When you look at the startup landscape in Spain, you will see how some companies have consolidated a prominent position thanks to their innovation and capacity for growth. These companies have not only captured the attention of national and international investors but have also managed to impact global markets. For example, Cabify, founded in Madrid, has become a benchmark in the urban mobility sector, competing directly with global giants and adapting to the particularities of the Iberian and Latin American market.
In addition, sectors such as tech and business software are leading a large part of this entrepreneurial boom. Companies such as Glovo or Typeform demonstrate how innovation in usability and user experience can transform an idea into a multi-million-dollar business. Getting to know these startups and understanding their business models will allow you to appreciate the trends that are setting the pace in the Spanish entrepreneurial ecosystem.
In this context of growth and transformation, the concept of coworking in Madrid has gained enormous relevance. More and more entrepreneurs, freelancers and small companies are opting for this flexible work model that allows them to share space, generate synergies and reduce fixed costs without giving up a professional environment.
The rise of startups in Spain
For some years now, Spain has seen a remarkable boom in the creation and growth of startups, positioning itself as one of the most promising technology hubs in Europe. Cities such as Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia concentrate a vibrant ecosystem that not only attracts national and international investment, but also drives the generation of skilled employment. More than 3,000 innovative startups have registered in the last decade, with sectors ranging from financial technology to sustainable mobility and digital health. This expansion reflects a cultural and economic shift, with entrepreneurship becoming a viable and attractive option for many professionals.
The emergence of these start-ups has also opened new opportunities for collaboration between universities, investors and public entities. This interaction has fostered the development of disruptive products and scalable business models, allowing some Spanish startups to successfully operate in international markets. In addition, media coverage and participation in global events have strengthened the prestige and visibility of the Spanish entrepreneurial ecosystem.
A look at the growth
Spain’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has grown in complexity and quality, supported by a growing network of accelerators, incubators and specialised investment funds. Madrid, for example, is home to one of Europe’s largest tech hubs, while Barcelona stands out for its focus on healthcare and applied technology startups. Together, these cities offer technology infrastructures, multicultural talent and mentoring programmes that make the environment more conducive to innovation.
They also have an active community of entrepreneurs, who share experiences, establish strategic alliances and expand their impact. The availability of resources, from coworking spaces to access to seed capital, has improved significantly, driven by organisations such as ENISA and European programmes. This boost has enabled many start-ups to overcome the initial phase and consolidate their growth.
Drivers of innovation and entrepreneurship
One of the key drivers behind the rise of Spanish start-ups is the combination of increasingly well-trained young talent and greater openness to private and foreign investment. The increase in technological education and training in digital skills has generated an entrepreneurial profile with the capacity to develop competitive technological solutions. Added to this is a regulatory environment that, although still challenging, has made progress in favouring the creation of companies and the protection of intellectual property.
In addition, access to grants, tax incentives and specific programmes for start-ups has encouraged the creation and scalability of new projects. The rise of technology hubs, incubators and collaborative spaces such as Ibercenter has enabled entrepreneurship to flourish in different regions, not limited exclusively to capital cities, but with a strong focus on fostering territorial clusters that combine technology, talent and capital.
In this context, public-private collaboration plays a key role in generating synergies to accelerate innovative projects and facilitate the entry of new companies into the market. These alliances stimulate research, development and the adoption of disruptive technologies, putting Spain on a growing global innovation map.
Innovations that make a difference
Spanish startups do not only stand out for their size or investment, but mainly for the innovations they are achieving within their sectors. These disruptive solutions not only change the way we understand business but also transform people’s daily lives. On multiple occasions, the combination of advanced technology and a clear vision has led to products and services that previously seemed impossible or distant, showing you how you can benefit from these advances in your professional or personal environment.
In several cases, these innovations have become benchmarks at European and global level, positioning Spain as a key point in the creation of solutions that are not only effective, but also sustainable and adapted to the current needs of each sector. Understanding these processes and their protagonists can help you identify unique opportunities for collaboration, investment or simply inspiration for your next project.
Revolutionising the way we do business
Companies such as Cabify and Glovo exemplify how the technology sector can reinvent traditional models. It is not just about offering a digital service, but optimising the entire value chain, from user experience to logistics and real-time data analysis. This allows you to get a more agile and personalised service, as well as boosting competitiveness in markets that seemed saturated.
In addition, startups specialising in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are rapidly gaining ground. Companies such as Carto offer geospatial analysis tools that facilitate strategic decision-making in real time, while others focused on data protection ensure more secure digital operations. These advances not only benefit your internal business, but also the trust you can build with your customers and partners.
Advances that save lives
In a field as sensitive as healthcare, several Spanish startups are setting the pace with specific technologies that improve diagnoses, treatments and healthcare management. Your access to solutions based on big data and machine learning translates into faster and more accurate diagnoses, helping not only patients but also medical professionals to make better decisions.
In addition, the development of personalised medicines and advanced therapies led by companies like Grifols demonstrates how biotechnology goes far beyond the laboratory. These innovations are radically changing the prognosis of chronic and complex diseases, bringing new hope for public health and quality of life that you can keep a close eye on if you work in related sectors.
Several initiatives focused on telemedicine and digital platforms are driving closer patient-doctor interaction, facilitating continuous monitoring and avoiding unnecessary complications. This revolution not only improves healthcare but also expands access to specialised treatments in rural or less favoured areas.
The giants of the market
Moving forward in the analysis of the most influential startups in Spain, names such as Cabify, Glovo and Wallapop stand out, each with a clear niche and an innovative proposition that has transformed their sector. Cabify, for example, revolutionised urban mobility by offering an efficient and safe alternative to the traditional taxi, while Glovo generated a whole new market around the fast delivery of everyday products. Wallapop, meanwhile, managed to make buying and selling second-hand goods a common and accessible practice for millions of users, combining technology with sustainability.
These companies are not only leaders in terms of turnover or financing but also set trends in the way entrepreneurship is conceived in Spain. Their business models tend to be based on technology to solve real, everyday problems, from logistics management to responsible consumption. Moreover, their ability to attract foreign investment and expand internationally gives them a prominent role in the European and global entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Profiles of the ten largest startups
Among the ten largest startups in Spain, you will find a mix of sectors that reflects the diversity of the current market. In addition to those already mentioned, companies such as Typeform, which specialises in creating smart forms that improve the user experience, and Spotahome, which has facilitated long-term home rentals with a completely digital platform, stand out. Another relevant case is Flywire, dedicated to processing international payments in a simple and secure way, essential for education and health globally.
These startups tend to have in common a strong technological leadership and a clear focus on customer experience. Their teams are typically made up of multidisciplinary professionals who combine engineering, marketing and operations, and are able to scale their solutions quickly thanks to their intensive use of data and algorithms. Funding and growth are often accompanied by investment rounds more than tens or even hundreds of millions of euros, a clear sign of the interest they generate among investors.
Impact on the local and global economy
The contribution of these startups to the Spanish economic ecosystem is considerable, generating thousands of direct jobs and stimulating the creation of new market niches. Beyond job creation, they bring dynamism to traditional sectors by introducing technology and new ways of doing business. In cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, their influence is reflected in a growing demand for technological talent and associated services, strengthening the local business fabric.
This growth has also generated a change in the spatial needs of many of these start-ups. Renting office space in Madrid has ceased to be a simple logistical issue and has become a strategic decision. At Ibercenter, we know this well. That’s why we offer fully equipped, flexible offices adapted to the pace of new business models, allowing startups and entrepreneurs to focus on what’s important: making their project grow.
In the global sphere, these startups position Spain as a relevant player in innovation, especially in Europe. For example, Glovo operates in more than 20 countries, demonstrating that solutions born in Spain can compete with international giants. This not only attracts foreign investment, but also opens doors for strategic alliances, knowledge transfer and expansion into new markets.
Moreover, the multiplier effect of these companies helps to attract new generations of entrepreneurs willing to innovate and bet on disruptive solutions, which strengthens Spain’s technological and economic ecosystem in the long term. At Ibercenter, we accompany this movement by offering professional spaces in key locations such as Azca, Gran Vía and Velázquez, which become the ideal starting point for those who are committed to the future.
Lessons learned from Spanish startups
Looking at cases like Glovo or Cabify, you will notice that their success lies not only in technological innovation, but also in adapting solutions to local needs. Glovo, for example, accelerated its international expansion thanks to a flexible model more focused on user experience, while Cabify positioned itself with a strong focus on service quality and regulation, overcoming legal obstacles with strategic intelligence. This combination of customer focus and agile execution keeps these startups competitive in markets as saturated as those of Spain’s major cities.
Another key is the ability to attract investment while maintaining a long-term vision. Startups like Wallapop have been able to take advantage of funding rounds to consolidate their presence and scale without losing focus on their community. In your own project, observing how these companies manage their balance between growth and profitability can offer clues for managing your own resources and investor relations.
Failures and the opportunities they left behind
Many ventures also faced stumbling blocks, from scalability issues to product definition mistakes. Take Eat Easy, which was very popular in the delivery segment, closed in 2019 for failing to achieve a sustainable financial structure. However, that case left a valuable lesson on the importance of controlling fixed costs and not relying exclusively on an active and constant user base.
Another aspect to highlight is the ability to pivot after failure. Startups that have closed doors have left room for new ideas and actors who have learned from those mistakes to innovate better. These experiences show that in the Spanish startup ecosystem, each failure usually plants the seed for the next cycle, which is more mature and better prepared to face the challenges of the market.
The closure of some companies translates into opportunities for other entrepreneurs who detect unattended niches or improve already proven models. Thus, failures help to clean up the sector and generate a collective learning process that, if applied correctly, increases the probability of success in future launches.
The potential of new startups
Local talent, coupled with an infrastructure that is increasingly consolidated and favourable to entrepreneurship, opens the door to projects that not only seek economic growth but also social and environmental impact. Your role, as an actor inside or outside the ecosystem, can be decisive in betting on these initiatives that promise not only to generate employment, but also to solve real and current problems, from energy efficiency to the digitisation of public services.
The new startups that are emerging in Spain have immense potential to transform traditional sectors and break new ground in emerging industries. In cities such as Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, the rise of health technology, artificial intelligence and the circular economy is generating a dynamic ecosystem where constant innovation is the norm. Young companies combining creativity and technology are attracting international attention, driving foreign investment and putting Spain on the map as a hub for tech entrepreneurship.
Emerging trends in the business landscape
Spanish startups are aligning themselves with global trends that are dictating the direction of the market. For example, the adoption of blockchain-based technologies for traceability in sectors such as food and fashion is gaining ground. Also noteworthy is the emergence of platforms that foster collaboration between remote talent, optimising resources and connecting experts across borders.
In the field of Big Data, multiple startups are focusing on solutions that facilitate real-time decision-making for companies of various sizes. This ranges from predictive analytics for retail to emotional intelligence applied to human resources tools. The convergence between different technologies is creating hybrid business models that invite you to rethink the traditional approach to entrepreneurship.
The role of sustainability in innovation
Sustainability has ceased to be an option and has become a central focus of the startups that are leading innovation in Spain. In fact, many of the startups that are rapidly scaling up base their value propositions on products and services that reduce environmental impact and promote responsible consumption. Companies focused on renewable energy, sustainable mobility or waste reduction are not only attracting funds, but also the interest of more conscious consumers.
This sustainable approach is not just about superficial green strategies but about integrating environmental and social objectives from the very conception of the project. The design of products with an extended life cycle, the reuse of materials or the circular economy are common points in these startups, which seek to generate a comprehensive and lasting change in the way you produce and consume.
In addition, sustainability fuels innovation by encouraging disruptive business models, such as sharing economy platforms or digital solutions that measure and reduce the carbon footprint. Beyond regulatory compliance, this commitment to the environment can become a competitive advantage that ensures relevance and differentiation in increasingly demanding markets.
Conclusion
You have seen how startups like Cabify, Glovo or Wallbox have not only revolutionised their sectors, but also boosted the Spanish economy globally. These companies demonstrate that, with a combination of technological innovation and a clear vision, it is possible to compete with international giants. Moreover, the figures bear this out: in 2023 alone, investment in Spanish startups exceeded €2 billion, a key indicator of confidence and potential for you as an investor or entrepreneur.
As you continue to explore or even participate in this ecosystem, you will find that collaboration between local talent and foreign capital is a vital driver of growth. Emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, sustainability and fintech are rapidly gaining ground here, offering unique opportunities to innovate and scale. Now is the perfect time for you, whether as an entrepreneur or investor, to get involved and be part of this new wave that will undoubtedly continue to make its mark.
