ICEX-Invest in Spain announced a new call for the Rising UP in Spain program aimed at entrepreneurs and foreign companies intending to set up an innovative company in Spain. Applications are accepted through 1st March, 2021.

The 15 selected start-ups will be assisted in the development of their idea in Spain through a specialized acceleration program adapted to the needs of each participant, which is delivered by Cink Venturing and TheVentureCity. This is a partnership by two leading accelerators with experience in mentoring and extensive connections to a wide range of investors. 

They will receive support during the process of creating the company in Spain (soft-landing), in areas such as the registration of the company, and tax and hiring advice and assistance. The program also offers access to a broad network of investors, complimentary co-working space for six months, support to attend investment forums specializing in obtaining finance for start-ups, visibility in media specializing in entrepreneurship and assistance in obtaining visas.

Where required, the program will be adapted to the special situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, as occurred in the previous edition which included virtual mentoring, flexibility in the program start dates and an extension of the time available for use of the co-working space.

Attracting talent
This is the first official program designed to attract international talent and innovative business models that will contribute to enriching the Spanish entrepreneurial fabric.  Likewise, it seeks to position Spain as one of the main technology and innovation hubs in Europe.

Since it was launched in 2016, this program been extremely successful in terms of both the number of foreign entrepreneurs interested in participating and the quality of the projects presented. Specifically, a total of 1,050 companies and entrepreneurs from more than 70 countries have applied. So far, 55 of these start-ups have been selected, all involving very different technologies and from very different origins

Spain, a growing ecosystem
The Spanish entrepreneurial ecosystem is currently in an excellent situation, and this has been noted by entrepreneurs all over the world. Its rapid growth and record investment figures in the last three years mean that Spain currently represents a prime opportunity for entrepreneurs wishing to develop their technology businesses in the country. The competitive advantages currently available to start-ups that set up in Spain include the possibility of accessing a market of over 500 million people and the country's technology infrastructures.

Call information and application details available on ww.investinspain.org  www.icex.es