Catalan start-ups are creating more jobs than ever before.

BarcelonaCatalonia breaks records in terms of start-ups: 2,403 are recorded, 5.2% more than the previous year, of which 420 are scale-upsThis is according to the report prepared by Acció and presented this Monday at the Palau Robert by the Minister of Business and Labor, Miquel Sàmper, and the Secretary of Business and CEO of Acció, Jaume Baró. According to the study, the start-ups Catalan companies – defined by Minister Sàmper as technology-based businesses with a maximum lifespan of 10 years and scalable business models – collectively generate nearly €3 billion in revenue – 0.9% of GDP – a 26% increase over the previous year, and employ more than 30,500 people. "They are creating more jobs than ever before," Sàmper pointed out.

"It must be emphasized that although the ecosystem has only grown by 5%, its revenue has increased by 26% and employment has grown by 34%; these are very good figures," the minister stated. "If all sectors of our economy grew like this, Catalonia would be the richest power in the world," Sàmper affirmed. The report also highlights that the number of start-ups The Catalan startup ecosystem has grown uninterruptedly in recent years and has more than doubled (+121%) since the ecosystem was first analyzed in 2016. Furthermore, it is highlighted that 44% of Catalan startups have been created in the last five years, and the speakers rank it as one of the best ecosystems in start-ups from Europe.

Financing

The report highlights that the start-ups Catalan companies attracted up to €1.131 billion in 2025, 8% more than in 2024, and according to the Secretary of State for Business, Jaume Baró, "this is the third-best result in the historical record." In total, 203 investment rounds were closed in Catalan companies during 2025, with an average investment of €5.6 million, highlighting two mega-rounds closed during the last fiscal year: those of TravelPerk and SpliceBio. The speakers also detailed that over 70% of investors come from abroad, and that the effect of US President Donald Trump's tariffs is not yet being felt, as the data only covers up to 2024. They further explained that funding rounds in Paris fell by 30%, as did those in Madrid, Dublin by 29%, and Barcelona by 25%. In addition, the regional minister noted that "the Catalan government is preparing an agreement to facilitate the growth of businesses and the start-upsFor his part, Baró stressed that although the last Catalan unicorn was Factorial four years ago, "we expect to have another new one in the coming months," he assured.