Catalonia home to record 2,285 startups in 2024

Catalonia was home to a record 2,285 startups in 2024, according to an annual report from ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment.

'Analysis of the Startup Ecosystem in Catalonia 2025'  was presented on Thursday by the Minister of Business and Employment, Miquel Sàmper, who highlighted that the number of startups increased by 9% compared to 2023.

Turnover in the sector grew by 10%, reaching €2.34 billion, representing 0.8% of Catalonia’s GDP.

The startups industry now employs more than 22,840 people, an increase of 10.5%.

The department's goal, Sàmper said, is to have 3,000 startups by 2030, with 25% of them in the deep tech field.

The CEO of ACCIÓ, Jaume Baró, pointed out that almost half of startups, 46%, had a turnover of more than half a million euros, well above the previous figure of 25%. Therefore, "robust start-ups are beginning to appear," he said.