MADRID, 30 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The investment raised by the emerging firms of the ‘Google for startups’ program in 2021 amounted to 90.1 million, 44.86% more than the previous year, with which since this initiative was launched, the participating startups have achieved raise 898.5 million euros, according to data from the technology company published this Monday.
In this way, the alumni startups that have raised funding have done so on average 115.9% more than the non-alumni.
“Spain is currently in an interesting moment of growth and professionalization of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, capturing the attention of investors and international talent. The year 2021 was presented with record volumes of investment received by Spanish startups, with more than 400 investment operations that represented a total investment level of 4,300 million euros”, said the director of Google for Startups for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Sofía Benjumea.
The directive has pointed out in a comment to Europa Press that last year was also “very interesting” in terms of more advanced capital rounds, such as the series C and ‘growth’ rounds.
“As startups grow, their financial needs also evolve, especially when growing the team and expanding into new markets move to the top of the list of needs,” said Benjumea.
Those subsequent rounds often require the delivery of more metrics, such as demonstration of product market fit, product adoption, and recurrence of use. Thus, startups planning to raise larger rounds are generally “asked for a solid understanding of their markets and acquisition metrics, as well as retention of more relevant clients.”
Benjumea recalled that these metrics must be combined with a solid team, “capable of attracting talent and an ambitious vision for its business”.
Regarding their income, 67.87% of the startups have reported an increase in monthly income compared to 2020, while the monthly income of alumni startups is 105% higher on average than that of non alumni, according to the ‘Impact Report’.
Among the companies that have received financing, Google highlights Rated Power, which raised a financing round of five million led by Seaya Ventures and Indoven, with a round of two million euros, among others.
Employment is another point highlighted by Google in its report: the startups that have been part of Google for Startups have generated an average of 25% more jobs than those that have never participated in our programs.
Community startups created 840 new jobs last year, 16% more than in 2020, and 28.6% of startups attribute hiring directly to our support.
The number of new jobs rises to 7,173 since the technology company started the program in 2015, while globally there are 50,057 jobs in 2021 and more than 180,198 since 2015 between the London, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo campuses. and Warsaw.
Benjumea told Europa Press that startups could have greater difficulty obtaining financing in 2022 and 2023, with longer processes and greater demands, “something that will force founders to prepare in advance.”
The director of Google for Startups for Europe, the Middle East and Africa has explained that the forecast is due to the fact that there is great uncertainty, after almost two years of accelerated growth in the market and the amount of capital raised by the capital funds of risk.
However, Benjumea has highlighted that “we are living in times of great availability of capital for investment in startups, with a growing number of funds raised, not only in Spain but throughout the world”.