Claudia from Brewing Minds Valencia

Claudia is an Italian girl who has been living in Valencia for six years. She worked in recruitment for many years before deciding to quit and do something completely different with her life. She now runs Brewing Minds here in Valencia.

As I looked around, I saw her peering through the window, as if wondering whether this was the café where we had agreed to meet. I stood up and waved at her. And there she was: Claudia from Brewing Minds. Spontaneous, young, full of enthusiasm, and, as she later told me, a little nervous.

Even before we had properly started, she took a stack of papers out of her bag: carefully prepared questions and answers. The kind of preparation that reveals someone takes her work seriously.

As the conversation progressed, I discovered an entrepreneurial, passionate young woman who prefers to put others in the spotlight. Someone who wants to connect people, spark curiosity, and who does not particularly need to be centre stage herself.

When I asked her who her ideal speaker would be, after all Brewing Minds is all about live talks by clever minds in Valencia bars, she smiled. She said she was working on it.

Are you curious about what Claudia does with and for Brewing Minds?
Grab something nice to drink... and enjoy diving further into her story.

How did Brewing Minds Valencia come about?
Brewing Minds was born from the desire to do something meaningful for the city, for the people, and from the realization that learning is essential at every age because it broadens your horizons and challenges your worldview. Then I discovered that Brewing Minds Berlin wanted to expand. I found them online, sent them a message, and said: this is exactly the kind of challenge that suits me. And that is how I brought Brewing Minds to Valencia.

Where does the name Brewing Minds come from?
The founders came up with it. It plays on the idea of brewing beer, but also brewing ideas. It fits perfectly with the concept of coming together in a bar for great conversations, which is exactly what we do. I love it because those two words summarize our entire concept. It is the perfect name.

Why Valencia?
Valencia has been my home for six years. If I were going to do this anywhere, it would be here. Besides, Valencia is ideal for this concept: people here enjoy meeting in person, and the city has a large scientific, academic, and artistic community, exactly the kind of people we love to invite onto our stage.

It is difficult for many people, including locals, to make real connections.
During Brewing Minds, we hosted a talk on The Neuroscience of Loneliness, and it made me realize two things: there is a difference between being alone and feeling lonely. You can feel lonely in a crowded room.
The other thing is that nowadays we have countless ways to stay “connected,” but they do not necessarily make us feel connected. Connection takes effort. You have to create it actively. It does not happen by itself.

How does Brewing Minds help people feel less alone?
We did not create Brewing Minds to solve the “loneliness epidemic.” But I love that we bring people together with others who share exactly the same interests.
At every event, I ask people at the beginning to turn to the person next to them for one minute and ask: “What appeals to you about tonight’s topic?” That small moment breaks the ice and can grow into a conversation, maybe even a genuine connection.
Our talks are for anyone who is curious. Usually, the audience is about 50/50 Spaniards and expats. Ages range from people in their twenties to people in their sixties. And almost nobody has a background in that evening’s topic. Even at a talk about black holes, there might be one astrophysicist, while everyone else comes from all kinds of different professions.

What does Valencia mean to you?
In winter, I love going to the City of Arts and Sciences with my dog to play. Especially at sunset, when almost everyone has already gone home. The lights coming on and creating geometric shapes in the water, I find that beautiful and calming.

What would you like to give a talk about yourself?
I'm not an expert, but if I could choose, I would talk about cultural differences between countries and societies. I find it fascinating how culture shapes the way we communicate, behave, and interpret the world, often without even realizing it. Understanding those differences brings us closer together as people.
I enjoy introducing my speakers. I let others shine, that's my role.

Why are offline connections so important?
We are social animals. From the moment we are babies, we learn about the world through eye contact, facial expressions, and body language. Technology has not changed that. Online connections are efficient and sometimes necessary, but they do not help us truly read people or build deeper relationships. Misunderstandings arise more easily online. Offline contact keeps us human.

What have you learned from organizing all these gatherings?
That people are incredibly similar and incredibly different at the same time. I started with topics that I personally found interesting, and the room was always full. Then a speaker came with a topic that did not interest me at all... and the room was full again. There are so many people with the same interests, and just as many with completely different ones. It is wonderful to see that happen.

When did Valencia start to feel like home?
I think it happens gradually, through small things. But I remember standing at the market and people calling me by name. The vendors knew me. That was the moment I thought: "I belong here."

What makes you proud?
After a talk, I often look around one last time before I leave. Then I see people who did not know each other an hour earlier still sitting together over a beer, talking about the topic. That makes me so proud, that small spark of connection.

What do you hope people take away from a Brewing Minds evening?
That they go home with a new insight, an interesting conversation, or a different perspective. Becoming smarter is not just about learning facts, it is about being open to other opinions, realizing there is not just one truth, and staying curious.

Do you have a dream speaker?
Not really, but I was very surprised when a well-known American producer got in touch because he wanted to film more. Maybe he will become my dream speaker.

What is the best piece of advice you have received backstage?
Someone once said to me: "Nobody is an entrepreneur... until you are." That really resonated with me. You become an entrepreneur by doing it, not because you are ready for it. If you wait until you are ready, you will wait forever.

Dreams for the future of Brewing Minds?
I want the Spanish talks to grow, ideally to one or two events per month. And in the long term, I dream of bringing Brewing Minds to other cities.

What would you like to leave the readers with?
Do not underestimate the value of curiosity. In recruitment, candidates are rarely assessed on curiosity, even though it is such an important quality. Curiosity drives motivation, deepens knowledge, and helps people move forward. Our speakers, researchers, professors, are all driven by curiosity. It deserves much more appreciation.

Want to discover more? Check out Claudia’s Instagram, @brewingminds_valencia, for more information.
Take a look at the October agenda, join an event, and enjoy a drink while listening to a fascinating talk.