The Government of Catalonia, through ACCIÓ, its Agency for Business Competitiveness, has identified 1,708 startups in the region. This finding comes from an ACCIÓ study based on data from the Barcelona & Catalonia Startup Hub, a digital directory listing companies that are no more than 10 years old, with scalable and repeatable business models targeting global markets and rapid growth. You can view the full report on the Barcelona & Catalonia Startup Hub study here.

The study notes a 13.5% increase in identified startups compared to 2019. However, this includes companies that were created earlier but only added to the directory in 2020. Over five years, the ecosystem has grown significantly, with a 60% increase in startups compared to 2016.

Snapshot of Startups in Catalonia

These 1,708 startups account for 17,500 jobs in Catalonia, with an average of 10 employees per company and a strong international presence. For example, 26% of startup employees and 20% of founders are international. This growing diversity reflects Barcelona’s appeal as a hub for global talent.

Most international professionals working in Catalan startups come from Western Europe (47%), with expertise in technology (27%), sales (23%), and operations (17%). Regarding founders, 45% had prior experience creating startups.

In terms of industries, Catalan startups primarily focus on ICT (22%), leisure (21%), and health (17%). Notably, 66.5% are involved in Industry 4.0 technologies, including big data (13%), cloud computing (13%), artificial intelligence (11%), and the Internet of Things (9%).

Funding and Barcelona’s Startup Ecosystem, The report highlights that Barcelona secured over €2.8 billion in startup investments over the past five years, with more than 1,000 funding rounds. This makes it the third-largest hub in the EU for funding rounds, trailing only Paris and Berlin. Among the 1,700 startups identified by ACCIO, 75% have received some form of funding, and 26% of these investments exceed €1 million.

Barcelona is also the fourth-largest startup hub in the EU, following Berlin, Paris, and Amsterdam, according to StartupBlink, which evaluates the quantity and quality of startups, business environment, and critical mass. Furthermore, for the fourth consecutive year, Startup Heatmap Europe ranks Barcelona as the second most preferred city in the EU to create a startup, second only to Berlin.

Startups and COVID-19

The study underscores the resilience and optimistic outlook of Catalonia’s startup ecosystem despite the pandemic. An ACCIÓ survey cited in the report reveals that 85% of startups anticipate improved results in 2021, with 9% expecting stability and only 6% forecasting downsizing or closure.

In 2020, 69% of startups maintained or improved their activity despite the pandemic, with 34% reporting growth and 35% remaining stable. However, 31% experienced a decline, particularly those in travel and leisure (13.4%), while sectors like health saw increased activity (15.5%).

This variation highlights how the pandemic has unevenly impacted Catalan startups, with health-focused companies emerging stronger while those in travel and leisure faced challenges.