Almost 1,000 participants enjoy third Olyimpic-style sports initiative for Malaga business start-ups

Around 1,000 workers recently took part in the MalagaTech Games, a fun sports initiative that aims to develop team-building among the employees of 15 different tech companies based on the Costa del Sol. Now in its third year, the competition was held at the Inacua sports centre during the last weekend of April and brought together workers from 25 different nationalities to play football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, darts, chess, video games, table tennis, padel and swimming. Organisers said that there had been a “significant increase” of competitors compared to past years, with female participation reaching 32 per cent, the highest since it began.

Paelleros sin fronteras, a non-profit organisation, served paella on the last day to help raise funds for youngsters undergoing treatment at Malaga children’s hospital.

Luis Hernández, CEO of Uptodown said: “MalagaTech Games perfectly represents the spirit of Malaga tech companies as we are permeable and connected, both companies and our own employees. We learn from each other; we have maximum transparency and collaboration. This characteristic of the technological side of Malaga is what is most valuable.”

MalagaTech Games is an annual event that was born in May 2022 following some banter on Twitter (now X) between Bernardo Quintero, founder of Virus Total, and his former colleagues Joaquín Cuenca, Manu Heredia and Luis Hernández. Quintero suggested an Olympic-style event for start-ups should be held in Malaga, and just six months later, his joke became a reality.