Barcelona's Weekly Tech Update

Hello and happy Monday,

This week’s main headlines:

• BCN startups raise €7M 💰

• Unnax acquired by Powens 🤝

• Spain reaches 487 AI startups 🧑‍💻

Catalonia attracts 3rd most European funding for research and innovation projects 🔬 💡

Catalonia has secured its position as the third top EU region in attracting research and innovation funding–totaling 3.54% of total European funds and double what a region of this size would be expected to bring in.

💪 The funding also leads Spain at 32.6%, a 1.6-fold increase from the previous Horizon research & innovation framework program. Catalan research centers and universities also continue to excel, securing €631.5M (61.3% of European funds) collectively.

Why is this important?

• General economic growth and job creation

• Education & research opportunities, like better educational offerings, more top talent, and more cutting-edge research

• Establishes Catalonia as (even more of) a tech hub in Europe, attracting foreign investment and new Barcelona HQs

💬 Do you think Catalonia’s position as a top EU region in innovation funding will attract more international startups and investors? Vote below:

Have a great week!

Startup & Investment News

Barcelona investment news

• Aistech closes €5M round to promote its space & satellite technology

• Nanotech startup Mapsi Photonics raises €1.5M

• Skull Barber Shop closes €450K second round

• Personalized travel startup Hanaley looks to raise a first round to expand internationally

Barcelona startup news

• EMI Unnax officially acquired by French fintech Powens 

• Glovo makes strides towards profitability, thanks to Delivery Hero’s strong Q1 results 

• Sportstech Lapso Studios grows in Barcelona with two new locations

• Juno House, the first club for women in Barcelona, to expand into Madrid

Spanish investment news

• PLD Space raises €78M for mission launch, on top of its €42M in January

• A few small rounds:

  • Nuela: €300K (edtech HR)

  • Domoblock: €250K (house flipping)

  • g2-Zero: €350K (plug & play quantum devices)

VC, investment & crowdfunding news

• Paris-based VC Ternel will invest €120M in 30 impact startups with new fund

• Inveready launches SCR of up to €40M to provide convertible loans to Iberian startups

• Actyus launches new €40M SME fund marketed by MyInvestor

Open calls, accelerator news & incubator stories

• ENAIRE’s Air Traffic Management contest awards €60K to the best solution; deadline 30 Apr

• The SME Awards 2024 evaluates the best business initiatives in Catalonia; deadline 3 May

• Cofidis launches new accelerator program, the Cofidis Startup Booster; deadline 15 May

Barcelona startup & entrepreneur profiles & interviews

• Pullpo: Newly launched & completes code reviews in hours from Slack

Tech News

Tech news in Barcelona

• Catalonia is the 3rd EU region to attract the most European funding for research and innovation projects

• There are nearly 500 startups dedicated to AI in Spain, 111 in Catalonia

• Accenture chooses Barcelona & Madrid to launch two of its 24 worldwide GenAI studios

Tech & big company news in Spain

• French delivery platform Stuart exits the Spanish market

• FREENOW launches its new Green Taxi service in Spain

• HALO Space plans to offer 'space glamping' by 2026

Good Reads

• What happens after your country runs on 99 percent renewable electricity? A look at Costa Rica

• LinkedIn’s Top Spanish Companies 2024 to develop your career

• Embracing AI from the sidelines: Pablo Reboiro, N26

• Earth Day 2024: 10 promising early-stage European startups focusing on sustainability

Good Videos & Podcasts

• Diego Bestard (Urbanitae): Investing with real estate crowdfunding (ES)

• Vergecast: TikTok ban, a week of big tech gadgets & more (EN)

Great Events

This week:

• Tue, 30 Apr @18:30: Startup Grind Mataró with Carme Ruscalleda (Chef & Owner @ Cuina Estudi Ruscalleda.cat)

• Thu, 2 May @18:30: Attico Talks: The CEO Brain: Reach Your Full Potential

Upcoming:

• Mon, 13–Tue, 14 May: E-SHOW Barcelona (eCommerce, Digital Marketing, Big Data & AI) 

• Thu, 16–Sat, 18 May: Esade Entrepreneurship Summit 2024

• Tue, 21–Thu, 23 May: Barcelona Cybersecurity Congress

• Wed, 29 May @18:30: Fuckup Nights Barcelona 6th Anniversary

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

Startup Jobs:

• Bourbon Creative needs an FR Writer (Native French, 100% remote)

• Thunes is hiring a Customer Education Manager

• Mars Based is looking for a React Developer