Spain records 15% increase in the number of deep tech startups, with 291 in Catalonia

The technology startups currently employing the most people are in the biotechnology and artificial intelligence sectors. According to the study, deep tech companies employ more than 1,700 people.

Over the last five years there has been a boom in the creation of technology start-ups in Catalonia. The Minister of Enterprise and Employment, Roger Torrent, encourages to continue building this ecosystem of universities and top-level research centres in order to have more professionals in the advanced technology sector.

These startups provide pioneering technological and knowledge solutions in the fields of science, technology and engineering. They are completely new solutions, with the aim of creating new markets, such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

In 2022, a record was set in Catalonia, with some 159 million euros invested in this sector, making Barcelona the first hub in southern Europe based on the financing of deep tech startups.

The government also announced that a special fund with a budget of 2.5 million euros will be set up to subsidise deep-tech companies and those with a lifespan of less than three years. This grant, which will be in place from this year, will provide beneficiaries with up to 250,000 euros interest-free for the first four years. The creators of these start-ups will only have to repay 80% of the total credit received. This will contribute to the growth of Catalonia’s high-tech industry.

If these investments are realised, President Pere Aragonès expects more than 1,800 new job opportunities.