Hello and happy Monday, we hope you had a nice weekend!

As the holidays approach, just a reminder that SMEs everywhere have suffered a devastating year and need our help to survive. Please make an effort to support your favorite small businesses this holiday season and into the new year.

Ok, onto the news.

Take care of yourself & have a great week!

Startup & Investment News

Barcelona investment news

• Travel shoe startup Tropicfeel raises €2M through the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter

• Fintech bnc-10 closes a €1.1M financing round through Crowdcube and led by Atina Ventures

• HR startup TestGorilla raises €1M in financing round led by Capital T

• Edtech startup Lifecole raises €600K in its first investment round

• Canary Islands-based martech startup Ad Quiver lands €500K in first funding round from a Catalan investment group 

Barcelona Startup news

• Imperial College London and the Barcelona Supercomputer Center have launched 101 Ventures to invest in frontwave imaging

• Saas-startup reshaping the Maritime logistics sector with AI lands €500K in funding

Spanish investment news

• Madrid-based food procurement startup Katoo closes a €3M investment round

• Madrid-based renewables startup Energy Solar Tech closes a €2M investment round through Socioinversores

• Malaga-based fintech Ibancar closes a €1.65M round in the UK and Spain

• Madrid-based healthtech startup 2EyesVision closes a €1.34M financing round

• Madrid-based biotech startup Laminar Pharma exceeds €1.2M in its latest financing round

• Platform for motoring enthusiasts RoadSTR closes a €769K funding round

• San Sebastián-based automotive startup EPowerLabs €200K in an investment round led by Easo Ventures

• Elkargi to finance BerriUp’s entrepreneurs

VC, investment & crowdfunding news:

• Galicia-based VC frim Xesgalicia will coordinate two new €60M funds

• Madrid-based private equity fund Formentor Capital acquires a majority stake in local telco operator Excom

• Investindustrial acquires a majority stake La Coruña-based edtech Campus Training

Open calls, accelerator news & incubator stories:

• Deloitte launches their startup accelerator StartmeUP

• Galicia-based aviation accelerator BFAero chooses 28 finalist projects that are eligible for its third edition

• EOI’s European Co-workings opens the call for its next edition until 4 December 2020

• Amazon launches IP accelerator in Europe

Barcelona startup & entrepreneur profiles & interviews:

• Carlota Pi of Holaluz discusses how impact entrepreneurs can generate profits and change the world

Tech News

Tech news in Barcelona:

• French tech firm SQLI creates 100 jobs in Barcelona

• Henkel launches its new automated logistics center in Catalonia

• South Korean company Smilegate opens its first international studio in Barcelona to design triple-A video games

• Catalonia Trade & Investment and the Danish cluster Odense Robotics sign an agreement to boost collaboration in robotics 

Tech news in Spain:

• Telefonica to raise top fibre speed in Spain to 1 Gbps in January and increase price

• Takeover talks between BBVA and Banco Sabadell collapse in disagreement over price

• SEAT electrifies its large SUV as the Tarraco e-HYBRID enters production

• Cyber Monday: 5 celebrities discuss their favourite tech products

Politics, Legal & Economics

• Spain set to approve budget to increase role of state and taxes 

Good Reads

• Goldman Sachs and BlackRock say companies with a positive social impact are more resilient

• How has Coronavirus changed proptech?

• Coronavirus drives VC commitment to tech startups

Good Videos & Podcasts

• What makes Barcelona such an attractive tech hub?

• French startup founders and executives explain what makes Barcelona such an attractive investment hub

• CEO of EVO Banco Enrique Tellado talks fintech and digital transformation in this episode of “Hablando con líderes”

• Angel investor and CEO of Seedrocket Jesús Monleón discusses what he looks for in startups in this episode of “Hablando con líderes”

• VCs discuss the decision-making process when making an investment

Great Events

This Week:

• Tue, 1 Dec @ 18:00: Mental health and work-related mental issues, with Javier Suárez & Sancar Sahin (Co-founders @ Oliva)

• Thu, 3 Dec @ 18:30: Sex and gender biases in AI applied to healthcare

Upcoming:

• Tue-Thu, 8-10 Dec: IBTM World Virtual

• Wed, 9 Dec @ 18:30: Women who have Transitioned to Tech

• Wed-Thu, 9-10 Dec: Future.Works Tech Conference

• Thu, 10 Dec @ 16:30: allWomen’s SheStartup III

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

Jobs

• Glovo is recruiting a Global Sales Manager

• Payfit is looking for a Head Of Marketing

• Factorial is hiring a Head Of Marketing

• Itnig is recruiting a Product Owner

• Harbour Space University is hiring a Marketing Specialist