Málaga is like Europe’s Silicon Valley, and Marbella is where its top managers live.

Over the past decade, the province of Málaga has turned into one of Europe’s main technology hubs. Major global corporations have moved here, opening headquarters, development centers, and research laboratories. Málaga is increasingly called Europe’s Silicon Valley. And this story is directly connected to the real estate market in Marbella: it has become the preferred place to live for top executives and specialists drawn by the region’s technology boom.

In this article, we will look at which corporations operate in the province of Málaga, why they chose this region, and how this affects Marbella’s appeal.

Google: the first headquarters in Spain

The best-known name on Málaga’s technology map is Google. The story began in 2012, when Google acquired the Málaga-based cybersecurity startup VirusTotal. This deal launched a strategic partnership and strongly influenced the company’s decision to choose Málaga as its technology hub for Southern Europe.

Today, Google has opened a cybersecurity center in Málaga of about 2,500 square meters, located on Paseo de La Farola, between the Muelle Uno waterfront and La Malagueta beach. The center is part of the company’s large investment program in Spain. Málaga became Google’s first headquarters in the country and joined the ranks of Europe’s most important engineering centers for cybersecurity, complementing sites in Dublin and Munich.

Google’s arrival sent a powerful signal to the entire technology market and brought many other companies to the region.

Who else came to the region

Most large corporations are based in the Málaga TechPark technology park, previously known as Parque Tecnológico de Andalucía, or PTA. Opened back in 1992, the park has become one of the most important technology centers in Southern Europe.

Among the global corporations that chose the region for their offices, development centers, and research, you can name:

In technology and telecommunications: Google, Ericsson, Vodafone, Oracle, IBM, Accenture, Huawei, Capgemini, Fujitsu, NTT Data, Orange, Telefónica, Keysight Technologies, Indra, CGI, PwC.

In industry and certification: TDK, Dekra, Mercedes Benz, Denso Ten, Air Liquide, Endesa.

A special example is the German company Dekra, which has worked in security for more than 90 years and has over 43,000 employees in about 60 countries. Dekra chose Málaga TechPark to set up a new global IT hub, highlighting the trust that major international business places in the region.

The scale of the technology ecosystem

The figures speak for themselves. Hundreds of companies operate in Málaga’s technology park, with more than 150 startups and over 20,000 people. The region is home to dozens of international companies employing specialists from more than 30 countries. By the beginning of 2025, the tech park had approached 28,000 employees and exceeded 4 billion euros in revenue.

This is no longer just separate offices, but a mature and fast-growing ecosystem that continues to attract new companies and talent from around the world.

Why corporations choose this region

Global companies’ choice is backed by clear advantages.

Talent. The University of Málaga provides a steady flow of highly qualified specialists, especially graduates in information technology. This gives companies access to talent right on site.

Logistics. The tech park is close to the University of Málaga, the international airport, and the city center. Málaga airport serves about 14 million passengers per year, with direct flights to 100 destinations worldwide, and the high-speed train AVE connects Málaga with Madrid in about 1 hour 20 minutes.

Quality of life. A high quality of life in the region makes it easier for companies to attract and retain talent. Specialists are more willing to move to places where they can live by the sea, under the sun, in a safe and comfortable environment.

Economics. The combination of high quality of life with a competitive cost of living, a reasonable level of salaries, and low operating costs makes the region a favorable location for technology business.

How this is connected to Marbella

That is where the most interesting part for the real estate market lies. The technology boom is concentrated in Málaga itself, but many top executives, investors, and high-paid specialists choose Marbella as their place to live—located about 40 minutes away by excellent roads.

Marbella offers what international company leaders value most: privacy, security, villas in gated communities, a developed luxury infrastructure, and convenient connections to Málaga’s business centers. For many, it is an ideal combination: work in a dynamic technology capital and return home to a calm Mediterranean setting.

It is also telling that Marbella itself strengthens its position as a destination for technology entrepreneurship. According to international rankings of startup ecosystems, over the past year Marbella became the Spanish city that improved its position the most as a place to launch technology companies, rising by dozens of places in the global ranking. A visible community of international investors and executives has formed in the city—people who found their residential area in Marbella.

What this means for the real estate market

Technology growth in the province of Málaga directly fuels demand for premium real estate in Marbella. A new class of buyers and renters is emerging: executives and specialists from global corporations relocating to the region with their families. They look for quality housing near international schools, in safe areas, with convenient logistics.

Developers have already responded to this trend by launching premium real estate projects along the Costa del Sol, anticipating demand that is partly linked to the region’s technological development.

For investors, this is an important signal: the Marbella real estate market is supported not only by tourism and lifestyle, but also by real economic growth in one of Europe’s most dynamic technology regions. This adds additional stability to demand and long-term property value.

The ABARZO team closely monitors how regional economic trends affect the real estate market and will help you find a property that fits both the goals of comfortable living and the logic of a long-term investment.

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