Hello and happy Monday,

Today's main headlines:

• 3 BCN blockchain startups raise total of €10M 💰

• Spanish startups raised +€2B this year already 💸

• French tech expansion in BCN & Spain 🇫🇷

It’s a Blockchain world: EBC reflections & €10M in recent local funding ⛓🌍

Just two weeks ago, BCN hosted one of the ecosystem’s biggest events: The European Blockchain Convention. Co-organizer Victoria Gago shared that the ‘22 edition broke more than one record 🏆, selling out all tickets and sponsorships while racking up 1,500 attendees. Over 500 one-to-one meetings were scheduled too, on top of all the awesome unplanned networking that went on over the course of the three days (and nights). EBC uploaded the best moments 🤳 here.

🗝 There were many takeaways gleaned from inspiring minds (Web3 will transform how we consume and create information, money will be made with NFTs, increasing crypto adoption by the finance industry, etc) but one thread – or chain, if you will – linked them all together: Despite the current market, there is no shortage of innovation and passion ❤️‍🔥 for building the new digital world.

In fact, three Barcelona blockchain startups raised a total of nearly €10M 💰 this week, one created a new use case for the XRP ledger, and the Spanish police just invested in it to tackle drug trafficking.

At this pace, who knows what will happen between now and next year? Apparently, the 2023 EBC dates and venue are going to be announced soon – supposedly somewhere bigger and better. So let’s look forward to finding out.

🧐 Blockchain-curious? Head to Barcinno where Clemens shares his recent experience of the European Tech School’s 6-week Blockchain Executive Program. Better yet, use our code ETSBARCINNO 💫 to bag 25% off the course for yourself.

Have a great week & hope to see you this Wednesday at BCN FinTech Afterwork #002!

Startup & Investment News

Barcelona investment news

• Blockchain-based energy traceability startup FlexiDAO close €6.1M 

• Crypto and NFT sportstech VRM get €2M; led by Swedish blockchain investment firm 

• New Web3 startup Rungie raise a €1.5M first round led by K Fund

• Insurtech firm Weecover get €200K from Catalan Institute of Finance & will expand into France and Portugal 

• Personalized camper startup Nomade Vans collect €200K

• Barcelona-based petcare startup Mascoteros open first crowdfunding equity campaign

Barcelona startup news

• Glovo & Delivery Hero under investigation for potential anti-competitive practices after raids by European Commission 

• Glovo and KeepCoding launch IT training bootcamp aimed women with no previous experience in the sector

• Sustainable homeware brand HANNUN start trading on BME Growth

• Consultancy startup Metrickal work with Cloudtown Brands to establish their Spanish business model

• Broomx complete pioneering study using immersive reality as a tool for cerebral stroke rehabilitation (video)

• Peersyst launch Colombia’s first National Land Registry on top of the XRPL blockchain

• 51Trips launches new first-of-its-kind app to narrate, log and capture trips collaboratively

• Urban Service Point aids BCN Council’s transformation of the kiosk; to include last-mile parcel services, 5G antennas, electric battery chargers

Spanish investment news

• Madrid biotech Devon Labs bring in €4.5M

• Madrid-based digital talent accelerator The Bridge raised €5M

• Galician digital signature & invoicing software firm Document get €1.2M

• London/Bilbao web data automation startup ZenRows closed a €1.1M first round

• Asturian consultancy firm Izertis acquire Madrid cybersecurity company Sidertia

VC, investment & crowdfunding news

• Ship2B’s Euskadi Program is open for Basque social entities looking to maximize their impact and self-sustainability; apply until July 25

• IKEA Hållbar Lab: Program for impact startups in circular economy, sustainable restoration, etc; apply until July 29

• Bind 4.0 open call for disruptive startups in Industry 4.0; pre-application open now

• LA-based pet & vet care accelerator Leap Venture Studio coming to Europe

• Meet the 20 finalists from Santander & Oxentia Foundation’s blockchain challenge

Open calls, accelerator news & incubator stories

• Tech-Senior: L'Hospitalet Council & Mobile World Capital are looking for innovative services to improve the quality of life of over 75s; apply until July 6

• Activa is offering aid to Catalan SMEs to drive digital transformation & innovation through collaboration with startups; apply until July 7

• BFAero launch both incubator & accelerator programs for aerospace companies; opens on July 15

• Gasnam & Neutral Transport launch Neutral Transport Entrepreneurship and Innovation Awards for startups utilizing sustainable gas; apply until July 15

• Nortempo extends Impulso by Nortex initiative, a mentor project for HR, training & automation startups less than 3 years old; apply until July 25

Barcelona startup & entrepreneur profiles & interviews:

• Ahmad Hamouda: Backend @ Glovo, “What is segmentation and why do we need it?”

• Comunitat Empresarial: Virtual community connecting companies from all over Catalonia

• Huw Slater: COO at TravelPerk, “The 3 strategies TravelPerk used to emerge stronger from the pandemic”

• Väcka: R&D-focused foodtech with new range of fermented plant-based cheeses

Tech News

Tech news in Barcelona:

• Catalonia leads the Web3 gaming sector in Spain  

• BCN will hold the first Barcelona Deep Tech Summit in September

• French newspaper Les Echos report on the many French founders relocating to BCN

• Sports & lifestyle brand lululemon will open a BCN store and Spanish website

• Portuguese baggage pickup & storage solution LUGGit launches in Barcelona

• French fintech Shares builds a tech hub in BCN

Tech & big company news in Spain:

• Spain’s tech industry IT recruitment activity rises 5.6% in June

• French firms Ankorstore, Jobgether & City-Drop all launch in Spain

• Axon Partners to debut on the BME Growth

• Wayra joins AstraZeneca as an Innovation Partner to promote innovation in the health sector

Politics, legal & economics

• EU members reach agreement on MiCA (Markets in Crypto Assets) to regulate crypto and stablecoins

• Bank of Spain includes Binance in its crypto registry

• Spanish police invest €100K in blockchain analysis platforms to catch drug traffickers using cryptoassets

• Madrid offers 20 new public plots for data centers

Good Reads

• Barcinno Special: Blockchain Executive Program at ETS: My Experience

• The top women investors in Spain’s startup ecosystem in 2022 (updated link from last week)

• Top 15 most promising HR & talent startups in Spain 2022

• 14 deeptech startups to watch in Spain and Portugal, according to investors

• How sturdy are Europe's tech unicorns? (by The Economist; mentions TravelPerk)

• Why women are hesitant to invest in crypto, and should they be?

Good Videos & Podcasts

• Frictionless development at scale with Pau Minoves, CTO @ Typeform (EN)

• SumUp Co-founder Marc-Alexander Christ on that €590M funding round (EN)

• Chat with Josep Talavera of 2nd hand motorbike platform Mundimoto (ES+EN subs)

• Interview with Laura Lozano, entrepreneur and Co-founder of Chargy and Skirion Enterprises (ES+EN subs)

Great Events

This week:

• Wed, 13 Jul @15:30: CultTech Accelerator Demo Day

• Wed, 13 Jul @18:30: BCN FinTech Afterwork #002 with Loïs Duhourcau of Novicap (here a teaser video)

• Thu, 14 Jul @18:00: ConnectUp Networking & Pitching by Attittud Business

• Sat, 16 Jul @10:00: FREE Le Wagon Women’s Coding Day - Learn to build your first website

Upcoming:

• Wed, 20 Jul @18:30: Startup Grind BCN with Oriol Juncosa (Co-founder @ Encomenda)

• Thu, 21 Jul @20:00: Tech Barcelona Summer Party

See the full event calendar here & add your event here.

Jobs

• Bourbon Creative is hiring Freelance Content Writers (Native English, 100% remote)

• OneCoWork is looking for a Junior Accountant

• Unnax is hiring a Marketing Intern

• Caravelo is looking for a

• - Tech Lead

• - Senior Frontend Developer

• - Senior Backend Engineer (Java)

• Prestalo is hiring a:

• - Social Media & Content Intern (French Market)

• - Financial Advisor (French Market)

• - Fullstack Developer

• RunToWear need a CTO/Co-Founder

• Netcentric is looking for several IT positions