deep tech in Catalonia

Catalonia currently has 340 deep tech startups operating here today, a strategically critical mass boosting the region’s pioneering capacity.

Download our report about the Deep tech ecosystem in Catalonia

Deep techs, a powerful driver of innovation.

Any innovative region needs to have deep tech organizations at its core. For the uninitiated, these are organizations, typically startups, arising generally from scientific, technological, or engineering university and research systems that push the frontiers of innovation by developing pioneering knowledge and technology in response to global challenges.

According to the study Analysis of the deep tech startup ecosystem, Catalonia currently has 340 deep techs operating here, a strategically critical mass boosting the region’s pioneering capacity.

Behind cutting-edge technology

The same study revealed that in Catalonia, these 340 deep tech startups represent 16% of the total startup ecosystem, generate 2,735 highly qualified jobs, and have a turnover of some 166 million euros.

The majority work mainly in tech development in biotechnology (37% of the total), artificial intelligence (28%), sustainable and advanced materials (11%) i.e., those materials designed or synthesized offering improvements in functionality or new properties compared to other conventional materials and robotics (6%).

You can search our database to find Catalan suppliers in the Deep Tech sector.

“Catalonia has long been a cradle of science and technology, creating today’s consolidated foundation of renowned firms in all tech areas”

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340 deep tech startups
2,735 professionals
€166M in turnover

Fueled by a consolidated science and tech ecosystem

For these deep techs to flourish in Catalonia, it is important to realize that the region has long been a cradle of science and technology, creating today’s consolidated foundation of renowned firms in all tech areas, such as IBM, Grifols, Verse, Bayer, 3M, and Microsoft, to mention just a few.

This solid background is further enhanced by a number of public initiatives such as the regional 2022 National Pact for Industry and the National Pact for the Knowledge Society, as well as a number of different funding instruments, some specialized in deep techs specifically.

Southern Europe’s leading deep tech hub

The analysis shows that Barcelona is the first hub in Southern Europe regarding funds raised by deep tech startups, with 544 million euros in the 2019-2024 period. In Europe, the Catalan capital is ahead of Copenhagen, Madrid, and Amsterdam, among others.

In this sense, 78% of Catalan deep tech startups have raised venture capital funding. Of these, 40% have raised more than one million euros in investment rounds.

Boosting the creation and attraction of new talent

The deep tech ecosystem is highly dynamic, it is noteworthy that the number of deep tech startups has increased over the past three years by 17%, outpacing the overall growth of the emerging business ecosystem, which stands at 11%. Indeed, deep tech startups have risen from representing 15% of the total in 2022 to more than 16% in 2024.

This growth in emerging knowledge-based companies has also impacted patent generation. Notably, 52% of these firms hold at least one patent or a system for protecting their intellectual property. The report further analyzes the profiles of professionals within these companies. It concludes that 29% of deep tech startups have at least one foreign founder, while 43% of their workforce comprises foreign employees.

The Catalan deep tech ecosystem is made up of other agents besides startups, such as 44 spin-off generating centers (universities, research groups, hospitals), 11 incubators and accelerators, and 42 venture capital funds, among others.