Barcelona's Weekly Tech Update

GM and happy Monday,

Hope you got the result you wanted at last night’s final ⚽️

This week, we have tons of BCN startup moves, great news about the Barcelona Finance Hub opening its doors, and a successful first funding round closed by local woman-founded FlamAid, who are changing the personal safety device game with their ‘peaceful grenade’.

Let’s get to it–and as always, have a great week! 🚀

Startup & Investment News

Barcelona investment news

• Big data startup Shalion raises €5M from Seaya 

• Proptech BuildLovers gets €275K to expand into Chile

• Personal safety device creator FlamAid closes first €250K

• Luxury goods marketplace SWER secures €185K seed financing

• Delivery startup Paack said to be finalizing a round of ‘tens of millions’; it has also now partnered with StrongPoint for last-mile food delivery

• After bankruptcy, electric motorbike startup Ray Motors acquired by Girona-based Rieju

Barcelona startup news

• Vottun launches Builder House, an initiative held in its office to learn about blockchain & Web3

• Ocean Ecostructures wins €1.2M contract for a new energy island, where it will install 500 artificial reefs to promote biodiversity

• Roka Furadada expands its smart sun protection into France

• Real estate investment platform PropHero turns over €15M & achieves positive EBITDA for the first time since starting operations in 2021

Spanish investment news

• EV charging firm Zunder bags €225M green loan from Banco Santander

• Murcia-based Viva in Vitro raises €1.3M to develop treatments against sepsis

VC, investment & crowdfunding news

• Demium Capital continues AI confidence with 7 companies invested, including BCN-based Magnettu & Remuner

• The EIB commits €350M to Kembara Fund I FCR, a €1B pan-European deeptech & climate fund

• Spanish B2B travel agency HBX Group launches $54M CVC fund for the travel sector

Open calls, accelerator news & incubator stories

• Cepsa launches Cepsa Light Up, a new startup accelerator aimed at driving the energy transition

Tech & Business News

Tech news in Barcelona

• The Barcelona Finance Hub by Aticco opens its doors on Passeig de Gràcia

• ISE 2025 will have an area dedicated to startups for the first time

• Catalan beauty group Puig to join Spain's Ibex 35 two months after IPO

• French neobank Qonto opens new BCN office to accommodate increasing staff and double-digit growth

Tech & big company news in Spain

• Inditex buys stake in US-based startup Galy, which lab-develops cotton, as part of its strategy to invest in the sustainable economy

• Amazon introduces Bizum as a new payment option in Spain

• Vodafone Spain cuts back recent proposed layoffs with new offerings of early retirement

Good Reads

• How Apple Intelligence is changing the way you use Siri on your iPhone, built-in ChatGPT included

• How to build in North America as a European founder

• El Referente analyzed the 25 most relevant exits between 2020 & 2024, Idealista included

Good Videos & Podcasts

• Where should you invest your money? Unai Ansejo, Co-founder of Indexa Capital (Itnig, ES)

Great Events

This week:

• Tue, 16 July @18:30: Efficient Angel Investments: The Lean Approach

• Wed, 17 July @20:00: Angels & Beers (For Investors)

• Thu, 18 July @ 19:30: NoBullshit Talk #22: Timo Buetefisch, Co-Founder & CEO @ Cooltra

Upcoming:

• Wed, 24 July @20:30: Climate Drinks - Barcelona Edition (Norrsken House) (sold out for now)

• Tue, 30 July @18:30: Investor's guide to things that will kill a startup

• Tue, 13 Aug @18:30: Ask Me Anything - New Business Angels Information Session

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

Startup Jobs:

• Unnax is hiring a Chief Information Security Officer

• Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech needs a Grants Specialist

• Qustodio is recruiting a SaaS/Tech Customer Success Specialist - English Speaker

• Serviceform is hiring a Business Development - B2B