Pedro Jareño Algobia

🔎 What does it take to build a unicorn in Spain? In a recent article by Revista Emprendedores España, five of Spain’s top unicorns – Job&Talent, Cabify, Copado, Glovo, and Factorial – share their insights on the journey to billion-dollar valuations and beyond. 🦄 Featuring perspectives from Job&Talent’s founders, Juan Urdiales and Felipe Navío, the article explores the qualities that drive growth, the advantages and challenges of rapid expansion, strategies for attracting international investment, and the steps needed to foster more unicorns in Spain. At Job&Talent, our mission is to empower essential workers and help companies thrive with a dependable, high-quality workforce. Through adaptability, resilience, and a relentless focus on creating value, we’ve grown to become one of Spain's leading unicorns, operating in 10 countries and placing hundreds of thousands of workers in critical roles. Read the full article to discover the key takeaways from Spain’s unicorns: https://lnkd.in/etMFxXn9

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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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"Justice has its tempo, but is relentless" says Iñigo Barea Egaña in reference to the uneven level playing field we still see in Spain. Few players continue to use bogus self-employed couriers, but we anticipate this will come to an end soon. Just Eat Spain has played an essential role in driving our very much needed path to profitability in the segment I lead in 2023, and the overall Just Eat Takeaway.com position, while seeing step-change growth in our new verticals value proposition, across groceries, pharma, cosmetics and others. Our unique employee-only logistics know-how, fully compliant with the Rider Law, has been and remains an essential differentiating factor giving our partners the service reassurance they require. 👉 Read the full interview in El Periódico de España, here: https://lnkd.in/ecMYjxhd

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Mercadona has announced a historic salary increase for 2025, benefiting its over 100,000 employees. This increase, set at 8.5%, goes beyond both the inflation rate and the terms outlined in their collective agreement. The raise combines the current IPC and an additional adjustment from the company, ensuring a significant boost to employee wages. This change will take effect from January 2025, demonstrating Mercadona’s commitment to its workforce. With this measure, Mercadona is investing over €350 million in personnel costs, setting a strong example of prioritising employee well-being while recognising their critical role in the company’s success.

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💉 Usability and Human Factors engineering are paramount in Medical Device development

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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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GOOD NEWS: A new €100M public funding opportunity for food companies in Spain is being launched (...apply before it's gone!) 🔥 Over €182M was handed out in the last PERTE Agroalimentario round. These grants helped 286 projects across 224 companies modernize and boost their competitiveness. Now, the government has launched PERTE Agroalimentario II with another €100M up for grabs for food companies in Spain.  But there's a catch - the funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis through a simple application process. Here's what you need to know: 🍝 Who can apply? Private companies, cooperatives, and agricultural processing companies carrying out industrial activity in the food sector. 🥩 What can you get funding for? Projects focused on transformation, sustainability, and modernization of your operations. 💰 How much can you receive? Depends on your company's financial health, but a percentage of the total project cost. The key benefits: 📈 Turbocharge competitiveness with modernized facilities/processes  🌳 Adopt more sustainable practices ⚡ Faster access to funds through the streamlined process If you're in the food industry, this is a golden opportunity to level up through government support. But you need to act fast before the funds run out. Leave a comment if you want to find out how Suncom Energy can help you implementing a clean heat solution and save money longer term. It is well possible that you not event need to invest anything.... Let's get that funding! 🏆 https://lnkd.in/dAT5H-HJ #PERTE #Agroalimentario AgroNews Medianeira

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Barcelona HR folks 📢 The next Oliva Breakfast Club is now open to signups 🍳 this month’s topic: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻? 🤔 With headcounts rapidly growing or shrinking this year, People Leader responsibilities are changing by the day. Boundaries and burnout are a constant challenge—especially with HR expected to project 24/7 calmness among the chaos. The first breakfast was a big success (we’d say that even if it wasn’t—but it actually was). People Leaders joined us for croissants and coffee from Glovo, N26, FREENOW, and many more. For the next one, we’d love to welcome some new faces into the mix. There will be a session led by the amazing Kasia Olszko once again. Expect plenty of time for making meaningful connections, too. Interested? Here’s the details: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻? 12th June, 9:30-11:30 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲? Soho House, Gótico Did we mention you get a free breakfast? 👇 Apply via the form in the comments (takes 2 mins) 👇

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Every year, Bewater Funds, a Spanish company that enables professional #investors to invest in private companies, makes a ranking of Spanish companies that are the most capital efficient in Spain. Even though we are Catalans and we would love to be an independent country, unfortunately we are part of Spain right now - by the use of the force BTW - so I must be happy to be in the list. This year, we are in the list again in the 16th position. Way to go! Francesc note: Bewater Funds created a list of profitable, capital-efficient, and highly successful Spanish companies. These companies, with relatively little capital, have achieved either high sales or high valuations for their company, or both. And they have always maintained profitability. https://lnkd.in/d-q4Y_Ep

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This article by @TheNextWeb.com and Andrea Hak is a #must if you are interested, concerned, motivated and involved with the #entrepreneurship ecosystem in #Spain Two gems: By Nacho Mas “In Spain, there is a lack of culture of supporting innovation,” citing various shortcomings he’s seen in the country’s recent Startup Law, including benefits and support for later-stage startups. By Patricia Pastor “As a European startup scales, it faces other challenges, like finding growth-stage funding and attracting investors and talent that’s bottled up in singular hubs like London. In the US, these things may be further apart geographically, but they are in the same country.” See you at #VDS2024 in my roundtables, sooo excited!

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🚀❤️Andy Jassy Amazon #CEO points out in Expansión yesterday, that employees will come back to their office in 2025 in order to reinforce their #culture to boost innovation. The message is clear: in order to create new things you need people and teams face to face regularly. He is graduated at Harvard University #MBA . He revolutionised Amazon introducing services in the #cloud which represents 61% of the operational Profit. #AI is challenging organisations which need all brains together to lead the career path. There is one affirmation of one of the global Tech leaders in order to keep the leadership in innovation. Bye bye teleworking or not ?… an article of Miriam Prieto Sánchez in Expansión What are your thoughts as these regards? In #latam they have their own Amazon https://lnkd.in/dCVTKePB called Mercado Libre , any thoughts of any iniciative in #Europe? #Culture #teleworking #AI #Cloud #Innovation #Talent #ecommerce #leadership #AI ❤️🚀

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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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Looking for future #impactunicorns?🦄 + ❤️‍🩹 + 🌎 🌍 🌏 ? Out of "100 ways to fix the future", 4 genius tech-based solutions come from Spain and the early-stage startups put on the Norrsken Impact/100 list 2024. 3 are newcomers and 1* is returning from last year's list: *011h: Transforming the construction industry to make it sustainable, efficient, and affordable. Founders: Lucas Carné Carcas, Jose Manuel Villanueva H2SITE : Enabling Hydrogen Transportation for a Sustainable Future Founders: Andrés GALNARES, Jose Antonio Medrano Jimenez, Jon Meléndez Rey, Gorka Hermoso Idoven: AI-powered detection and precision medicine for cardiology Founders: Manuel Marina Breysse, José María Lillo Castellano, iñigo juantegui INBRAIN Neuroelectronics: Lighting up the path to a better neural future to improve peoples’ lives. Founders: Carolina Aguilar, Jose Antonio Garrido Posted yesterday Sep 25 from CMO Norrsken VC Luke Richardson: "Proud as punch to share Impact/100 2024 – Norrsken's list of the top 100 companies that matter right now – shining bright on Nasdaq's Times Square Tower during Climate Week NYC. Many companies talk about their mission or purpose – but it's really just marketing... These 100 startups, however, have a legitimate reason to exist, whether that's using AI to prevent heart attacks (Idoven), turning plastics into high-performance, circular materials (Novoloop), or cleaning up our skies, one electric aeroplane at a time (Heart Aerospace). They're all working hard to make our world more sustainable and long-term livable for the rest of us. 👏" Link: https://lnkd.in/dgfsTwGe Image: Some serious copying and cropping from their websites with the intent to give the limelight to the actual founders. (AI PPT designer gave up 🤣)

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📢 Attention SMEs! 🚀 Unlock an incredible opportunity with our Mirror Regions Call for SMEs info webinar! Dive into the IMOTION Challenge from Spain. Partner with the Hospital Los Montalvos as the challenger and Fundación INTRAS as the ecosystem supporter. 🎥 Discover the details of the challenge, including the current problem, expected solution, and key performance indicators in this quick video: https://lnkd.in/dyhS3BJt     💡 The HealthChain Call for SMEs is looking for 5 innovative SMEs (Solvers) to co-create groundbreaking solutions for specific healthcare needs identified by healthcare organizations (Challengers) in Mirror Regions. Successful SMEs will get the unique chance to pilot their solutions with the Challenger, supported by the Ecosystem supporter. Explore the challenge details and apply now: https://lnkd.in/ddH87XnD Don’t miss this chance to make a real impact in the healthcare sector! #HealthChain #MirrorRegions #I3Instrument #Innovation #DigitalHealth #SMEOpportunities

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Just wrapped up our #DB1FounderDAY24 last week – such a blast catching up with our portfolio! It was awesome to pause, share stories, and think about the journey that brought us all together. 🌟 It's always a pleasure to learn from our founders. Here are a couple of trends we've noticed: 🤝 Founders are open to sharing experiences and due diligence processes. 💸 Profitability is a must. For SaaS companies, the Rule of 40 is a key metric to balance where your revenue growth and profit margins are in harmony, ensuring health and profitability. ⏩ In terms of investment rounds, things are moving faster than in 2023. 👷‍♀️ Beyond a great idea, effective execution and organizational structure matter. 🚀 #DraperGoGlobal #DVN #FounderCommunity

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Madrid Tech Show will gather the most important companies in the industry, and Connecting Tech People will be there. The Madrid Tech Show 2024 is positioned as the key event of the year for tech professionals in Spain. Taking place on October 16-17, 2024, at the IFEMA fairground in Madrid, this event promises to bring together the most influential leaders in the technology industry. This edition will explore the latest innovations and key trends in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), #cloud computing, big data, and other critical areas for technological advancement. This event is not only a platform for discovering the latest industry developments but also an excellent opportunity to #network with professionals, #startups, and companies. The Madrid Tech Show facilitates connections with experts and fosters the creation of new alliances that can drive the growth of the tech ecosystem. As experts in the tech industry and innovation in IT talent recruitment, Connecting Tech People S.L. will also be present at this major event, which will gather the elite of the global industry. Among the most anticipated moments of the event are talks by international experts, interactive exhibitions, and workshops focused on digital transformation, data management, and tech infrastructures such as data centers. Leading industry companies will also be present, showcasing their latest solutions and contributing to an ideal environment for collaboration and idea exchange. An exciting announcement is that Connecting Tech People will actively participate in the event, underlining their commitment to #innovation and technological development. Whether you work in the sector or have an interest in emerging trends, the Madrid #Tech Show 2024 is a must-attend event. Mark your calendar and make sure not to miss this great opportunity to stay updated on the most impactful tech innovations of the year! #ITProjects #ITTalent #ITRecruitment #Cybersecurity #BigData #CTP #DigitalTransformation #Technology #CloudComputing #MobileAppDevelopment #ArtificialIntelligence #TechExperts #GlobalTalent

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"Mom, we made it in the news!” We are thrilled to announce our €800k Pre-Seed led by {{linkedin_mention(urn:li:organization:11132867|Abac Nest Ventures)}}, with participation from {{linkedin_mention(urn:li:organization:28553535|Combination VC)}}, {{linkedin_mention(urn:li:organization:10616214|JME Ventures)}}, and {{linkedin_mention(urn:li:organization:1546341|Itnig - Startup Ecosystem)}}. This investment affirms Hoola’s unique approach to Conversational AI in eCommerce. 6 months after taking on our first paid client, we’re proud to support 75+ brands with the challenges they face around customer experience. We could go on and on about how our proprietary tech is the must-have for eComs looking to improve customer support while driving conversion, but honestly, we’ll let the numbers speak for themselves: 70% of chats automated > 15% Conversion Rate in conversations 22x average ROI Hoola is just getting started and has some very cool & unique (if we do say so ourselves) features in the pipeline to continue helping eComs You can read the article here (ESP): https://lnkd.in/gNAYBMHF

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Culture is what your employees do when your are not around Yesterday, as part of Decelera venture program in Menorca, we had a panel of incredible entrepreneurs and we discussed about their startups’ culture: - Laura Urquizu from Red Points - Javier de la Torre from CARTO - Oscar Macia from ForceManager - Philippe Gelis from Kantox - Javier Darriba from UserZoom (now part of UserTesting) / Encomenda Capital Partners SGEIC My main insights were: 1. Culture is what people do when you are not there. 2. There is no right or wrong culture: we saw 5 very different cultures which have reached scale 3. Culture stems from how founders behave. Do not adapt your culture to new people, work hard to find the people who match your culture. 4. Fire fast. You are always late to firing: this is one of the biggest differences in between first and second time founders. 5. A great culture is an enabler, not a requirement (there are very successful companies with pretty bad cultures, and amazing cultures which did not scale). What insights do you have on how to build a successful company culture?

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