Carlos Horno Santacruz

When working across Europe, Local matters. What do Spanish consumers expect when they shop at a retailer, eat in their favourite restaurant or visit their hairdresser? What are the challenges owners of these kinds of businesses face in Spain? At Square, we wanted to know, so we asked 1,000 consumers and 500 business owners in each of the three sectors above. The results give a deep insight into consumer preferences, as well as what keeps entrepreneurs awake at night, helping us at Square better understand how we can support business owners - and help them start, run, and grow their business. Read more about the need for Spanish retailers to have both a physical and an online presence, how restaurant owners count on digitalisation of internal processes to focus more on providing great customer service, and how 2 out of 5 beauty and personal care businesses face more than 10 no-shows per month. Tag: Gonzalo Saenz Brand, Rita Campos Calzado, Antonia Baeza, Daniela Karthaus https://lnkd.in/etfQ2Tpw https://lnkd.in/e-x2vH36

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🚀Madrid Strengthens its Position as a Global Fintech Hub, ranks as the 4th city worldwide in the number of #Fintech companies and is home to 45% of Spain's Fintech industry. This dynamic environment provides the perfect backdrop for Ebury's expansion, the international payments and foreign exchange Fintech, backed by Banco Santander. 📍 Ebury has chosen Madrid for its largest global headquarters, situated right across from the iconic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. With this new office, Madrid becomes the core of Ebury’s operations in Spain, currently employing over 150 of its nearly 450 Spanish team members, with additional offices in Málaga, Barcelona, and León. 🌍 Globally, Ebury operates 40 offices across more than 25 countries, solidifying its position as a major player in the international Fintech sector. 💼 A bold step to elevate Madrid as a global reference for financial innovation. Congratulations, Ebury! #Madridinvestment #Fintech #Innovation #DigitalTransformation https://lnkd.in/eiyKFvUe

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Startups funded in Spain? Here's a list of well-funded startups from June 2024: - TravelPerk (business travel) raised up to $135M. - Tinybird (real-time APIs) raised $30M. - Bespoke Pixel Studio (gaming) raised €25M. - Cabify (transport) raised €20M. - Bcas (student finance) raised €17M. - Job&Talent (marketplace) raised €18M. - NeuronUP (cognitive rehabilitation) raised €10M. - Samara (solar energy) raised €9M. - Mitiga Solutions (data analytics) raised €8M. - Badi (room rental app) raised €7M. - FOSSA Systems (IoT satellite) raised €6.3M. - Ray studios (tattoo removal) raised €4.62M. - Danelfin (AI stock analytics) raised €2M. - Alinia AI (alignment platform) raised $2.4M. - Sincrolab (digital therapies) raised €1.7M. - Leemons LXP (edtech) raised €1.62M. - Bit2Me (crypto) received investment from Unicaja. - Azitek (IOT) raised €750K. - inBiot Monitoring SL (biotech) raised €500K.

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🚀 Investment in early-stage Spanish technology companies reached new heights in 2023, exceeding 1 billion euros, according to the Spanish Tech Ecosystem Report 2024 by GoHub Ventures. 📈 Venture capital investment in Spain's tech sector has stabilized, returning to pre-pandemic trends. Following the slowdown in 2020 and the subsequent liquidity-driven surge, investment levels now surpass those of 2019. Spanish startups raised 2.2 billion euros across over 850 funding rounds in 2023. 🌟Early-stage rounds, those raising up to 15 million euros, attracted the most capital. Pre-seed (up to 1 million), seed (up to 4 million), and series A (up to 15 million) rounds collectively exceeded 1 billion euros in 2023, matching 2021 and surpassing 2022. 🌍The report ranks Spain seventh in Europe for venture capital investment. In early-stage investment, Spain ranks fourth. It also ranks fourth in the number of funding rounds. Regarding exits of over one billion dollars, Spain is seventh in Europe, with eighteen unicorn-status companies. 💻 In 2023, 47% of VC-backed investments in Spain went to SaaS (Software as a Service) companies, reflecting a global trend. SaaS has overtaken marketplaces and e-commerce as the leading business model in Spain for the past two years, indicating the maturity of the Spanish tech industry. 🌿 Climate tech and digital health companies saw significant VC fundraising in 2023, attracting 404 million euros and 226 million euros, respectively. Additionally, the Spanish startup ecosystem's maturity is evident in the emergence of a new generation of founders with experience from unicorn companies like Glovo, Cabify, Jobandtalent, Fever, Wallbox, TravelPerk, and Factorial. Over ninety entrepreneurs from these companies participated in funding rounds in 2023. Read the complete news article➡ https://lnkd.in/eVe5bYhH #Investment #SpanishTech #EarlyStage #VentureCapital #GoHubVentures #SaaS #Innovation #Startups #DigitalTransformation 🌟📊🚀

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It’s amazing to see so many Spanish startups pushing the boundaries of innovation. In 2021, Spanish startups raised over $4 billion in venture capital, making Spain one of Europe’s fastest-rising tech hubs. The country’s lifestyle continues to attract global talent, and more investors are taking note During the pandemic, Spain became a sought-after destination for remote work. Not only Madrid and Barcelona benefited, but smaller tech hubs also gained momentum, welcoming specialized talent and digital nomads. This shift has been instrumental in fueling the growth of Spain’s startup scene Overall, European tech is on a strong upward trajectory. Across the continent, VC investment crossed $100 billion in 2021 for the first time, more than doubling from the previous year. I’m proud to see Spain playing a key role in this renaissance, and I’m convinced the next major tech success will emerge from Europe

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🚀 We're pleased to introduce our latest investee, a game-changer in the fintech world - ID Finance! 🇪🇸 Based in the vibrant city of Barcelona, this innovative FinTech is making significant waves in Spain's finance scene, serving over 6 million users through two groundbreaking apps: Plazo and Moneyman. 📱💳 What makes ID Finance stand out? Here are just a few reasons: 1️⃣ Consistent profitability since its inception in 2015, with over 9 million credit applications processed. 2️⃣ Financial Times has recognised ID Finance as one of the fastest-growing fintech companies in Europe. 3️⃣ ID Finance is a pioneer in its sustainability commitment, being the region's first carbon-neutral financial technology firm. 4️⃣ Advanced proprietary technology that harnesses behavioural biometrics, boosting risk assessment efficiency by an impressive 50%. 5️⃣ A strong team of over 400 employees across Spain, Mexico, and Poland, driving innovation and excellence. We are glad to take part of ID Finance's journey to redefine the fintech landscape. 🌍💡 Learn more through the link in the comments section below. #IDFinance #Fintech #Investment #Innovation #Sustainability #FinancialInclusion #Privatecredit #Singapore Disclaimer: This information is intended solely for accredited, professional, and institutional investors. It's important to note that this post does not offer investment advice or an invitation to invest in Kilde's products. Your financial decisions should be made with careful consideration and professional advice. Radek Jezbera | Oleg Kryukovskiy | Hatadi Haziq M. H. | TAY Han Jie | Johanna Krüger | Thel Su Hlaing | Yujia Li | Peiyu Zhao

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WELCOME ❗ GCO Ventures has joined Tech Barcelona as a Global Partner, bringing its startups to #Pier01. GCO's corporate venturing vehicle will broaden its impact in #Barcelona's tech and digital ecosystem, fostering the development of new startups by connecting them with over 1,300 members and 90 partners within the association. 🗣 Maria José Alvarez, General Director of GCO Ventures: "We are very excited to become Tech Barcelona's Global Partner, as we share the same values to foster entrepreneurship and promote the creation of new startups. Joining forces with Tech Barcelona is a new step in our goal to promote talent and expand our presence in the #innovation sector. With this collaboration, we offer our support to the entrepreneurial community and, in addition, it will allow us to connect the projects we already have underway with other initiatives promoted by the association." 🗣 Miquel Marti, CEO of Tech Barcelona: "The involvement of large companies like GCO in the innovation ecosystem is fundamental for its development. This step reaffirms Pier01's position as a meeting and connection point for all technological and digital agents, as well as the epicentre where ideas from corporations, research centres, entrepreneurs, investors and public entities are built and turned into reality". #TBPartner

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Our aim with Homevest’s budget estimation tool is to help everyone understand their affordability based on their payment capacity. We’ve created these estimations using financial products available to non-residents in the Spanish market so customers can have an accurate estimate of how much they can afford. With Homevest’s estimations, customers can: - see the maximum loan they can secure at an interest rate based on their financial circumstances. For instance, if the loan value is higher than 200,000 EUR, the bank margin may be reduced                  - compare fixed and variable possible rates based on their inputs        - understand the closing costs they’ll need to pay from their own funds and plan the budget accordingly                                    - get a price range to help narrow their property search Try it out at homevest.io. Feedback and ideas are always welcome.

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🚀 Breaking industry barriers: Verification reimagined Europa Press just highlighted how Didit is transforming digital identity verification - and it's not just another tech story. Why? Because in an era of escalating digital fraud, identity verification isn't a luxury - it's a fundamental right for every business. Imagine a world where: • Near-instant verification exists • The risk of identity fraud is reduced • Security and compliance without high costs We're not just talking. We're delivering. Our free, unlimited KYC solution is proof that protecting your business can be both powerful and accessible. Want to see how we're rewriting the rules of digital trust? 👇 #FreeKYC #IdentityVerification #WeDidit #Compliance

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Top-5 new FinTech launches for October 1. Spanish banking giant Santander has officially launched its digital banking subsidiary, Openbank, in the US. Openbank will first provide "a competitive high yield savings product" to US consumers. Additional products will be introduced through 2025 as the bank strives to offer "full banking service in the US." Openbank, which operates in Spain, Portugal, Germany, and the Netherlands, asserts that it is the largest fully digital bank in Europe, with €18.5 billion in deposits. 2. In partnership with Telecom-as-a-Service (TaaS) provider Gigs, online robo-advisory and stock trading platform Wealthsimple has launched a new worldwide travel eSIM offering in Canada. Integrated directly through the Wealthsimple app, the travel eSIM provides connectivity across more than 140 countries and can be used alongside an existing physical SIM or eSIM to avoid roaming charges. Wealthsimple’s Premium and Generation clients can now access a 10GB travel eSIM option as part of this program. 3. Open Payment Technologies has launched a new digital wallet app aimed at boosting financial inclusion, in Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico. Open Payment Technologies managing director Mario Ricciardi says that they took directions in Latin America and eventually expanded across Africa and Europe. 4. Nymbus, a US-based cloud-core banking solutions provider in collaboration with PeoplesBank has launched two new products Employer-led Bank and Union Workers Financial Services to improve workplace finance by offering solutions that strengthen benefits packages and foster long-term employee loyalty. 5. Chinese FinTech company FinVolutio has launched a new lending platform Daira on the Pakistani market. Daira offers "secure and localized" financial services tailored for Pakistan, providing low-interest, flexible loans with funds transferred to customer accounts in under a minute and no service fees.

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Discover how SaaS platform Metricool ES ♾️ reached $17M ARR without external funding 🚀 team.blue, part of the investment firm Hg, has acquired Metricool, the Spanish #socialmediamanagement platform now valued at over €100M. Founded in 2015 by Juan Pablo Tejela and Laura Montells, Metricool has grown rapidly, reaching €17M ARR and surpassing 2 million users. In fact, their ARR increased by €2M since the interview we conducted—highlighting how fast they’ve been scaling! How did Metricool get here? -Independent growth: Founded in Madrid, Metricool expanded without external funding until Axon Partnersinvested €5M in 2022 for a 20% stake. -All-in-one social media management: The platform offers tools to plan, publish, and analyze content, becoming a favorite among agencies and brands. -A new chapter with team.blue: With team.blue now involved, Metricool gains access to 3.3 million customers across Europe, accelerating their global expansion plans. Axon remains a minority shareholder. This acquisition marks a new phase for Metricool as they continue to lead in their field, now with a greater reach for international #growth. We had the opportunity to interview Juan Pablo Tejela thanks to our digital expert Mar Rojas at Digitalevel. We want to extend our congratulations to Juan Pablo, Laura, and the entire Metricool team for their fantastic work. Dive into the full story of Metricool ES ♾️’s journey in our blog post. 👇 https://lnkd.in/dhMxCb8j From its humble beginnings as a side project, this #SaaS tool has grown into a global player in #digitalmarketing, driven by the vision and dedication of its founders. Learn how they overcame early challenges and relied on word of mouth to attract their first users in a highly competitive space. What’s their secret? Keeping the focus on customer needs and a straightforward product without unnecessary complications. A valuable lesson for #entrepreneurs and creatives—don’t miss it!

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Anyone who has navigated the challenging process of securing a mortgage will truly appreciate gibobs allbanks. This cutting-edge fintech platform is revolutionizing the mortgage industry by blending technology with a personal touch to secure the best possible conditions for their clients. 💡 In a recent interview with Forbes, co-founder and CEO Jorge Gonzalez-Iglesias Baeza shared: "We've uncovered a powerful trend where banks need to digitalize, especially with a core product like mortgages. The timing to enter this market has been perfect, as banks were beginning their digital transformation, and we offered them a comprehensive solution." This innovative approach is also helping banks modernize and streamline the entire mortgage process, positioning Gibobs to close the year with over €500 million in transaction volume (GMV), an impressive 150% increase compared to last year! A big congratulations to the Gibobs team for this achievement and their impact on the industry. Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/e3T9ZvZx #FintechInnovation #DigitalTransformation #MortgageTechnology #Gibobs #Leadership #Growth #Fintech #Digitalization #Mortgages #Entrepreneurship #IDCVentures

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Looking for investment during South Summit? You have never fundraised and don’t know which investor you should approach? Want to know if the perfect investor for you invests in Spain? Luckily I've made this resource for you. 60+ Venture Capital Investors w/ name, type of VC, funding stages, sectors, contact Email, avg check size, etc. like: - kfund - Kibo Ventures - Samaipata - Seaya... As well as others. -- To get it, do 3 things: 1. Like this post 2. Comment "VC" 3. Connect with me And I can send it over to you.

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22% of #Balearia's Spanish #PayPal customers choose Paga en 3 plazos (Pay in 3) This leading Spanish shipper operates ferries that transport both people and goods. Since integrating Paga en 3 plazos, PayPal’s Pay Later Solution in Spain, Baleària saw increases in adoption, AOV and conversion.

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Interesting insight on the Spanish startup trends for 2025, in particular the different sectors covered. #startups #Spain #technology #Fintech #traveltech #proptech

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📈Madrid vs Barcelona: A Financial Professional's Guide🏢 Economic Landscape • Madrid: Spain's financial powerhouse - Home to 57% of Spanish Fintech startups - Houses 19% of Spain's financial, insurance, and accounting firms - 60% of insurance and financial services companies with 50+ employees based here • Barcelona: Creative challenger - Excels in tourism, creative arts, and tech startups - Attracted €5.4B in VC funding since 2015 (vs Madrid's €4.4B) - Higher startup ecosystem value (€39B vs Madrid's €24.3B) Salary Expectations • Madrid: - Finance Manager: Average salary of €60,984 - Investment Banking Analysts: €60k-€70k base + bonus at BBs and EBs - National banks: €55k + bonus - Regional boutiques: €50k + bonus • Barcelona: - Average yearly salary in finance sector: €33,000 + bonuses - Financial Analyst (entry-level): €30,248 + bonuses, potentially increasing to €60,000 Cost of Living • Madrid: - Monthly expenses (excluding rent): €745 - Rent: €925 to €1,022 on average - Total monthly cost: €1,767 • Barcelona: - Single person: €1,083 to €1,250 per month (including rent) - Family of four: €2,760 per month (excluding rent) Work Culture • Madrid: - More formal work environment - Longer working hours - Strong presence of multinational corporations • Barcelona: - More relaxed atmosphere - Better work-life balance - Thriving startup ecosystem Career Opportunities • Madrid: - Dominant in traditional finance and banking - Strong presence of major Spanish banks (Santander, BBVA, Bankinter) - Hub for foreign banks and investment funds • Barcelona: - Leader in IT and tech-related finance roles - Growing fintech scene - Opportunities in creative industries and tourism-related finance Quality of Life • Madrid: - More extensive public transport system - Lower overall cost of living - Ranked 4th among best urban cities globally • Barcelona: - Mediterranean climate and beaches - Slightly lower rent prices - Ranked 13th as best place to live in the world Choosing between Madrid and Barcelona depends on your career goals, lifestyle preferences, and financial priorities. Both cities offer unique opportunities for finance professionals, with Madrid leading in traditional finance and Barcelona excelling in innovative and tech-driven financial roles

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Kloutit, a Barcelona-based AI startup, has raised €540K in its first funding round led by Lanai Ventures and BStartup 10. Backed by industry leaders like Luis Osorio Solé, Francesc López, Raúl Morón (Stayforlong), Axel Serena (ByeTravel), Manuel Roca (Atrápalo), and Ricardo Fernández (Destinia), Kloutit is revolutionizing chargeback management with its AI-driven SaaS platform. Founded in 2024 by Albert A., Alexis Pairetti Moya, and Adrian Algarra, Kloutit has already recovered €150K for its clients and boasts an 80% success rate in defending chargebacks. This funding will accelerate its development and expansion, including pilot tests with key players like Atrápalo and ByeTravel. Stay ahead in the startup world! 🌟 Get a weekly digest of key happenings and insights delivered to your inbox every Monday morning. Don't miss out—subscribe now: https://lnkd.in/eJXZrmEj 🚀 #AI #Startups #Funding #Innovation

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