International Women’s Entrepreneurship Day is far more than a date on the calendar. It is an opportunity to highlight the talent, resilience and leadership of thousands of women who drive the economy and technological innovation in Spain. In recent years, female entrepreneurship has experienced significant growth, accompanied by increasing professionalisation and sectoral diversification that consolidates its role as a key force in the country’s development.
The evolution of female entrepreneurship is clearly reflected in the data: more and more women are launching their own companies, and they do so from highly qualified backgrounds. Most have prior professional experience, advanced training and a clear vision of the impact they aim to create. A good example of this is the latest Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Spain 2023–24 report, which highlights a strong entrepreneurial intention among women. “Nine percent of the female population expresses the intention to start a business in the coming years, a figure almost aligned with the 9.2 percent recorded among men” (A Snapshot of Female Entrepreneurship in Spain: Key Findings from the GEM 2024 Report). Among age groups, women under 35 stand out, showing the highest intention to embark on entrepreneurial initiatives.
One of the defining strengths of female entrepreneurship is purpose. Many women create projects not only to generate economic opportunities but also to transform their surroundings. Indeed, the same report notes that half of women-led companies prioritise social and environmental impact over purely economic objectives. This translates into startups focused on sustainability, health, inclusion, education, wellbeing or socially driven technology. These are initiatives that aim to solve real problems with scalable, efficient solutions.
However, structural challenges persist that continue to slow the growth of women-led companies. Access to funding remains one of the main barriers. “Women entrepreneurs rely primarily on personal savings, which they accumulate to a lesser extent than men. Additional funding beyond those savings follows a different pattern between men and women. Female entrepreneurs depend more on loans, family support and public subsidies, and rely less on private investment and mechanisms such as crowdfunding” (Women and Entrepreneurship in Spain: Analysis Based on GEM 2023–2024 Data).
Even so, two high-impact variables reflect the strength of female entrepreneurship in Spain: innovation and internationalisation. “Innovation in products, services or processes is a key factor for competing in today’s markets. According to data from the observatory, 17.3 percent of women-founded companies innovate locally in products or services, while 12.6 percent do so at a national level, surpassing in this latter case the companies led by men (9.5 percent).”
In terms of internationalisation, 30.8 percent of newly founded companies run by women have an international focus. For 7.3 percent of them, a high share of their revenue comes from international markets, compared to 6.4 percent among men-led companies.
At the regional level, the Valencian Community shows entrepreneurial intention and both early-stage and consolidated entrepreneurial activity above the national average. This reflects the success of efforts to promote entrepreneurship and amplify female talent in the region.
In recent years, several Valencian women entrepreneurs have achieved milestones that demonstrate the capacity of women to lead in highly specialised sectors. In biotechnology and digital health, notable figures include Beatriz Llamusí, co-founder of Arthex Biotech, which uses RNA-based technology to address hard-to-treat diseases; María Guillem, founder of Corify, which develops medical technology for the diagnosis and personalised treatment of cardiac arrhythmias; sisters Pilar and Marisa Domingo Calap, co-founders of Evolving Therapeutics, which works on advanced cancer therapies combining artificial intelligence and molecular biology; Clara Fernández, CEO of Progevita; and scientist Pilar Mateo, founder of Inesfly Corporation and promoter of Women Paint Too.
In the software and digital transformation sector, Valencian startups also count on women who have propelled them forward. Among them are Natalia Villora, co-founder of Flowww, which offers management and marketing software for beauty and wellness businesses; Xandra Etxabe and María Luke, founders of Uelz, which automates recurring payment management for digital businesses and subscription models; Raquel Valero, co-founder and CEO of PlayFilm, a company specialising in interactive video solutions applied to marketing and digital conversion; and Marta Zaragozá, CEO and co-founder of Declarando, the tax advisory platform for freelancers that has transformed tax management through technology applied to compliance and automation.
Also noteworthy is Cristina Tormo, co-founder of Singularu, a brand committed to local production and innovation in design, bringing quality jewellery closer to a young, digital audience.
The presence of these leaders not only inspires but also maps the path toward a more diverse, innovative and fair ecosystem. Accelerating this transformation will require strengthening support networks, providing specialised training, promoting visible role models and ensuring equitable access to funding and scaling opportunities.
Empowering women entrepreneurs is not just a matter of equality; it is a strategic decision to build a more prosperous, competitive and inclusive future.
