AI-generated summary
The startup and entrepreneurial landscape in Spain is undergoing a significant transformation fueled by digitalization, shifting from a developing market to a mature, ambitious ecosystem marked by larger investments and technological innovation. This evolution combines cutting-edge technology with a keen adaptability to traditional business needs, emphasizing efficiency and customer proximity as key drivers of future growth. A prime illustration of this change is Ciudadela, a startup founded in 2022 by Jaime Llantada, which is revolutionizing property management through digitization, automation, and artificial intelligence. Ciudadela’s rapid growth—managing over a thousand buildings across major Spanish cities and projecting a turnover of 2.5 million euros in 2024—exemplifies how innovation can revitalize even the most established sectors while fostering transparency and trust with customers.
Supporting this optimistic outlook, the 2024 Startup Investment Trends report by the Bankinter Innovation Foundation reveals a 36% increase in investment volume in Spain, exceeding 3.1 billion euros, with average funding rounds growing by 58%. Barcelona stands out as the primary investment hub, particularly in sectors like Fintech, Health & Wellbeing, Travel & Tourism, and Mobility & Logistics. Together, these trends highlight how digital transformation and increased funding are reshaping Spanish entrepreneurship, paving the way for a more competitive and dynamic ecosystem where innovative startups like Ciudadela set new standards in traditional business management.
In an environment in constant change, the profile of the Spanish entrepreneur is reinventing itself to adapt to the new dynamics of the ecosystem.
The trends of startups and entrepreneurs are experiencing a real revolution, driven by digitalization and reflected in a Startup ecosystem in constant evolution. In particular, the Spanish entrepreneurship landscape is rapidly transforming from a developing market to a mature and ambitious one, where larger investments open up new possibilities. This metamorphosis translates into a unique combination of technological innovation and adaptability to traditional needs, laying the foundations for a future in which efficiency and proximity to the customer will be the driver of change.
A clear example of this transformation is Ciudadela, a company that embodies the ability to reinvent seemingly immutable sectors. Led by Jaime Llantada, CEO and co-founder, the startup arose from the identification of a daily need in property management, turning that gap into a revolutionary opportunity.
On the occasion of the webinar organized by the Bankinter Innovation Foundation, Jaime Llantada explained how the company is managing to modernize real estate management in Spain through the digitization and automation of processes and the strategic use of the artificial intelligence. Not only does this optimize operational management, but it also reinforces trust and transparency in every interaction with your customers
Founded in 2022, Ciudadela has experienced accelerated growth; in just two years, the company has grown to 70 employees, managing more than a thousand buildings in strategic cities such as Barcelona, Madrid and Zaragoza, and projects a turnover of 2.5 million euros in 2024, almost double that of the previous year. This success not only demonstrates the viability of innovation across sectors, but also highlights the contemporary entrepreneur’s ability to spot opportunities and transform challenges into tangible results.
The case of Ciudadela is especially illustrative of how the mutation of the Spanish ecosystem materializes. In fact, the rapid expansion of this company, which has been able to modernize property management and capture the attention of both investors and users, is a tangible example of how digital transformation can offer new business opportunities even in the most traditional sectors.
This entrepreneurial ferment is also reflected in the recent 2024 Startup Investment Trends report by Startup Observatory of the Bankinter Innovation Foundation, which offers an encouraging outlook for the Spanish ecosystem. In 2024, in fact, the volume of investment in Spain exceeded 3,100 million euros, which represents an increase of 36% compared to the previous year and marks a clear return to the path of growth.
The average size of funding rounds grew by 58% to €9.6 million, driven both by a greater appetite for investments in more mature companies and by a decisive boost from international investors, whose participation grew by 134%.
In this positive context, Barcelona consolidates its position as the leading hub, concentrating more than 50% of total national investment with more than 1,600 million euros raised. In terms of sectors, Fintech tops the list by capturing a third of the total economic volume, although there is also a notable dynamism in areas such as Health & Wellbeing, Travel & Tourism and Mobility & Logistics.
In short, the convergence of digital transformation and the promotion of investment in startups is redefining the profile of the Spanish entrepreneur. Success stories such as that of Ciudadela show that the Technological innovation combined with a strategic vision can mark a before and after in traditional business management.
This scenario, supported by solid figures and upward trends, augurs a promising business future for Spain, in which each investment, each innovation and each initiative become fundamental pieces to build a more competitive and dynamic ecosystem.
