Javier Iglesias

The biggest threat to a founder’s work is not a lack of time, but the constant victory of urgency over importance. A few weeks ago, during my talk at #4YFN as part of #MWC Barcelona 2026, I shared an idea I see again and again across startups: urgent work almost always ends up winning over important work. Messages, meetings, emails, calls, issues, "fires"... Urgency is often loud. But the work that is truly important for a founder is often silent. And because it is silent, it is very easily postponed in order to deal with what feels urgent. As a founder, and also as a mother, this is something I think about a lot. Not everything that asks for our attention deserves it, and not everything that creates value comes with noise. Very often, it's the opposite. This is why I believe the conversation around AI is often framed the wrong way when it focuses only on productivity or speed. The real question is not just: how can we do more with AI. I believe we should be asking: how can we use AI to protect our focus, our time, our brain and our ability to think better, not just faster. Because founders do not create the most value by reacting to everything. They create it when they can do the things only they can do.

148

12 comentarios

Stop making it hard for founders to find you. I recently completed a sprint researching 30 VC firms and accelerators across Spain. The data revealed a surprising bottleneck in the ecosystem: the digital friction of the VC website. In 2026, the power dynamic has shifted. Founders aren’t just looking for capital; they are conducting deep due diligence to find partners who truly align with their mission. Yet, during my research, I found a recurring pattern of "ghost town" digital presences: Hidden Thesis: It should take under 30 seconds to identify a firm's investment thesis. In many cases, it was nowhere to be found. Invisible Teams: Limited information on the people behind the checks makes it impossible to verify expertise or credibility. Vague Portfolios: Missing fund sizes and a lack of recent, notable investments leave founders guessing if a firm is even active. What are founders actually looking for during due diligence? The Team: They want to see how your specific expertise supports the fund's thesis. Credibility is the new currency. The Thesis: This is fundamental. If a founder can't find your "why" in 30 seconds, they move on. Stage Focus: Clarity on whether you write Seed or Series B checks saves everyone time. Proof of Life: Recent and notable investments prove you are still in the game. VC is a relationship business, but those relationships now start with a search bar. Transparency isn't just a "nice to have" anymore—it is your most important top of funnel. Founders: What is the first thing you look for on a VC's website before reaching out? VCs: Is your website helping you or hiding you? #VentureCapital #Startups #Entrepreneurship #MadridTech #InvestmentThesis #Founders

45

7 comentarios

Most first-time founders think VCs invest in ideas. Spoiler: they don’t. In Spain’s VC ecosystem, I’ve noticed investors consistently focus on three things before even diving into your pitch deck: 1️⃣ Team > Idea - A mediocre idea with an exceptional team will evolve. - A great idea with a weak team? Usually dies. 2️⃣ Market Potential - Spain loves niche startups, but the big wins come from scalable markets. - Investors look at TAM (Total Addressable Market) as much as they look at your product demo. 3️⃣ Execution Proof - Traction talks. - Show real data: early users, paying customers, partnerships, or even a growing waitlist. 💡 The takeaway: if you want to be VC-backed, focus on building a strong founding team, proving early traction, and knowing your market inside-out. #vc #startups #investment #startupfunding #entrepreneurship

21

1 comentario

This is a great way to represent ecosystem evolution for innovation centers like mHUB that looks at different dimensions of charter and growth. A perfect case for the Digital Twine World Model (#DTWM) at Numorpho Cybernetic Systems (NUMO) Cybernetic Systems (NUMO). Thank you Omar K. for your wonderful post and Andrii Kozlov from 5000 Cities for referring me to it. This week we will be adding the planning modules into our M5 Engine utilizing DTWM’s knowledge substrate to activate agentic integrations. This will enable intelligent workflow (for the activities of make, manage, move, market and maintain) and futuring (a term we used to use in consulting) moving beyond what we have already done for projects like: - 🏙️ the Plan of Chicago (1909) where we graphed out Daniel Burnham's original plan and rejigged it to the present and future. - 🏭 the Manufacturing renaissance aka the Industrial Revolution, wherein we cataloged the phases of the industrial revolution and created explisit maps for processes, operations and protocols. - 🌀 understanding the forces that defined history where we looked at civilizations advancement. - 🛤️ the progression of enterprises where we charted the course of salient companies. Thank you Noelle R. for the shout out when I showed Amazon to your group at the AI Leadership Institute. - 📈 charting our own genesis and evolution and some other startups (Jess Hawthorne at CSC Leasing). - 🧠 the foundation model for AI based scientific research from the Department of Energy 17 National Labs that we are building based on the charter of the Genesis Mission (#GenesisMission). Stay tuned. Elizabeth Andrews Allison Winstel Alex Lambert Amy Kamin Bob Daniel-Wayman Rachel Kaberon Brennan M. Woodruff (Andrii was a connection via Boardy that you introduced me to) Thierry Van Landegem Monica Vajani Aliyah Kizilbash

6

4 comentarios

🚨 €350K raised. Pre-seed closed. NovaHiring, the Barcelona startup automating hiring with AI agents, just secured funding led by Angels Capital and Solvo Global. Founded by Marc Fortuny and Álvaro Martínez Fernández (who met at Lanzadera), NovaHiring is tackling one of the most broken processes in business: recruitment. The problem? Hiring is slow, biased, and expensive. Their solution? AI agents that execute tasks automatically based on each company's needs, evaluating 100% of candidates with consistent criteria. The impact? Up to 80% reduction in operational time. As Marc puts it: "we're building a new way to select talent. We automate the operational work so teams can decide faster, with more information, and at lower cost." And Álvaro adds: "When hiring moves slowly, you lose talent. Our goal is for companies to evaluate all candidates with consistent criteria and make decisions faster, without friction." What caught my attention isn't just the technology. It's the approach: reducing bias, improving candidate experience, and giving feedback to everyone, not just the chosen few. In a market where most companies still rely on manual processes and consultants, NovaHiring is betting on a different future. One where AI doesn't replace recruiters but makes them faster, smarter, and fairer. The money will go toward product development, team expansion, and international growth. Two young founders from Valencia. A clear problem. A bold solution. And backing from one of Spain's most successful entrepreneurs. Worth watching 🚀

4

🚀 Miguel González, Senior Investor at Acurio Ventures, shares how he approaches day-to-day investing, what he looks for in founders and funds, and what really makes a difference in a crowded European VC landscape. From capital-efficient traction to founder resilience, from clear analysis to strong networks — this is what we believe drives long-term value. Check out the full conversation 💬 👇 #VentureCapital #VC 

86

2 comentarios

#AmTech founders are building the future. Over the last 20 years, the US government has partnered with entrepreneurs to generate $1.6 trillion in enterprise value, more than the annual GDP of Spain.    The next 20 years can be even bigger as founders tackle the grand challenges facing America, from energy to health to security.   Our analysis shows that a full 24% of unicorns benefitted from government investment. Check out the full white paper + coverage from PitchBook in the comments!   Building in these markets? Let us know.   #Startups #AmTech #VC

21

4 comentarios

🚀 Excited to share that Metly has closed a €520k pre-seed round to accelerate pharmaceutical product launches with AI. The round was led by Encomenda Capital Partners SGEIC, with participation from Ona Capital Privat SCR, Dozen Investments | Grupo Orbyn and incredible industry leaders like Roberto Urbez. I'm incredibly grateful to our team, customers, and early partners for believing in what we're building. We're just getting started! 📣 If you're an engineer and the idea of applying AI to solve messy, high-impact problems in pharma sounds interesting, my DMs are open! You can read the full article here 👉 https://lnkd.in/db2CQZ74

186

82 comentarios

The future belongs to those who create it. At the Universidad Internacional de Innovación UNII, we are redefining education for a new era. Here, innovation is not a buzzword – it’s our foundation. From day one, students work on real-world projects, collaborate with top global leaders, and prepare to thrive in a rapidly changing world. With programs in Artificial Intelligence, Aerospace, Law & Ethics, Business Creation, and more, UNII connects you to opportunities beyond borders. We are building the first analog space station in Latin America, designing future-proof startups, and shaping ethical leaders for the digital age. At #UNII, you don’t just earn a degree – you become part of a global movement of creators, innovators, and pioneers. UNII. The University of the Future. Today." #UNII #UnlockTheWorld

1

Spain approves five startup visas with Octo Studio support We’re excited to share another success story — five more cases added to the track record of our business studio. Spanish authorities have approved residence permits for founders and co-founders of new European startups! ⏩ This time, ENISA and UGE reviewed the startup visa applications in record time: just 33 days versus the usual three to four months. 📌 It seems that skeptics claiming Spain is currently rejecting startups may have spoken too soon. The practice shows otherwise. Approvals are granted to projects that present: 🟦 a structured business plan; 🟦 clear competitive advantages; 🟦 a strong, professional team; 🟦 a thorough market analysis of the target sector; 🟦 a complete set of documents meeting ENISA requirements; 🟦 approved grants; 🟦 registered patents (for tech and proprietary innovations). At Octo Studio, we see that innovative projects with a clear structure and business model have real chances of success. Having traction and a ready MVP is a plus, but not mandatory. Even pre-seed projects can be approved, and the sector of the business is not a decisive factor for approval. Among the startups recently approved is a company offering solutions for product suppliers. While the field isn’t entirely new, the founder’s and team’s approach, guided by Octo Studio, convinced the authorities that Spain needs this project. 💬 Octo Studio is committed to the success of every case we take on. If our approach resonates with you and you are ready to expand into European and other markets, let’s discuss the details. 🤝 We welcome partnerships with immigration agencies and companies seeking strong results in submitting startup visa applications for Spain and France. We support innovative projects from the idea stage to successful Series A, offering our expertise to ensure effective outcomes.

5

A few data points on startup investment and the maturity of the ecosystem. Startups that have reached the final stage of the South Summit Startup Competition have raised more than €20.5 billion in investment, with a survival rate above 85%. This is not just about volume, but about sustained performance over time. One particularly relevant aspect is that the capital raised is not concentrated only in early stages, but also includes larger rounds at later stages, reflecting real processes of business maturity and scalability. In addition, Spanish startups alone account for more than €11.6 billion in investment, confirming the ability of the national ecosystem to attract capital and consolidate in competitive markets. Our Startup Competition has become a relevant early identification space for startups with real growth potential, especially in a context where investment is increasingly selective and focused on solid, scalable projects. Let's keep building 🚀 https://lnkd.in/etTRYwkQ #SouthSummit #Investment #VentureCapital #Startups #Scaleups #Ecosystem #Growth

89

7 comentarios

Search Funds: The quiet revolution in Spain’s growth ecosystem Growth doesn’t always come from building something new sometimes it comes from acquiring what already works. In my work advising founders and investors, I’ve seen the Search Fund model become a powerful bridge between vision, capital, and succession especially in markets like Spain, where SMEs form the backbone of the economy. Unlike Venture Capital, which bets on high-growth startups, Search Funds focus on acquiring solid, profitable companies and leading their next stage of transformation. The “searcher” raises funds, identifies a company, acquires it, and becomes its new CEO blending entrepreneurship with M&A discipline. It’s a quieter model than VC, but often a more sustainable one: predictable cash flows, direct management involvement, and a clear operational path to value creation. As the Spanish ecosystem matures, more investors and entrepreneurs are discovering this model as a way to create real, long-term impact. Because scaling doesn’t always mean starting from zero. What’s your view is the Search Fund model ready to redefine growth in Southern Europe? #SearchFunds #Spain #GrowthCapital #MergersAndAcquisitions #Entrepreneurship #Niage

10

2 comentarios

🇪🇸 Barcelona-based Remuner, an AI-powered sales compensation platform, has raised €5.5 million in a Seed round led by Seaya, with participation from Pear VC and existing investors. As part of the round, Beatriz Gonzalez (Seaya) and Pepe Agell (Pear VC) join the board. Founded in 2023 by Sergio Gonzalez Gaspar, Remuner is building the operating system for variable compensation. Its platform automates the entire process — from plan design to payout — while integrating AI-driven insights that help sales teams understand how to boost performance and earnings. With the new funds, Remuner plans to expand internationally, enhance its AI-powered capabilities, and consolidate its position as Europe’s reference platform for sales compensation.

14

2 comentarios

Edgar Vicente has quickly become one of the most dynamic young VCs in Southern Europe, founding and scaling Enzo Ventures in his early 20s. I talked to Edgar about starting as employee #15 at Glovo, angel investing his savings, building Enzo Ventures as a pre-seed firm, and betting big on Spain's rising tech ecosystem. Edgar is Founding Partner at Enzo Ventures (named after his dog), which he launched at with co-founder Ivan Fernandez Lucas. He previously joined Glovo young, worked ops, angel-invested, and saw it scale to unicorn status before its acquisition. Enzo focuses on pre-seed/seed in Europe (heavy Southern Europe emphasis), backing ambitious founders in tech serving next-gen needs. Viva La España We discuss: - Glovo lessons of hyper-speed execution beats overthinking. - Raw speed and strong conviction outweighs endless brainstorming sessions. - Raising Fund I as 25-26-year-olds by cold-emailing/calling 45 HNWs. - How he builds long-term LP trust. - Preferring aggressive, weird, execution-obsessed founders - Why the Espana moment has arrived (12,000 startups, 480+ scaleups, and 18 unicorns & 35+ active firms) - The first Enzo investment Available to watch on YouTube at: Edgar Vicente - VENTURES

59

1 comentario