Barcelona's Weekly Tech Update

Hello and happy Monday,

After two fantastic editions focused on fintech, we’re bringing back our Marketing Leaders Breakfast on 5th June. This time it’s for the entire tech ecosystem, with the theme AI & User Journey: Unlocking Pipeline Growth.

The format is the same: no panels, no sales pitches, and no fluffy “thought leadership”. We’ll bring together a curated group of senior marketing leaders to discuss what’s actually working right now. Plus, there’s good coffee and free breakfast on us 🥐

If you’re a marketing leader in tech, join this exclusive event designed for a limited group of leaders like you. Apply here and hope to see you there!

Have a great week 💥

Startup & Investment News

Barcelona investment news

• Satellite provider Open Cosmos gets €31M from ICF

• Tolemy Bio secures €1.4M pre-seed to build Orbit, the control panel for the cell

• AI sales compensation platform Dolfin raises €2.1M Seed round

• Factorial acquires YepCode & adds an office in A Coruña

Barcelona startup news

• From tokenization startup to institutional infrastructure: Brickken boosts its white-label model and accelerates expansion

• Heura Foods hits positive EBITDA

• Biotech startup Pulmobiotics files for bankruptcy

• vLex completes its $1B legaltech exit by Clio, 6 months on

Spanish investment news

• SETT formalizes €30M investment in Universal DX to boost its early cancer detection technology

• AI treasury management fintech Embat gets €30M

• Valencian team management solution Fresh People closes €2.6M

VC, investment & crowdfunding news

• Earlybird closes €360M Fund VIII, doubling down on deeptech and long-term ownership

• CRB Health Tech closes its Digital Health Tech III fund at €50M

• 360 AI-powered financial platform Multiplo Capital launches, backed by Antai Ventures

Open calls, accelerator news & incubator stories

• Smart Port Challenge 2026: innovation by maritime corporates in Singapore; deadline 15 Jun

• ODEON call for SMEs and startups developing data-based energy services; deadline 9 Jul

Barcelona startup & entrepreneur profiles & interviews

• Neuhera: Developing an immersive video game for alternative ADHD treatment for kids

• Sweanty: launches a solution to prevent workplace accidents caused by heatstroke

Tech & Business News

Tech news in Barcelona

• Barcelona Supercomputing Center launches Europe's most advanced open-source chip

• Revolut plans to hire 300 new employees for its new BCN innovation hub

• Barcelona welcomes JetBrains, the European unicorn empowering 15 million developers

• 1000 workers, 6 unicorns, and the largest coworking in southern Europe: Aticco Diagrame has opened its doors

Tech & big company news in Spain

• Uber’s VP says the firm will launch its autonomous vehicles in Madrid this year

• Spain pushes ahead with social media & AI rules despite big tech lobbying pressure

• Bizum payments in stores gradually roll out from today, May 18

Good Reads & Watches

• Novobrief wrote The top AI startups in Barcelona to watch through 2026

• Summary of The Spanish Tech Ecosystem Report 2026: Spain's ecosystem worth €125B with 2nd fastest growth

• New AEBAN report Business Angels 2015-2025 Startup Investment: Activity and Trends

• KREA: The AI ​​startup with over 30 million users (ES)

• Why I left big tech to build again: The reality of being a founder: Emma Burrows, ex Google/Stripe (EN)

Great Events

This week:

• Tue 19 May @18:00: Women Who Sell: Networking & Expert Panel

• Tue 19 May @20:00: Growth Hang

• Wed 20 May @18:00: Lovable Founder Series Barcelona

• Thu 21 May @08:30: Climate Coffee Barcelona

Upcoming:

• Tue 26 May @18:30: Investor & afterwork: Padel World Summit

• Wed 27 May @18:00: Strive Tech and Business Networking

• Thu 28 May: StartupMat Tech Summit 2026

• Thu 28–Sat 30 May: Esade Entrepreneurship Summit 2026 

• Thu 30 May @17:00: Workshop | Connecting Applications Across Your Business Landscape

• Fri 5 Jun @09:30: Free Tech Marketing Leaders Breakfast: AI & User Journey

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