Barcelona establishes itself as the second main option for startups in the European Union

According to the 2023 Startup Heatmap Europe report, Barcelona continues to stand out as the preferred choice for entrepreneurs to launch their projects, maintaining this privileged position for the sixth consecutive year. In this prestigious study, the Catalan city surpasses cities such as Amsterdam, Paris, Dublin and Lisbon, with 17.1% of entrepreneurs considering it the most attractive location to start a startup.

Albert Castellanos, Secretary of Business and Competitiveness of the Generalitat of Catalonia and general director of ACCIÓ (Agency for Business Competitiveness), emphasizes the fundamental role that Barcelona plays in the European startup ecosystem. He highlights that the city continues to attract top tech talent and highlights how startups contribute significantly to attracting foreign investment, driving innovation and technology in the region.

Since 2016, the Startup Heatmap Europe report has evaluated the preferences of startup founders to identify the 50 best European cities to start a business. Barcelona has maintained a consistent position among the top options, reflecting its enduring appeal to entrepreneurs. The startup ecosystem in Catalonia is experiencing notable growth, according to the report “Analysis of the startup ecosystem in Catalonia 2022” by ACCIÓ-Catalunya. The region is home to more than 2,000 startups that have generated more than 19,100 jobs and have attracted investments worth 1,653 million euros in 2022, which represents an increase of 6.3% compared to 2021 and an impressive increase of 86 % since 2016.

Key sectors for Catalan startups include health (16%), business services and software (12%), ICT and mobile telephony (6%), food (5%) and finance (5%). The report also highlights the growth and evolution in the size of these companies, reflecting their growing prominence in the startup landscape.

The continued success of Barcelona and Catalonia as a startup epicenter highlights their firm commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship.