Spain Connects 15 Latin American Scaleups With Investors for European Expansion
ICEX, IDB Lab and Endeavor Spain are bringing companies from five countries into Spain’s business ecosystem through a programme that received a record 326 applications.
Fifteen Latin American scaleups are taking part in a business immersion programme across Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia as they explore opportunities to expand into Europe. Running from 12 to 20 October, the fifth edition of España Latam Scale Up combines meetings with investors and corporations with access to institutions that support technology companies establishing operations in Spain.
The initiative is organised by ICEX, IDB Lab, the innovation and venture arm of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, and Endeavor Spain. This year’s 326 applications bring the total received across its five editions to more than 1,300. Over that period, the programme has selected more than 70 scaleups from 17 Latin American countries.
The 2026 cohort comprises five companies from Colombia, four from Chile, three from Argentina, two from Bolivia and one from El Salvador. According to the organisers, the businesses have collectively raised approximately €40.2 million and operate across more than 25 countries.
Their activities span artificial intelligence, digital health, logistics, sustainability, mobility and the energy transition. The agenda is intended to help companies turn that existing international experience into contacts and strategies for entering the European market.
Meetings Across Three Spanish Innovation Hubs
For the first time, the programme’s itinerary covers all three cities, giving participants access to different parts of Spain’s investment and industrial ecosystem.
In Madrid, scheduled meetings include BME Growth and BME Scaleup, COFIDES, CDTI and ENISA, alongside investors and venture capital funds with links to Latin America. Participants will also meet corporations and learn from companies that have already developed operations in Spain.
The Barcelona stage connects businesses with institutions and platforms relevant to their sectors, including Barcelona Activa, CaixaBank DayOne, Tech Barcelona, Logistics 4.0, DFactory, Barcelona Health Hub and BStartup Health. The focus includes healthcare, logistics and industrial technology.
In Valencia, the companies will meet initiatives such as Valencia Innovation Capital, Invest in Valencia, Startup Valencia, Plug and Play and Lanzadera. The programme will conclude with matchmaking, pitches and business networking at The Gap in Between, held at La Marina de Valencia.
The agenda also introduces participants to business establishment programmes such as Rising UP in Spain, an ICEX-Invest in Spain initiative that helps innovative foreign startups establish a presence in the country.
Logistics and Digital Health Lead Part of the Cohort
Several participants already have substantial commercial activity outside their home markets.
Chile’s SimpliRoute, which uses artificial intelligence to optimise last-mile logistics, operates in more than 27 countries and has approximately 1,050 active business customers. El Salvador’s boxful, an e-commerce logistics platform, operates in five markets and reports annual recurring revenue of more than €10.7 million.
Bolivia’s DeltaX digitises transport and fleet management. It operates in six countries and handled gross merchandise volume exceeding the equivalent of €357.5 million in 2025.
In healthcare, Argentina’s Avedian applies artificial intelligence to hospital management and has clients in three Latin American countries. Chile’s Pegasi operates in six countries, with solutions that have benefited more than 230,000 patients. Colombia’s Samay develops technology for the early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and has completed clinical testing with international healthcare companies and institutions.
Other participants include Argentina’s Cromodata, a healthcare data platform, and Ellie Care, which focuses on teleassistance. Colombia’s TicSocial provides technology for managing patients with chronic conditions and high-cost care needs.
The selection also includes Chile’s Beeok, specialising in sustainability and decarbonisation, and Datawalt, a business analytics platform; Colombia’s Dapper, working on public affairs and regulation, Decimetrix, focused on energy technology and the transition to net zero, and Mutaworld, specialising in waste management; and Bolivia’s MOBI Latam, which develops electric mobility solutions.
Spain as a Base for European Growth
The programme forms part of ICEX’s efforts to attract technology businesses and strengthen commercial and investment connections between Latin America and Europe.
According to ICEX, Spain’s entrepreneurial ecosystem exceeded €125 billion in valuation in 2025, while investment reached €3.108 billion. Access to the European market, qualified talent and cultural and linguistic ties with Latin America are among the factors supporting its appeal to expanding companies.
For the selected businesses, the mission offers an opportunity to assess potential partners, financing channels and operating locations before making decisions about establishing or growing their European presence.
