A friendly environment for the startup scene - The Iberian Peninsula

Hello, dear readers!

Welcome to our latest newsletter where we want to bring your attention towards something that has been making waves in the startup scene: how nowadays government policies and regulations are shaping the startup ecosystems in Spain and Portugal, and how they are positioned against other European countries.

Let's start with some background. Spain and Portugal are part of the European Startup Nations Alliance since 2018, which is composed by 30 countries that cooperate to support #startups and #innovation. As members of this group, Spain and Portugal have been making some important changes, and they have become increasingly important in the European Startup scene.

One of the developments that we must point out is the launching of the #SpanishStartupLaw, which started to be applied in January 2023. This law brings benefits and progress to the Spanish startup scene: tax advantages and incentives for investors, incentives aiming to attract talent (founders, workers, and digital nomads), and the simplification of bureaucratic procedures. With this law, Spain is positioning itself as a key player and a regulatory model in the European startup landscape. Meanwhile, Portugal's public policies are #startupfriendly. In fact, this country is one of the few that supports startup funding by equity, grants, and loans. Portugal also offers government funds to startup investment, and tax incentives for entrepreneurship. It is not surprising that Portugal is becoming a model for innovation and startups creation!

But how do #Spain and #Portugal are positioned in front of other European countries? Let's look at Germany, which launched the Start-up Strategie der Bundersregierung in 2022, providing and facilitating VC operations, which has attracted a lot of attention from startups and investors alike. France, on the other hand, launched the Tibi initiative in 2019. This program funds institutional investors that invest in tech companies, supporting the constant growth of the country's startup ecosystem. Italy is also taking actions in this area, having launched the Startup Act in 2012, which aims to create a favorable environment for the startup ecosystem, supporting innovative entrepreneurship through tax incentives and lighter regulations.

While these countries are making positive changes that support the development of the startup ecosystem, it is evident that Spain and Portugal are major players in the European tech scene. With their extremely supportive public policies and initiatives, they are attracting #investors and #talent from all over the world.

At Impact South Europe (powered by Business France) , we are eager to help French #tech startups wishing to expand their frontiers and enter the Iberian market. Our #acceleration program is designed to help these companies navigate the challenges of getting to know, exploring, and setting foot in a new market. Also, we help them to connect with potential clients and partners in Spain and Portugal. If you are a French tech startup or #scale-up looking to expand the reach of your operations, we would love to hear from you!

Thank you so much for reading today’s newsletter and see you next time!