These data place Barcelona as the fifth best innovative ecosystem in the European Union for creating a startup, only behind Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, and Amsterdam. In addition, the city is the second best hub for spin-offs in the EU, with a total of 308 companies derived from research centers and universities, demonstrating that innovation not only comes from private initiative, but also from academic and scientific knowledge.
Beyond its international position, the historical evolution of the ecosystem is also notable: in just ten years, the number of Catalan startups has more than doubled (with an increase of 121% compared to 2016), and almost half of these companies (44%) have been created in the last five years, a fact that demonstrates the dynamism of the Barcelona and Catalan ecosystem.
The economic impact on the Catalan economy as a whole is not minor: with a combined turnover of 2,497 million euros (26% more than the previous year), Catalan startups represent 0.9% of Catalonia's GDP and employ more than 30,500 people, an increase of 34% compared to 2024. In just ten years, the turnover of emerging companies has almost tripled, going from 1,091 million euros in 2016 —when the ecosystem was analyzed for the first time— to almost 3,000 million today.
The solidity of the sector is also reflected in the experience and diversity of the founders: almost 60% have previously created companies and 28% have an international founder. The internationalization of Catalan companies is also reaffirmed in their workforce: 60% of startups have foreign workers among their staff. In addition, six out of ten companies export their products and services abroad, with the United States being their main commercial partner, followed by France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
More than 1,130 million euros in funding rounds
But Catalan startups not only export abroad, but also attract the attention of international investors: in 2025 they raised 1,131 million euros, 8% more than the previous year, marking the third best historical record. During this period, 203 investment rounds were closed with an average amount of 5.6 million euros, the highest average in the historical series.
Last year was marked by two mega-rounds of investment: the more than 190 million euros for the corporate travel and expense management platform TravelPerk and the 118 million euros for SpliceBio —in the largest round for a biotechnology company ever recorded in Spain—, a company that develops gene therapy to treat Stargardt disease.
In the last five years, accumulated investment amounts to 6,106 million euros, more than double the 2,659 million achieved between 2016 and 2020.
Research and innovation
The entrepreneurial ecosystem clearly bets on technological innovation: more than half of the companies (57.5%) work with cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, sensors or cloud computing, and 90% actively invest in R&D projects. The sectors with the largest presence in this ecosystem are healthtech and business services (30.8%), followed by advertising technology and media (6.2%), e-commerce (5.4%) and educational technologies (5.1%).
"Of the more than 2,400 startups in the Catalan entrepreneurial ecosystem, 308 are considered spin-offs"
Within this group, the weight of research centers and universities is key: of the more than 2,400 startups in the Catalan entrepreneurial ecosystem, 308 are considered spin-offs, that is, companies derived from these academic or research centers. This data reaffirms the Catalan capital as the second best spin-off hub in the entire European Union.
"Innovation is not an option, it is a necessity that we must be able to promote to the maximum," said the conseller of Business and Work, Miquel Sàmper, during the press conference presenting the report, highlighting the great challenge for 2030: to reach 3,000 startups, forming a dynamic, creative and world-leading Catalan ecosystem.
Add The New Barcelona Post as your preferred Google source for free
Stay informed with the latest news.
