deep tech in Catalonia

Catalonia is home to 402 deep tech startups, a growing ecosystem driving innovation, attracting investment and developing technologies to address major global challenges.

Download our report about the Deep tech ecosystem in Catalonia

Deep techs, a powerful driver of innovation.

Deep tech companies use scientific research and advanced engineering to develop innovative and disruptive solutions to global challenges and create new markets. Often emerging from universities, research centers and scientific centers, these startups require significant investment and development time but have the potential to transform industries and drive economic and social progress.

According to ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment’s 2026 report Deep Tech in Catalonia, the region is now home to 402 deep tech startups, an increase of 7.5% over the previous year and 37.8% since 2022. These companies represent 16.7% of all startups in the Barcelona & Catalonia Startup Hub, a sign of deep tech’s growing importance within Catalonia’s innovation ecosystem.

The value of cutting-edge technology

Catalonia’s 402 deep tech startups generate a combined turnover of €188 million, an increase of 12.6% over previous figures, and employ 3,087 people, 8.5% more than a year earlier. Four out of ten deep tech startups are spin-offs originating from universities, research centres and scientific institutions.

The ecosystem is particularly strong in biotechnology and medical technologies, which account for 34.1% of deep tech startups, followed by artificial intelligence and supercomputing (28.9%) and sustainable and frontier materials (10.7%).
Other significant technologies include robotics and drones (6.7%), batteries and clean energy (5%), space technologies (4.5%), semiconductors (3.2%), photonics (3%), blockchain (3%) and quantum technologies (1%).

Healthcare accounts for the largest share of Catalan deep tech startups (43.5%), followed by green energy (12.4%) and software and professional services (10%).

Intellectual property also plays an important role in these companies’ development. 53.4% have at least one patent or another system for protecting their knowledge, and over half of these companies hold multiple patents.

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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402 deep tech startups
3,087 professionals
€188M in turnover

Barcelona, one of the EU’s leading deep tech hubs

Barcelona is the 8th-largest deep tech hub in the European Union by venture capital raised, with €312 million secured between 2023 and 2025. The Catalan capital ranks behind Paris, Stockholm, Munich, Helsinki, Berlin, Copenhagen and Amsterdam, consolidating its position among Europe’s leading centers for science-based innovation.

Across Catalonia, deep tech startups attracted €436 million in venture capital between 2023 and 2025, an increase of 49% compared with the previous three-year period (€292 million). This growth has been driven largely by larger funding rounds, with the average amount raised doubling over the period. The report also shows that 57.2% of Catalan deep tech startups have secured venture capital funding during their development. Of these, 48.7% have completed funding rounds exceeding €1 million, while 15.7% have raised more than €5 million.

Catalonia also performs strongly in attracting European funding for advanced technologies. Between 2021 and 2025, 26 Catalan deep tech startups received support through the European Innovation Council’s EIC Accelerator programme, representing 3.4% of all European companies selected and 40% of those selected in Spain.

Boosting the creation and attraction of new talent

The number of deep tech startups has increased by 37.8% since 2022, compared with growth of 26.3% across the wider Catalan startup ecosystem.

This expansion reflects the region’s ability to transform scientific and technological knowledge into new business models, supported by its universities, research institutions and technology transfer infrastructure.

The strong presence of spin-offs, accounting for 40% of Catalan deep tech startups, highlights the importance of research and industry collaboration.

The ecosystem also benefits from a growing pool of highly specialised talent, bringing together expertise in science, engineering, technology and business development.

Female talent in a strong and diverse ecosystem

According to the 2026 report, 42.8% of Catalan deep tech startups have at least one woman on their founding team, exceeding the 40.3% average for the wider Catalan startup ecosystem, while they are also well represented among startups specialising in biotechnology and artificial intelligence, followed by sustainable materials and space technologies.

The report also highlights the growing participation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in Catalonia. Women now account for 32% of undergraduate students, 36% of master’s students and 40% of doctoral students in STEM disciplines, contributing to the development of the specialised talent needed by the deep tech sector.

Catalonia’s deep tech ecosystem is supported by an extensive network of universities, research centres, scientific institutions, incubators, accelerators and specialised investors. This network includes 49 centres and institutions generating spin-offs, 18 incubators and accelerators, 50 venture capital funds and investors, and 25 institutions, associations and clusters.

Public institutions also play an important role in supporting the development and growth of these companies. ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment provides funding and services to help deep tech startups develop their technologies, access investment, scale their businesses and expand into international markets.

Together, these resources strengthen Catalonia’s position as a European centre for deep tech innovation and create new opportunities in fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, advanced robotics, photonics, quantum technologies and clean energy.