5 VENUES · SANTANDER 2027

Five Venues.
One Congress.

Everything within a 10-minute walk. Each venue with its own identity, all united by a single mission.

01 Palacio de la Magdalena 02 Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos 03 Palacio de Deportes de Santander 04 Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria 05 Universidad de Cantabria · Campus
Palacio de la Magdalena
01
Main Stage (opening)C-Level Forum

Palacio de la Magdalena

Institutional Opening · C-Level VIP Forum

Santander's architectural jewel. The summer residence of the Spanish Royal Family until 1931, now home to the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo. Set on a headland with panoramic views over the Bay of Biscay and Santander Bay. A singular setting for the official opening and the exclusive VIP forum.

Capacity800 people
Floor area4,000 m²
Events at this venue
Opening Ceremony
C-Level Forum (private)
Inaugural VIP Cocktail
VIP Networking Lunch
Space Layout
Grand Auditorium
500 people
Opening Keynote · Main Stage
Magdalena VIP Room
120 people
C-Level Forum (restricted access)
Outdoor Gardens
600 people
Opening Cocktail · Networking
Cantábrico Terrace
200 people
VIP Lunch with sea views
Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos
02
Main StageInternational StageAI & TechSMEsIndustryImpact

Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos

Main Congress Venue · 8 Tracks

The heart of FoundAItion 2027. Cantabria's main exhibition and congress facility, with modular capacity for 5,000 people spread across the Grand Auditorium, eight simultaneous track rooms and the Exhibition Hall. Purpose-built for the high-intensity programme that FoundAItion delivers.

Capacity5,000 people
Floor area15,000 m²
Events at this venue
Grand Auditorium (Keynotes)
Room A: International Stage 🇬🇧
Room B: AI & Tech
Room C: SMEs
Room D: Industry
Room E: Impact
Room F: EdTech
Ground Floor: Startup Fair
Talent Pavilion: Talent Fair
Space Layout
Grand Auditorium
2,000 people
Keynotes · Main Stage · Closing
Room A (International Stage)
400 people
🇬🇧 English-language sessions
Room B (AI & Tech)
350 people
Technical Workshops · LLMs · MLOps
Room C (SMEs)
300 people
SME Track · Case Studies
Room D (Industry)
300 people
Industry · Sustainability · ESG
Room E (Impact)
250 people
EdTech · Health · GovTech
Ground Floor · Exhibition
1,500 people
100+ Exhibitor and startup stands
Talent Pavilion
800 people
Talent Fair · 50+ companies
Palacio de Deportes de Santander
03
Social Event

Palacio de Deportes de Santander

Closing Concert · Public Access

Santander's multipurpose arena for major entertainment events. FoundAItion 2027 draws to a close with a special public closing concert, blending the energy of the congress with live music culture.

Capacity6,500 people
Floor area8,000 m²
Events at this venue
Closing Concert (public access)
Priority access for FoundAItion attendees
Space Layout
Main Floor
4,000 people
Standing area · General concert
Stands
2,500 people
Seated area · FoundAItion priority section
Backstage
50 people
Exclusive VIP access · Artists
Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria
04
VIP Events

Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria

Closing Gala · Speakers Dinner · VIP Networking

The most elegant stage of FoundAItion. Regular home of the Festival Internacional de Santander, featuring a terrace over the bay that ranks among the most photogenic spaces on the entire Cantabrian coastline. Here the Closing Gala takes place in full MORBO style: intimate, glamorous, with sweeping views across the bay.

Capacity1,800 people
Floor area6,000 m²
Events at this venue
Closing Gala (VIP)
Speakers Dinner (private)
Networking Terrace
Final Day 4 Brunch
Space Layout
Main Hall
1,000 people
Closing Gala · Gala Dinner
Panoramic Terrace
400 people
VIP Networking · Bay Views · MORBO-style
Foyer & Salons
400 people
Pre-dinner · Cocktail · Art Gallery
Artistic Backstage
30 people
Live Performances · Performers
Universidad de Cantabria · Campus
05
UC CampusUniversity Talent

Universidad de Cantabria · Campus

UC Campus Track · Research · Talent Fair

The university campus as a living hub of knowledge. The Universidad de Cantabria opens its facilities for the FoundAItion academic track: research sessions, technology transfer, and the business-academia bridge that shifts the paradigm of AI conferences.

Capacity1,200 people
Floor area10,000 m² (congress zone)
Events at this venue
UC Campus Track (research sessions)
University Talent Fair
PhD candidate presentations
Open R&D Lab
Campus Lunch
Space Layout
Aula Magna
600 people
UC Keynotes · Main academic sessions
Assembly Hall
300 people
Round tables · Technology transfer
Innovation Lab
80 people
Hands-on workshops · Research demos
Outdoor Campus
500 people
Talent Fair · Company stands

Ready to experience FoundAItion across Santander's finest palaces?

Get Tickets → View Accommodation Why Santander
Photo credits

Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria and Palacio de Deportes de Santander: photographs by Tiia Monto (CC BY-SA 3.0). School of Civil Engineering, University of Cantabria: photograph by Jardeluco (CC BY-SA 4.0). Congress hall: photograph by Alan Levine (CC0). Images via Wikimedia Commons.