AGP Executive Report

AI Startups: Solo-founded companies now make up a record 26.5% of Spain’s startup ecosystem, up 3.5 points from 2025. A South Summit and IE University study says AI is helping founders build with limited resources. Self-Employed: With more than three million autónomos watching the November election, a new survey finds eight in ten believe Spain’s system favors salaried workers. Party pledges remain limited, with much of the available detail drawn from 2023 manifestos. SME Finance: EIB Group-backed deals with BBVA are set to unlock €1.3 billion for small businesses and midcaps across Spain. Startup Support: Barcelona’s supercomputing centre has moved its AI accelerator into full operation, offering startups compute access, mentoring and training. Growth Capital: Madrid-based Seaya raised €600 million at the first close of a new fund for European growth-stage tech firms, while Barcelona’s Masia closed an €18 million debut fund for frontier-tech founders. Business Tech: Valencia-based Linkener raised €7.5 million to expand its energy-management platform for businesses.

SME Finance: The EIB Group is investing €259 million through BBVA to unlock about €1.3 billion for Spanish small businesses and mid-caps, including funding for green projects and firms in lower-income regions. Startup Support: Barcelona’s supercomputing centre has opened its AI accelerator to startups, offering computing power, mentoring and training. The city’s Masia fund has also raised €18 million for early-stage AI and frontier-tech ventures. Founder Rewards: Marosa founder Pedro Pestana shared nearly €4 million from the €112 million sale of his Vigo-based software firm among its 120 employees. Energy Innovation: Valencia-based Linkener raised €7.5 million to expand its platform for managing business energy use.

SME Finance: The EIB Group invested €259 million in BBVA deals expected to unlock about €1.3 billion for Spanish SMEs, entrepreneurs and mid-caps, including more than €200 million for green projects. AI Startups: Barcelona’s supercomputing centre has moved its accelerator into full operation, giving Spanish startups ongoing access to computing power, mentoring and training. Venture Capital: Barcelona-based Masia closed an €18 million fund for early-stage AI and frontier-tech companies and opened a founders’ hub. Energy Tech: Linkener raised €7.5 million to grow its energy-management platform for businesses. Employee Rewards: Marosa founder Pedro Pestana shared nearly €4 million from the company’s €112 million sale with all 120 staff, including recent hires.

Housing Rules: Spain’s expanded rental restrictions — including rent freezes, contract extensions and eviction limits through 2030 — are prompting landlords to rethink investments; agents report 2,067 long-term rentals withdrawn. SME Finance: The EIB Group and BBVA are mobilising €1.3 billion for Spanish SMEs and mid-sized companies, including more than €200 million for green projects. Startup Funding: Valencia-based Linkener raised €7.5 million to grow its energy-management platform, while Spanish VC Enzo Ventures closed a €20 million fund for early-stage Southern European startups. Founder Payout: Vigo entrepreneur Pedro Pestana is sharing €4 million from the €112 million sale of his software company Marosa with its 120 employees.

EU Small-Business Voice: SMEs were largely missing from Brussels’ Omnibus deregulation talks, according to Transparency International EU: groups representing them made up less than 4% of key meetings. Business Growth: Valencia-based Linkener raised €7.5 million to expand its energy-management platform for businesses. Startup Funding: Barcelona’s Enzo Ventures closed a €20 million fund to back early-stage founders across Southern Europe. Online Sales: Mallorca business groups want shipping subsidies, saying mainland delivery costs make it harder for island retailers to compete online. Employee Rewards: Vigo entrepreneur Pedro Pestana shared €4 million from the €112 million sale of software firm Marosa with its 120 staff.

Online Retail: Mallorca’s business groups are seeking a shipping subsidy to help island retailers sell to mainland customers. High delivery costs squeeze margins and discourage e-commerce; a survey found 54% of Mallorca businesses neither sell online nor plan to. Energy Savings: Valencia-based Linkener raised €7.5 million to expand its energy-management platform, which helps more than 2,000 businesses monitor consumption, check bills and cut costs. The company has also completed over 400 solar and battery projects in Spain. Startup Funding: Barcelona-based Enzo Ventures closed a €20 million fund to back early-stage founders across Southern Europe, giving regional startups a new source of capital.

E-commerce Costs: Mallorca’s business groups want shipping subsidies for island retailers, saying high delivery fees make it harder for small firms to sell online and compete with mainland businesses. Energy Savings: Valencia-based Linkener raised €7.5 million to expand its energy-management platform, which serves more than 2,000 customers and helps businesses track use and cut costs. Local Business Crime: Three people were arrested over alleged break-ins at five laundrettes in Alicante province, with more than €4,000 reportedly stolen. Startup Funding: Barcelona- and Madrid-based Enzo Ventures closed a €20 million fund for early-stage Southern European startups, with initial investments of €250,000 to €600,000. SME Technology: The University of Malaga has opened its Picasso supercomputer to local small and medium-sized businesses for AI development. Self-Employed Support: A proposed plan could give Spain’s autónomos two years without social security contributions; the measure has not yet been confirmed.

Energy Costs: Valencia-based Linkener raised €7.5 million to expand its energy-management platform, which helps more than 2,000 businesses track use, cut bills and identify savings. Startup Finance: Barcelona-based Enzo Ventures closed a €20 million fund to back Southern European startups at the pre-seed stage, with initial investments of €250,000 to €600,000. AI Access: The University of Malaga has opened its Picasso supercomputer to local SMEs for AI development, giving smaller firms access to powerful computing resources. Self-Employed: A new proposal could let Spain’s autónomos pay no social security contributions for two years; the plan is not yet in force. Local Retail: Murcia has lost more than 400 traditional butchers and fishmongers in a decade, highlighting the pressure on independent shops.

Business Energy: Spanish startup Linkener raised €7.5 million to expand its energy-management platform, which helps more than 2,000 businesses track usage, control bills and identify savings. Startup Funding: Barcelona-based Enzo Ventures closed a €20 million fund for pre-seed startups founded by Southern European entrepreneurs, with initial investments of €250,000 to €600,000. SME Tech: The University of Malaga is opening its Picasso supercomputer to local small businesses for AI development, offering access to computing power that can be costly to secure independently. Self-Employed: A new plan could give Spain’s autónomos two years without social-security contributions; details on eligibility and implementation remain unclear. Local Businesses: Three people were arrested over alleged break-ins at five laundrettes in Alicante province, where more than €4,000 was reportedly stolen and businesses suffered damage. Retail Pressures: Murcia has lost more than 400 traditional butchers and fishmongers in a decade, underscoring the strain on independent high-street businesses.

Industrial Policy: Valencian industry minister Marian Cano warns that Europe’s reindustrialisation push could still leave companies facing closure, as Spanish industry calls for stability and financial support. SME Technology: The University of Málaga has opened its Picasso supercomputer to local businesses for AI development. Across the EU, small and medium-sized businesses’ weekly use of AI agents grew more than eightfold from May to October, though adoption varies sharply by country. Self-Employed: A new Spanish plan could let autónomos pay no social-security contributions for two years. Local Retail: Murcia has lost more than 400 traditional butchers and fishmongers in a decade. Payment Risk: Nearly three in ten Spanish fruit and vegetable wholesalers are at high risk of non-payment.

Trade Costs: Gulf shipping disruption could reach Spanish businesses through rerouted cargo, delayed supplies and higher commodity prices, even without ships sailing directly to Spain. AI Adoption: European SMEs are rapidly moving from chatbots to AI agents that complete tasks; weekly active users of these tools grew more than eightfold from May to early October, though uptake varies widely by country. AI Access: The University of Málaga is opening its supercomputer to local SMEs developing AI, giving smaller firms access to computing capacity they may not be able to afford themselves. Self-Employed Costs: A new plan could let Spain’s autónomos pay no social security contributions for two years; it is a proposal, not an enacted change. Payment Risk: Nearly 29% of Spanish fruit and vegetable wholesalers are reportedly at high risk of non-payment, a warning for suppliers managing cash flow.

AI Adoption: European SMEs’ weekly use of agentic AI tools grew more than eightfold from May to October, though adoption varied widely by country. Startup Funding: ID Finance secured €545 million to scale its Plazo fintech platform, in one of Spain’s biggest recent fintech deals. Barcelona-based Nauta Capital also raised an initial €60 million for a fund backing early-stage European software and deep-tech startups. Local Business Pressures: Murcia has lost more than 400 traditional butchers and fishmongers in a decade, while 29% of Spanish fruit and vegetable wholesalers are rated at high risk of non-payment. Autónomos: A proposed plan could exempt Spain’s self-employed from social security contributions for two years. SME Innovation: The University of Malaga has opened its Picasso supercomputer to local small businesses for AI development, giving firms access to advanced computing resources.

SME AI: European small and medium-sized businesses’ weekly use of agentic AI tools grew more than eightfold from May to October, though adoption varies widely by country. Digital Access: The University of Malaga has opened its Picasso supercomputer to local SMEs, giving businesses access to computing power for AI development. Autónomos: A proposal could give Spain’s self-employed workers two years without social security contributions; the details and status of the plan remain unclear. Local Retail: Murcia has lost more than 400 traditional butchers and fishmongers in a decade, underscoring pressure on independent shops. Cash Flow: Nearly 29% of Spain’s fruit and vegetable wholesalers are at high risk of non-payment, a warning sign for suppliers. Flexible Offices: Hotdesk.com has expanded to more than 2,000 European locations, with Barcelona and Madrid among its largest city markets. Fintech: Spanish company ID Finance secured €545 million to grow its Plazo finance platform.

Flexible Workspaces: Hotdesk.com expanded its European network to 2,078 locations, with Spain among its biggest markets and Madrid and Barcelona in its top 10 cities—more options for firms seeking flexible offices. SMB Funding: Spanish VC Adara Ventures led a €10.69 million seed round for Goodweek, an AI management platform aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. Autónomos: A proposed plan would let Spain’s self-employed pay no social security contributions for two years, potentially easing costs for new businesses. AI Access: The University of Malaga has opened its Picasso supercomputer to local SMEs developing artificial intelligence. Business Pressures: Murcia has lost more than 400 traditional butchers and fishmongers in a decade; meanwhile, 29% of Spain’s fruit and vegetable wholesalers are rated at high risk of non-payment. Fintech: Spanish firm ID Finance secured €545 million to scale its Plazo platform.

Self-Employed Relief: A new plan could give Spain’s autónomos two years without social-security payments, though the proposal is not yet in force. AI for SMEs: Málaga’s university has opened its Picasso supercomputer to local small businesses for AI development. Spanish Fintech: ID Finance secured €545 million to grow its Plazo platform, one of Spain’s largest recent fintech deals. Cash-Flow Risks: 29% of Spanish fruit and vegetable wholesalers face a high risk of non-payment. Startup Funding: Barcelona-based Nauta Capital has raised €60 million for a new fund backing early-stage European software and deep-tech startups.

Startup Support: Spain’s autónomos could receive two years without social-security payments under a proposed plan, while Málaga’s Picasso supercomputer is opening access to local SMEs developing AI. SME Priorities: Spanish defence suppliers are seeking steadier funding and long-term visibility, with officials stressing that smaller firms should take part in new modernization programs. Business Risks: Nearly 29% of Spanish fruit and vegetable wholesalers are rated at high risk of late payment or default. Murcia has also lost more than 400 traditional butchers and fishmongers in a decade. AI Adoption: A Barcelona consultant says SMEs should start with processes that waste time or cause errors, then set clear goals and measures before introducing AI tools.