Rise of AI Startups in Spain: Investment Trends and Success Stories
Spain’s AI scene is surging, backed by bold investments, breakthrough technologies, and compelling success stories. As we explore this dynamic area, we’ll integrate key phrases like “Generative AI Development company” and “mobile app development company in Spain” to strengthen SEO and highlight emerging trends.
1. A Booming AI Ecosystem
Spain’s technology ecosystem is flourishing. Recent reports show that the combined value of Spanish startups has surpassed €110 billion—doubling since 2020—with AI and climate-tech startups each raising over €300 million in 2024. With over 672 funding rounds completed in 2024 and €1.95 billion raised by mid-2025, the Spanish AI startup ecosystem is gaining momentum rapidly.
Market forecasts predict that Spain’s AI sector will reach over USD 3.4 billion in 2025, with a CAGR of around 27% through 2030. This growth paves the way for a new wave of innovation and positions Spain as a promising hub for any Generative AI Development company looking to scale.
2. Government Fuel: Grants & Infrastructure
Public investment is a major catalyst for AI in Spain. In early 2025, the government introduced a €150 million subsidy program to support businesses integrating AI. Additionally, Spain’s Integral Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (2024) earmarked €1.5 billion to foster development, building upon previous investments.
Barcelona is set to host one of Europe’s first AI-focused “factories,” supported by €174 million in funding. These centers will provide compute resources, training, and tools to early-stage AI startups. For emerging companies, especially in the Generative AI Development company space, access to such infrastructure is a game-changer.
3. Investment Landscape: What’s Driving Capital?
3.1 Record Funding & Big Rounds
Spain’s startup investment numbers are on a steady incline:
- €1.9 billion was invested in 2024, and nearly €2 billion was raised in just the first half of 2025.
- In 2024 alone, Spanish startups raised over €7 billion, representing a 25% increase over the previous year.
- Notably, six funding rounds in 2024 exceeded €100 million, compared to just one in 2023.
AI is now central to most major funding rounds, with sectors like fintech, mobility, and travel-tech leveraging AI to disrupt traditional business models.
3.2 Regional Hotspots
- Barcelona led with 62 funding rounds in the first half of 2025, totaling €955 million—a 27% year-over-year increase.
- Madrid followed closely with 56 rounds and €527 million raised.
- San Sebastián surprised many by raising €261 million, primarily due to a major funding round by quantum-AI leader Multiverse Computing.
This regional expansion offers fertile ground for every mobile app development company in Spain looking to integrate AI into customer-facing platforms.
4. Spotlight: AI Startup Success Stories
4.1 Multiverse Computing (San Sebastián)
Multiverse Computing specializes in quantum-inspired AI for industries like finance, logistics, and energy. In just six months of 2025, it raised €256 million in two significant funding rounds. Recognized as a future unicorn, Multiverse is a beacon of Spain’s potential in deep-tech and quantum-AI convergence.
4.2 Quibim (Valencia)
Quibim develops AI-powered medical imaging solutions. In early 2025, it raised $50 million in Series A funding to expand globally. With partnerships spanning top healthcare brands and pharmaceutical giants, Quibim exemplifies how Spanish startups are innovating in healthtech through AI.
4.3 Sherpa.ai (Basque Country)
Sherpa.ai, one of Spain’s early AI pioneers, creates predictive conversational assistants for use in devices and enterprise systems. With notable partnerships including Porsche and Samsung, and a privacy-centric approach to AI, Sherpa continues to grow as a leader in personalized, ethical AI. It’s a noteworthy Generative AI Development company redefining how businesses interact with customers.
4.4 Maisa (Valencia/San Francisco)
Maisa is creating Vinci KPU, a next-generation AI engine known for its transparency and auditable “chain-of-work” reasoning. Backed by international investors, Maisa is among the first to build a highly interpretable generative AI platform, tailored for critical sectors like finance and energy.
4.5 Xapien
Xapien offers AI solutions for real-time compliance and due diligence. With a 150% rise in annual recurring revenue and growing global adoption, Xapien is helping enterprises reduce legal and reputational risk through intelligent automation.
Additional startups making waves in the Spanish AI scene include Taiger (semantic search), Mediktor (AI-driven health diagnosis), Savana Medica (clinical data AI), and Narrativa (automated content generation)—each demonstrating AI’s cross-sector impact.
5. Challenges & Policy Landscape
Despite strong momentum, challenges remain. The EU AI Act mandates transparency and accountability, particularly for high-risk and generative AI applications. While this brings safety and trust, it can slow down early innovation due to compliance costs and uncertainty.
Funding at the seed and pre-seed levels remains limited, making it harder for very early-stage startups to gain traction. However, international investors are starting to fill these gaps. Spain also faces a growing talent shortage, especially in advanced AI skills—a gap partially addressed by immigration policies and university partnerships.
6. Role of Mobile AI & App Development
Mobile AI is becoming indispensable across industries, from fintech apps to wellness platforms. Spain’s strong UX/UI design culture, combined with its growing developer talent pool, makes it a hotspot for innovation.
As AI becomes more embedded in consumer applications, the demand for a mobile app development company in Spain with expertise in integrating AI technologies is rising. Companies that fuse user experience with generative or predictive AI models will gain a competitive edge across B2C and B2B verticals.
7. What’s Next: Trends & Opportunities
7.1 The Generative AI Boom
Generative AI is rapidly evolving in Spain, with startups focusing on automated content, creative tools, legal drafting, and even AI-based marketing assistants. Spanish Generative AI Development company leaders are likely to carve global niches in specialized use cases.
7.2 AI for Sustainability and Health
Sectors like climate-tech and digital health are expected to attract continued investment, particularly where AI can help with predictive analytics, emissions tracking, and disease detection. Spain’s green energy leadership and healthcare reform efforts make it an ideal testing ground.
7.3 Quantum + AI Synergy
Startups like Multiverse Computing are pioneering the intersection of quantum computing and AI, promising exponential gains in complex computations. Expect more ventures combining both technologies, particularly in logistics, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals.
7.4 Distributed Innovation
Spain’s innovation landscape is no longer limited to Madrid and Barcelona. Cities like Valencia, Málaga, and Bilbao are rising as viable tech hubs. This decentralization lowers costs and offers better quality of life, attracting more founders and tech professionals.
7.5 AI Hubs and Research Institutions
With new public-private AI hubs opening across Spain, startups now have access to cloud compute, open-source tools, and academic partnerships. This will drive commercialization and shorten product development cycles, especially for companies in the mobile app development company in Spain category.
8. Conclusion: Spain’s AI Future Is Bright
Spain’s AI ecosystem is thriving—backed by robust public funding, increasing venture capital, and a vibrant pool of entrepreneurial talent. Breakout startups like Multiverse, Sherpa, and Quibim are redefining what’s possible with AI, while infrastructure investments are preparing the ground for the next wave of innovation.
Whether you are a founder looking for funding, an investor scouting high-growth regions, or a business searching for a Generative AI Development company or mobile app development company in Spain, the country offers a compelling blend of opportunity, talent, and vision.
Now is the time to bet on Spanish AI—and be part of Europe’s next innovation frontier.