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FIS 2025: 30 days to go until the big event for the franchise sector.

FISCAMPUS Fitness

Madrid, September 12, 2025

A journey to the heart of innovation in expanding brands.

On October 15 and 16, the Franchise Innovation Summit (FIS) will transform the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid into the largest meeting point for the franchising ecosystem. This is not a conventional trade fair: it is a hub of knowledge, connections, ideas and business. FIS has established itself as the event where the future of franchising is anticipated, the most innovative brands are showcased, and alliances are built between companies, cities and entrepreneurs.

Promoted by the AEF, and with BBVA as the main sponsor, it will feature a program distributed across two major thematic auditoriums —Main Auditorium and Spazio Restauración News— along with multiple networking activities, institutional forums, private sessions, pitches and business meetings. FIS 2025 is designed to activate real and long-lasting opportunities.

October 15: Territorial expansion, brand and new models

The first day of FIS focuses on franchising as a lever for local and economic development, with an emphasis on its application to sectors such as retail, food and personal services.

Main Auditorium: Franchising as a territorial engine

Here, the opportunities of the franchise model in key sectors such as supermarket chains, fast-moving consumer goods, digital marketing, author-driven franchise concepts and service innovation will be analyzed. The day opens with a look at how supermarket chains are betting on franchising in proximity environments, followed by roundtables exploring the branding and marketing tools that allow brands to gain visibility and differentiate themselves, as well as scalable, profitable models for smaller cities.

One of the key moments will be the Cities & Franchising Forum, where several pioneering city councils —such as Toledo, Pozuelo de Alarcón and La Nucía— will share how they are creating a favorable ecosystem for the arrival of new brands and the promotion of local entrepreneurship. This forum is aimed at business owners, entrepreneurs and expanding brands seeking to connect with economic development officers, mayors, municipal technicians, as well as brands in expansion processes looking for institutional partners.

In the afternoon, the focus will shift to roundtables centered on new franchise concepts, many of them born after the pandemic, responding to emerging demands: interior design, sports, furniture, etc. Attention will also be given to international expansion, with a space dedicated to Ibero-American franchises seeking to enter Europe, and to brands that are succeeding in smaller cities, as an example of the decentralizing power of the model.

Spazio Auditorium: Foodservice through a future lens

In parallel, the Spazio Auditorium will host an intensive program focused on organized foodservice and gastronomic expansion, organized together with Restauración News, the sector’s leading media outlet. This space will bring together executives, investors and key foodservice operators, becoming the place where tomorrow’s foodservice is designed.

The day begins with a snapshot of the state of the sector, analyzing the factors driving growth in organized foodservice: new consumption habits, format evolution, channel changes and the relevance of the multi-franchisee.

Throughout the day, high-level debates will be held on:

  • Brand scalability: what does a brand need to be ready to grow?
  • Private equity interest in foodservice: what do funds look for and how should a company prepare to attract investment?
  • New distribution channels for foodservice: supermarkets, service stations, travel retail, mass distribution, etc.
  • Location selection, licensing and unit profitability: key aspects of expansion.

In addition, there will be Elevator Pitch–style sessions, where exhibiting brands will have the opportunity to present their models in an agile way to potential franchisees and investors, as well as a thematic private lunch where CEOs and executives from leading brands will debate growth, new formats and expansion into mid-sized cities.

The afternoon will focus on practical cases of multi-franchisees, multi-brand growth strategies, the use of PropTech in expansion, and will close with new rounds of innovation pitches.

October 16: Technology, financing and people

The second day focuses on the cross-cutting strategic factors that define success in franchising today: digitalization, corporate culture, responsible investment and international expansion.

The Main Auditorium will address topics such as wellness, fitness, health and real estate from a franchising perspective, with the participation of experts and leading brands. Also noteworthy is the second day of the Cities & Franchising Forum, with the presence of the city councils of Palencia, Chiclana and Madrid, and the participation of BBVA as FIS’s strategic partner.

In the afternoon, the spotlight will be on the Mediterranean Business Forum, promoted by the REM business community, as well as complementary activities such as the FISkatón, B2B meetings and thematic networking spaces.

Meanwhile, the Spazio Auditorium will maintain its focus on foodservice with roundtables on internationalization, applied technology, talent attraction, KPIs, employer branding and sustainable growth strategies. The day concludes with interviews with industry executives, pitch sessions, and a final panel on trends and opportunities looking ahead to 2026, featuring CEOs from iconic brands such as La Mafia, Rodilla and Foodbox.

An event with purpose

FIS 2025 is presented as a unique opportunity to:

  • Connect expanding brands with cities receiving investment
  • Discover emerging business models with high potential
  • Participate in an active network of public institutions, retailers and franchisors
  • Access up-to-date knowledge on investment, digitalization, scalability and human resources

With more than 120 participating brands, 50 content sessions and a growing network of involved city councils, FIS is the space where franchises find territory, talent and investment to scale their model.