The Spanish technology industry will meet again in March at one of its major annual events. The ASLAN 2026 Congress & EXPO, organized annually by the @aslan Association, will be held from March 17 to 19 at the Madrid Conference Center, consolidating itself as the main forum for reflection and business around digital transformation, artificial intelligence and cyber resilience. Under the motto «AI agents, resilience, digital assets…? We evolve”, the new edition aspires to respond to the great challenges that organizations, both public and private, face today.
The great challenges of organizations
Companies face an increasingly complex scenario, marked by the acceleration of AI, the exponential growth of data, regulatory pressure and a considerable increase in cyberattacks. According to Alberto Pascual, president of the @aslan Association, the challenge is not only technological, but strategic. “Our main function is to identify trends, analyze them and generate spaces for collaboration so that companies can face them with confidence,” he explained to the media during the presentation of the event.
In this context, the association has expanded its traditional focus, historically more linked to technical profiles, to also address senior management. “The message is no longer only for the technologist or the CIO, but also for those who make business decisions,” Pascual stressed. With 208 associated companies, @aslan has become a transversal meeting point that covers all categories of the digital ecosystem.
The role of the @aslan Association
To respond to these challenges, the association develops intense activity throughout the year. After detecting the main trends, it prepares reports and organizes specialized forums that travel to the autonomous communities in a roadshow format, bringing the technological debate closer to both the business community and the regional public sector. Added to this are meetings with local media, meetings with associates, training actions, sector commissions and networking spaces.
“At @aslan we have raised the level to be present where decisions are made,” said Pascual, highlighting the evolution of the entity as a platform for influence and collaboration. This work is reinforced by its close collaboration with leading institutions in the technological and business field, such as the COIT or the CEOE, which consolidates its role as a legitimate interlocutor for the sector.
News from the ASLAN 2026 Congress
After the success achieved by the previous edition – which went from two to three days of celebration and a larger exhibition space -, ASLAN 2026 will maintain the expanded format, with the focus on the visitor’s journey. “Attending the congress is not visiting a fair, it is living an experience that allows you to understand the strategies, challenges and real problems of CIOs and technology managers,” Pascual highlighted.
The 2026 edition will have 57 exhibiting companies, 135 stands and the representation of practically all of the IBEX 35 companies. The distribution of the space seeks to offer a more coherent experience: manufacturers on the second floor, and specific exhibition, cyber-resilience and digital workspace areas on the third. In total, it is expected to exceed 200 speakers and reach 9,000 professional visitors.
The inauguration will feature the participation of Óscar López Águeda, Minister for Digital Transformation and the Public Service of Spain. In addition, the traditional Awards Dinner will be held for the most relevant projects in the public sector, to which 83 initiatives have been submitted this year, as well as the ICT Managers’ Lunch, which will bring together finalists for the DNA Technology Awards and Top10 sectoral CIOs.
Artificial intelligence, transversal protagonist
AI will be one of the central axes of the congress. Adela de Toledo, AI and Data spokesperson for the association, stressed during the meeting that “artificial intelligence is changing everything and that is why it will be very present at ASLAN 2026, with the participation of the market’s leading companies.” As he explained, AI already leads a large part of private projects, but its success depends on a correct combination of technology, data and knowledge.
Technological evolution is associated with AI and affects both business and people
“The data is critical. Without an adequate management and governance strategy, many projects can fail,” he warned. De Toledo also warned about emerging challenges such as the memory shortage derived from the high demand for hyperscalers, the increase in costs and the need for flexible enterprise platforms that allow AI projects to scale sustainably.
Cyber resilience: from prevention to recovery
Another of the major thematic blocks will be cyber resilience, a concept that goes beyond traditional protection. Santiago Campuzano, cyber resilience spokesperson for the Association, recalled that “90% of companies have suffered an attack and 50% have had real damage,” which highlights the importance of having reliable backup strategies and recovery plans that guarantee business continuity.
In a context marked by regulations such as NIS2 and the debate on digital sovereignty, the concern of general directorates is growing. “Technological evolution is associated with AI and affects both business and people. We must put up barriers to new threats and help organizations to be resilient in an environment dominated by data,” said Campuzano, who highlighted the outstanding participation of top-level experts, such as José Manuel García, CIO of Repsol, among many others.
A speaker for the technology industry
Francisco Verderas, managing director of the @aslan Association, highlighted that the congress has established itself as “the great speaker of the technology industry in Spain” at a decisive moment for digital transformation. The combination of AI, automation, resilience and digital assets defines an agenda that is no longer future, but present.
With more than 36 years of experience, @aslan once again demonstrates in 2026 its ability to evolve alongside the industry and offer a space where knowledge, business and collaboration come together to jointly face the challenges of the new digital era.
