Madrid, tech city: the startup ecosystem guide

Madrid is one of Spain's two big startup hubs, alongside Barcelona: its startups raised 1.2 billion euros in 2025, up 97% on 2024, according to Fundación madri+d. Per the same source, that is the third best year on record and 37% of all startup investment in Spain. This guide covers the dated, sourced numbers, the sectors that lead, the accelerators, office prices and the one event to put in your calendar. If you are still choosing a city, start with our comparison of Spain's startup cities.

What are Madrid's startup ecosystem numbers?

Madrid combines high investment volume with the largest startup count in Spain. The figures below come from two different reports. The "Scope" column tells you what each number actually measures.

What should you keep in mind when reading these numbers?

• 37% or 38.7%? Fundación madri+d puts Madrid at 37% of national investment. If you divide its 1.2 billion euros by the 3.1 billion national total in the Spanish Tech Ecosystem Report 2026, you get about 38.7%. These are two different reports with different calculation bases. We quote each figure with its source and don't use one to "correct" the other.
• Region, not city. The 2,607 startups, 53,000 jobs and 738 patents cover the Comunidad de Madrid, which includes many municipalities beyond the city itself. Don't read them as city figures.
• Half year, not full year. The 806 million euros covers only the first half of 2025, from a different report than the 1.2 billion annual total. Subtracting one from the other won't give you a reliable second-half figure.
• "Startups and tech companies". The madri+d count follows its own definition, which mixes startups and tech companies. Other rankings may count differently.

Which sectors dominate in Madrid?

Fintech is Madrid's most visible sector, with deeptech set as the main strategic axis and insurtech as a specialized niche.

• Fintech. StartupBlink (September 2026) counts 74 fintech startups in Madrid and values that ecosystem at around 7.1 billion dollars. Known local names include MyInvestor, TaxDown and Cobee.
• Deeptech, AI, blockchain and big data. Fundación madri+d's 2026 report names these the ecosystem's main axis. They also have a dedicated program, the IMPACT Accelerator.
• Insurtech. A specialized insurtech fund, Mundi Ventures, is active in the Madrid ecosystem.

Which accelerators and networks are in Madrid?

Madrid has corporate programs, independent accelerators and business school programs. Here are the main ones:

• Wayra: Telefónica's startup program, headquartered in Madrid.
• Conector Startup Accelerator: seed stage, also present in Barcelona and Galicia.
• IMPACT Accelerator: focused on deeptech, the ecosystem's main axis according to madri+d.
• BBVA Spark: BBVA's program for startups.
• Endeavor España: an entrepreneur network.
• IE Business School and IESE: both run entrepreneurship programs.

Selection criteria, equity terms and intake dates change from one cohort to the next, so check each program's own site before you apply. For grants, public loans and investors, see our full guide to who funds startups in Spain.

How much does office space cost in Madrid?

In Q4 2025, office space in Madrid averaged 18.34 euros per square metre per month, according to Infoconstrucción/brainsre.news. Downtown it rose to 25.32 euros, and prime areas went above 40 euros.

Source: Infoconstrucción/brainsre.news. As a simple calculation, 100 sqm downtown at 25.32 euros comes to about 2,532 euros a month before service charges and taxes.

We did not find a reliable, dated source for coworking desk prices, housing costs or specific tech neighbourhoods in Madrid, so we don't give figures or names for them here.

The event you can't miss (South Summit)

South Summit is Madrid's flagship entrepreneurship conference. It has run every year since 2012 and takes place each October at La Nave. María Benjumea founded it with IE Business School. Check the official South Summit site for this year's dates, tickets and startup competition rules.

What doesn't change from city to city?

The legal framework is national, so it's the same in Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona or anywhere else in Spain:

• The Startup Act (Ley 28/2022) and ENISA certification as an emerging company;
• The choice between setting up an SL (limited company) or registering as autónomo (self-employed);
• The entrepreneur visa and the digital nomad visa.

We cover all of this in our guide to launching a startup in Spain as a foreigner. For public funding, including ENISA, see who funds startups in Spain.

It depends on your project

• You build in fintech or insurtech: Madrid has a dense fintech scene (74 startups per StartupBlink, September 2026) and a specialized insurtech fund, Mundi Ventures.
• You build deeptech, AI, blockchain or big data: this is the ecosystem's main axis according to madri+d, and the IMPACT Accelerator focuses on it.
• You are at seed stage: Conector targets this stage and also operates in Barcelona and Galicia, so you can compare cities within the same program.
• You want a corporate partner: look at Wayra (Telefónica) and BBVA Spark.
• Your office budget is tight: the Q4 2025 market average (18.34 euros/sqm) sits well below downtown (25.32) and prime areas (over 40).
• You haven't picked a city yet: compare Madrid with the alternatives in our Spain startup cities comparison.

FAQ: Madrid's startup ecosystem

How much did Madrid startups raise in 2025?

1.2 billion euros, up 97% on 2024 and the third best year on record, according to Fundación madri+d's Startup Radar 2026 (with Dealroom, June 2026).

Does Madrid attract more startup investment than Barcelona?

In the first half of 2025, yes: 806 million euros against 690 million for Barcelona, according to the Spanish Tech Ecosystem Report 2026 (via Startup Valencia, 21 May 2026). Together, the two cities captured 2.3 billion of the 3.1 billion euros invested in Spanish startups in 2025.

How many startups are there in Madrid?

Fundación madri+d counts 2,607 active startups and tech companies, the highest number in Spain. This figure covers the whole Comunidad de Madrid region, not just the city.

What share of Spanish startup investment goes to Madrid?

37% according to Fundación madri+d. Dividing its 1.2 billion euros by the 3.1 billion national total in the Spanish Tech Ecosystem Report 2026 gives about 38.7%. The two reports use different calculation bases, so quote each figure with its own source.

Which sectors are strongest in Madrid?

Fintech (74 startups per StartupBlink, September 2026), deeptech including AI, blockchain and big data (the main axis per madri+d), and insurtech, which has a specialized fund, Mundi Ventures.

How much does an office cost in Madrid?

In Q4 2025: an average of 18.34 euros per sqm per month, 25.32 downtown and over 40 in prime areas, according to Infoconstrucción/brainsre.news.

When is South Summit?

Every October at La Nave in Madrid. It has run every year since 2012. Check the official site for this year's exact dates.

Are the legal rules different in Madrid?

No. The Startup Act (Ley 28/2022), ENISA certification, SL or autónomo status and the entrepreneur and digital nomad visas work the same across Spain. See our guide for foreign founders.

Sources

• Fundación madri+d, Startup Radar 2026 (with Dealroom), published June 2026.
• Spanish Tech Ecosystem Report 2026 (Dealroom and partners), via Startup Valencia, 21 May 2026.
• StartupBlink, fintech data for Madrid, September 2026.
• Infoconstrucción/brainsre.news, Madrid office market, Q4 2025.

General information, updated 4 October 2026. It does not replace personalized advice.