom, legal certainty, and favorable taxation.
Albert noted that Madrid's economy is distributed across all its municipalities. The region acts as a bridge between Europe and Latin America, attracting 7,863 million euros since 2019. The Invest in Madrid agency has been key, supporting international projects with a return of 549 euros for every euro invested, materializing 77 initiatives in 2025 that mobilized 1.099 million and created over 2,000 jobs.
Throughout the event, other councilors participated, including Mercedes Zarzalejo (Education, Science, and Universities), Carlos Novillo (Environment, Agriculture, and Interior), Fátima Matute (Health), Miguel Ángel García Martín (Presidency, Justice, and Local Administration), Miguel López-Valverde (Digitalization), and Ana Dávila (Family, Youth, and Social Affairs). Topics discussed included Digitalization, Defense, Health Innovation, Housing, Logistics, and the reconstruction of the Sierra Oeste.
Key takeaways from the forum include the creation of 138,115 new jobs in the past year (+3.7%), nearly 700,000 people working in companies linked to foreign investment, and the mobilization of 126 million euros for the reconstruction of the Sierra Oeste. The region also concentrates 22% of Spain's pharmaceutical companies and will expand the Plan Vive with 2,500 new apartments for those under 35.
