Companies in the Barcelona digital ecosystem move record €1.2 billion per year

• Between 2011 and 2016, the sector showed unprecedented growth and change
• Barcelona is the favorite city for venture capital in Spain, with 56% of all investment

ENISA (Empresa Nacional de Innovación), which falls under the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, in collaboration with Barcelona Tech City, Barcelona Activa and ACCIÓ, has recently presented its report Maturity of Venture Capital in Spain. The report, which reviews the various stages of venture capital in Spain, highlights the huge changes seen in recent years, beyond the extraordinary amount invested in 2015.

According to the report, the companies that make up the Barcelona digital ecosystem moved €1.2 billion last year, a record in sales and investment, confirming this activity’s maturity. This figure includes large-scale operations like the investment of Privalia in Vente Privée (€500 million), Social Point in Take Two (€234 million), and Olapic in Monotype (€120 million), as well as the capital increases of Scytl and Letgo– Wallapop.

Additionally, at the report presentation, they highlighted that venture capital showed unprecedented growth and change between 2011 and 2016, coinciding with more than one-hundred international investment funds. The sector is maturing thanks to experienced entrepreneurs, end demand and investors. Its potential for growth, which is still very high, will be realized through large private funds that will progressively lead to a public investment making up a smaller percentage of the total.

In this regard, it must be noted that, over the past seven years, 63% of all rounds of funding over €10 million for technology start-ups in Spain were in Catalonia. Furthermore, Barcelona is the favorite city for venture capital in Spain, with 56% of all investment made in this arena over the past three years and 28.4% of the 2,663 digital start-ups created in Spain.

According to the Startup Ecosystem Overview, compiled by Mobile World Capital Barcelona (MWCB), the Catalan capital is now fifth in Europe in number of technology-based companies.

[04/20/2017]