Is it possible to innovate without investors and grow without losing control? Is it possible to create a start-up without relying on venture capital? The answer seems obvious: no. But what happens when the technological ecosystem rebels and aspires to reverse the economic order?

In Catalonia, platform cooperativism has been seeking to consolidate its space for years. With the will to question a digital model increasingly concentrated in the hands of large technology corporations, initiatives such as Jamgo, FemProcomuns, or Coopdevs emerge as alternatives that place people and the community at the center. Faced with an internet marked by monopolies, data extraction, and economic dependence, these projects advocate for another way of understanding technology and a different metric of success, based on social impact, democratic governance, and collective return.

"Everyone needs a computer". This idea, a triviality at first glance, is at the core of the business model of a young Catalan startup that has managed, without raising external capital, to be profitable in just four months of activity. This is Walter!, a start-up founded by entrepreneurs Marc Ginjaume, Carlos Andion, and Juan Dávila that centralizes and handles all IT demand from clients, mainly other startups and tech companies. From the supply of computers and other technological devices to cybersecurity, including the maintenance of broken products, Walter! equips teams in "hypergrowth phase" of between 50 and 1,000 employees. And it does so – the crux of the matter – in less than 48 hours and in more than 150 countries.

Ocean Ecostructures' artificial reefs for regenerating the marine environment are expanding. The Barcelona-based startup has closed a €3 million round to expand its reach into ports, submarine cable lines, and oil platforms around the world. With the funds it has secured, it is now focusing on its international expansion through the creation of subsidiaries and is taking its first step toward entering the Middle East.

Measuring blood sugar and injecting insulin. This is the first thing Pau Ribas does every day. He is a 28-year-old engineer and entrepreneur who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 21, a chronic disease characterized by the inability of the pancreas to generate the insulin needed to regulate blood glucose. With these first two morning actions, Pau's daily routine as a diabetic patient has only just begun: throughout the day he will have to inject insulin again (in his case, four to ten times) and he will have to adjust the dose according to what he is about to eat. He will also have to calculate the amount of carbohydrates contained in each food or meal, since the intake of this component increases blood glucose (sugar) levels and diabetes patients must keep it under strict control to avoid damage to the heart, blood vessels, tissues, kidneys, and blood vessels.