FIS 2025: Unanimous support from the franchise sector for the major professional platform in its second edition

Madrid, October 9, 2025.

• Around 3,000 professional attendees are expected to attend the great celebration of the franchising sector, an event with national and international scope that integrates business, knowledge, innovation and institutional cooperation, conceived as a tool at the service of boosting commerce..
• The event will be inaugurated on October 15 at 12:00 noon by Ángel Luis Martín Martín, Deputy Director General for Commercial Entities and Promotion of the Community of Madrid, who will be accompanied by the General Coordinator for Economy, Trade and Consumer Affairs of Madrid City Council, Óscar Romera Jiménez.
• The Cities & Franchises Forum, one of the major highlights of this edition, will operate as an institutional dialogue space to connect Spanish municipalities and promote commercial revitalization policies in the cities invited to the 2025 edition: Palencia, Toledo, Pozuelo de Alarcón, La Nucía and Chiclana de la Frontera.
• Finally, the foodservice brands hub, SPAZIO Restauración News, will bring together leading figures from the hospitality and organized foodservice sectors, within a specialized exhibition area and supported by a high-level content program.

The Franchise Innovation Summit (FIS), promoted by the Spanish Franchise Association (AEF) and organized by Show2Be, with the sponsorship of BBVA, once again achieves unanimous recognition among brands operating under the franchise model and consolidates itself as the leading professional meeting point for the commercial, retail and franchising ecosystem.

On this occasion, FIS has chosen the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium as its venue, hosting more than 120 participating brands, doubling the number recorded in 2024, as well as franchisees, investors, entrepreneurs, retailers, institutions and municipal and business representatives from all sectors: Hospitality and Foodservice, Retail and Specialized Stores, Fitness, Gyms and Wellness, Real Estate, and Education and Training, among others.

The inauguration of FIS will take place on Wednesday, October 15 at 12:00 noon, and will be led by Ángel Luis Martín Martín, Deputy Director General for Commercial Entities and Promotion of the Community of Madrid, who will be accompanied by the General Coordinator for Economy, Trade and Consumer Affairs of Madrid City Council, Óscar Romera Jiménez. Among the attendees will be representatives of the embassies of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil; the Brazil Chamber of Commerce; the municipalities participating in the Cities & Franchises Forum (Chiclana, La Nucía, Palencia, Pozuelo de Alarcón and Toledo); as well as entities and institutions such as Madrid Foro Empresarial, Hostelería Madrid, CEC, COCAM, CEPYME, the Egyptian Franchise Association (EFDA) and the Danish Chamber of Commerce.

Luisa Masuet, President of the AEF, notes that “after the learning experience of the first edition, we are once again promoting the second edition, with more exhibitors, many new features and the same objective: to drive entrepreneurship and investment across the entire franchise system”.

Along the same lines, Eduardo Abadía, Executive Director of the AEF, emphasizes that FIS is a professional meeting “at the service of all the stakeholders that make up the franchise system, hence the need to continue promoting it year after year”.

Raúl Calleja, Director of the event, states that FIS is “much more than a Summit with a showroom area for expanding brands (…) it is an essential strategic and commercial tool for any entrepreneur, investor, business owner, retailer, franchisee or retailer… seeking to connect with established brands, identify real expansion opportunities and become part of the franchising ecosystem, which serves as a dynamic bridge connecting Europe and Ibero-America”. He also adds that “promoted by the Spanish Franchise Association, it is the bridge that unites investment, territory and a safe and profitable business model. We are proud to work for and on behalf of the professional franchising sector”.

For her part, the Head of Specialized SME Business at BBVA in Spain, María Eugenia López, stated that “BBVA’s role as main sponsor of the Franchise Innovation Summit reflects the bank’s commitment to offering comprehensive solutions that go beyond financing. We want to continue being the strategic partner for franchises on their path to success, digitalization and sustainability, providing them with the necessary support to thrive in an ever-evolving environment”.

As in its zero edition, FIS once again opts for a combined format, where the exhibition area is complemented by a powerful congress program featuring nearly 100 national and international speakers, addressing key topics such as consumer trends, digitalization, retail tech, sustainability, investment, internationalization and new commercial models. You can download the full program HERE

5 keys to understanding the benchmark annual event for franchises

1. Franchise Week: October 13 to 24

FIS takes place within a week dedicated to the sector, with parallel activities such as FranquiTour, the Great Madrid Fitness Meetup and the FISkathon.

What is FranquiTour?

FIS has created a tool to showcase the retail landscape of a city like Madrid, where leading brands form part of an exclusive route through the flagship stores of the brands participating in FIS 2025. An opportunity for brands to present their value proposition and offer a direct experience to entrepreneurs seeking investment options, investors and franchisees interested in new concepts, as well as sector professionals eager to discover the most emblematic formats first-hand.

The Great Fitness Meetup: train inside the Metropolitano

A unique and free event to be held on October 14 at 6:00 pm on the inner terrace of the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, consisting of a guided Group Training session led by Anytime Fitness trainers, for up to 250 participants, with collaborators such as La Fresería, DIA and Jean Louis David. This event aims to demonstrate that fitness and entrepreneurship share the same essence: discipline, healthy living, teamwork, consistency and long-term vision. You can register HERE

FISkathon

A themed, on-site hackathon that connects emerging talent with the franchising ecosystem to design franchisable business models aligned with new generations. The main objective of this initiative is to revitalize the perception of the franchising sector among younger generations, presenting it as an innovative alternative, as well as a real entrepreneurial opportunity and a business growth strategy. The FISkathon 2025 final will take place on October 16 at 4:30 pm in the Main Auditorium.

2. Cities & Franchises Forum

A new space for institutional dialogue that will connect different municipalities across Spain with brands and entrepreneurs, to promote commercial revitalization policies and territorial expansion in selected cities. In this edition, the cities invited to FIS2025 are the municipalities of Palencia, Toledo, Pozuelo de Alarcón, La Nucía, Chiclana de la Frontera and Parque-Metropolitano.

FIS thus positions itself as an event that integrates business, knowledge, innovation and public-private institutional cooperation, conceived as a tool at the service of boosting commerce, especially at a time when many cities in the Community of Madrid and across Spain are implementing active policies to revitalize their urban centers and attract commercial investment.

3. International presence

FIS 2025 will feature exhibiting brands from Italy, Portugal, France, Dubai, Mexico, Egypt, Panama, the United States and Brazil, consolidating the event not only as a bridge between Europe and Ibero-America, but also as a leading international meeting point for the sector.

4. SPAZIO Restauración News

A hub specialized in organized foodservice promoted by Show2Be, the AEF and the sector publication Restauración News, with the sponsorship of Mahou San Miguel, featuring its own content summit, where around thirty brands will participate and the latest trends in foodservice and organized hospitality will be discussed.

5. FIS Academy powered by Franchising & Partnership

The knowledge-sharing space where franchises can present their business models to potential partners, investors and entrepreneurs.

All these initiatives are further strengthened by an innovative networking and business opportunity tool, FIS&Meet: a one-to-one meeting area following the ‘speed networking’ format, combined with social activities designed to connect brands with investors, franchisees and strategic suppliers.

About FIS – Franchise Innovation Summit

The Franchise Innovation Summit (FIS) is an initiative promoted by the Spanish Franchise Association (AEF) and organized by Show2Be. Born as a professional and commercial platform for the franchise system, FIS connects brands, entrepreneurs, investors and public administrations, driving expansion and professionalization of the sector in Spain and internationally.

About the Spanish Franchise Association (AEF)

The AEF was founded 32 years ago and currently comprises 156 members, whose turnover represents 62% of the business volume generated by the franchise system in Spain. The AEF’s objectives are to represent and safeguard the interests of franchising in Spain, act as an interlocutor with public administrations, and promote the system in other markets through its presence at various international franchise fairs. The AEF is also a member of the European Franchise Federation (EFF).

About Show2Be

Born from an alliance with the experiential marketing agency 4forEVERYTHING, the company offers a comprehensive 360º model, covering everything from event conceptualization and design to execution, production, communication and promotion. SHOW2BE currently delivers two major events: the Franchise Innovation Summit (FIS), promoted by the Spanish Franchise Association (AEF), and SPORTCITIES Expo&Summit, which will hold its first edition on November 19 and 20 in Valencia.

For more information, to arrange interviews or request graphic material:

- Leticia Pastor Aleixandre – Head of Marketing & Communication at FIS
leticia.pastor@show2be.com / 600 92 42 79

- Juan Carlos Martín Jiménez – Director of Communication at the AEF
comunicacion@aefranquicia.es / 607 999 866