For the fourth year in a row, Barcelona hosted the forum, which brought together more than 200 startups and 100 investors from 70 venture capital funds that together manage more than €55 billion.

Under the theme “Crafting the Future,” the BBVA Spark Summit focused on how technology, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurial talent are transforming business models and opening up new opportunities to build global companies from Europe. The event brought together professionals from Spain, the U.K., France, Italy, Germany and the U.S., among other countries, further strengthening its European reach and its role as a meeting point for innovative companies, investors and the wider technology ecosystem.

“Europe is experiencing a genuine industrial renaissance. A new generation of entrepreneurs is driving extraordinary advances in robotics, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, opening up a historic opportunity to strengthen our competitiveness and technological leadership,” said Santiago Muguruza, Global Head of BBVA Spark, who noted that its goal is to support the growth of technology companies.

Since its launch four years ago, BBVA Spark has developed a specialized financial services offering for innovative, high-growth companies, ranging from services that support their day-to-day operations to structured financing.

It currently serves nearly 2,000 customers, around 500 of which have financing, with a total of €1.5 billion committed. Its support for the entrepreneurial ecosystem also extends to venture capital funds, for which it offers capital call facilities that give them greater flexibility when making investments.

Muguruza stressed the importance of having specialized teams that understand tech companies’ business models and can support them through the different stages of their development, especially as they expand internationally.

BBVA Spark has teams operating in five countries—Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Spain and the U.K.—with six offices in Barcelona, Madrid, London, Mexico City, Bogotá and Buenos Aires. Having consolidated its presence in Spain and Latin America, it is now entering a new phase of growth in Europe, with the aim of becoming one of the leading financial partners for the continent’s high-growth tech companies. In this context, BBVA Spark announced the appointment of Sonya Lovieno as Head of Venture & Growth Lending for Europe. With more than 15 years of experience working with innovative, high-growth companies in the European ecosystem, her appointment strengthens the bank’s specialist team as it expands its business in the region.

Catalonia accounts for 45 percent of BBVA Spark’s business in Spain

Barcelona’s prominence as the host city of the BBVA Spark Summit also reflects the importance of Catalonia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to BBVA Spark’s business. Catalonia accounts for 45 percent of BBVA Spark’s business in Spain and has more than 270 customers, representing 43 percent of its domestic portfolio and nearly 14 percent of its global portfolio. Barcelona also has a distinctive advantage: its international outlook and close ties with the rest of Europe. In Santiago Muguruza’s words, “Barcelona is a very European city, with a large population of digital nomads, which also provides a direct link to the rest of the continent.” In fact, the province is home to a community of more than 15,000 digital nomads, who help strengthen its appeal as an international hub for talent and innovation.

Catalonia’s importance is also reflected in financing activity. One in four deals closed by BBVA Spark in Spain involves Catalan companies, which also account for 20 percent of BBVA Spark’s total financing volume in Spain. Since its launch, BBVA Spark has closed deals with companies such as Exoticca, Worldsensing, Paack and Payflow—examples of the dynamism of the Catalan tech ecosystem and its ability to build businesses with international reach.

To support this growth, BBVA has a team of specialized bankers based in Barcelona, offering financial solutions tailored to the different stages of tech companies’ development. Its ties to the Catalan entrepreneurial ecosystem also extend to events such as 4 Years From Now (4YFN), held as part of the Mobile World Congress.

Beyond financing, BBVA Spark aims to become a strategic partner that adds value for high-growth companies, helping them connect with investors and other companies to create new business opportunities. To do so, it draws on its deep knowledge of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, together with the BBVA Group’s international presence and capabilities.

This vision is reflected in its participation in some of the leading international entrepreneurship events, such as Bits & Pretzels in Germany and Slush in Helsinki, as well as in its global collaboration with organizations such as Endeavor, which recognized BBVA Spark this year in the Corporate Commitment to Entrepreneurship category.

BBVA Spark also runs its own initiatives to connect professionals across the ecosystem, including its CFO Network and events bringing together technology company founders and venture capital funds.