The Strategy includes 50 measures to support talent and innovative entrepreneurship.
Francisco Polo presented the roadmap for transforming the productive system and promoting the creation of quality employment.
At the event, held at the PAV headquarters, he was accompanied by Aurelio Martínez, president of the Port Authority of Valencia; Gloria Calero, Government Delegate in the Valencian Community; Carolina Pascual, Councillor of the Generalitat Valenciana; and Sandra Gómez, deputy mayor of Valencia.
The High Commissioner for Spain as an Entrepreneurial Nation, Francisco Polo, has presented the Spain as an Entrepreneurial Nation Strategy at the Port of Valencia, the roadmap to make innovative entrepreneurship the icebreaker for a new economic model. Its aim is to transform the productive bases of the Spanish economy to generate a more resilient, productive and innovative model.
The president of the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV), Aurelio Martínez, received the participants at the headquarters of the institution where the event was held, which was attended by Gloria Calero, Government delegate in Comunidad Valenciana; Carolina Pascual, regional minister of the Generalitat Valenciana; and Sandra Gómez, deputy mayor of València; among other prominent personalities from the sector, as well as from the business and trade union spheres. The event was also attended by Juan Luis Hortelano, president of Startup Valencia; María González, co-founder and CEO of Tucuvi; and Victoria Majadas, president of BigBan Angels.
The Spain Entrepreneurial Nation Strategy includes 50 measures to make a vision a reality: that by 2030, Spain will be an Entrepreneurial Nation that makes innovative entrepreneurship the icebreaker of a new economic model. A nation that will not only have boosted this part of the economy, but in which innovative entrepreneurship will have generated virtuous circles with the country’s driving sectors, so that these can, by receiving the stimulus of innovation, increase their productivity and generate quality employment for as many people as possible. And a nation that leaves no one behind.
The Strategy establishes a model based on innovative entrepreneurship, the country’s driver sectors and inclusive development. For innovative entrepreneurship it establishes four goals:
– Investment. Accelerate the investment maturation process in Spain to strengthen the economy and close the gap with neighbouring countries.
– Talent. Develop, attract and retain talent to turn Spain into a talent paradise.
– Scalability. Promote initiatives to ensure that our country has an increasing number of companies that can scale and grow exponentially, in order to consolidate thriving sectors and generate more employment.
– Entrepreneurial public sector. Make the public sector an agile administration that generates favourable regulatory frameworks, encourages venture capital investment and promotes the lever of innovation.
Furthermore, to guarantee inclusive development, the Strategy includes cross-cutting policies that guarantee the reduction of gender, socio-economic, territorial and generational gaps.
Spain as an Entrepreneurial Nation is a key element in the design and articulation of a series of projects included in the programme of structural reforms and investments of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. The drive for an Entrepreneurial Spain
Entrepreneurial Nation makes up the fifth policy lever, with the Spain Entrepreneurial Nation Strategy guiding the component specifically dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship and SMEs. It is also a transversal axis to which other lever policies and their components contribute, with a transforming force capable of having an impact on all areas of the economy and society with a long-term vision.
Francisco Polo, High Commissioner, stressed: “The Valencian Region has positioned itself as one of the most innovative entrepreneurship ecosystems with the greatest potential in recent years in Spain, thanks to its commitment to entrepreneurial culture. That is why we are proud that Valencia has been the first Spanish city to join the Spain Entrepreneurial Nation Strategy”.
Meanwhile, the Government Delegate, Gloria Calero, stressed that “our companies are demonstrating a great capacity for change and adaptation. Of entrepreneurship, developing new cutting-edge products and services in innovation, technology, communications and in so many sectors that I am sure will shape the economy in the coming decades. We are a dynamic community, a leader in traditional sectors, but we also want to lead the future”.
Law on Startups, a historic demand in Spain
Among the 50 measures included in the Strategy is the Law for the Promotion of the Startup Ecosystem, a historic demand in Spain that will soon become a reality. As announced by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, in the coming weeks the Council of Ministers will approve the draft bill known as the Startups Law. This is a law that will recognise the specific nature of emerging companies with high potential for growth and the generation of employment, wealth and innovation; it will also facilitate administrative procedures; it will help to retain and attract the necessary talent; it will promote closer links between vocational training, universities and emerging companies and will include tax advantages and investment incentives.
Priority measures
To achieve all the goals, the High Commissioner for Spain as an Entrepreneurial Nation recommends 50 measures that are included in the ‘Spain as an Entrepreneurial Nation Strategy’.
These measures include the Startups Law but also include other initiatives such as:
- Spain Entrepreneurial Nation Brand. Creation of a country brand that covers all initiatives related to innovative entrepreneurship, in order to position Spain as the ideal place for innovative entrepreneurship.
- RENACE. National Network of Entrepreneurship Centres. This will consist of the creation of a network of incubators, accelerators and venture builders, with the capacity to develop talent, boost economic activity and fix population in the territory.
- Scaleup Spain: support for scalability. In order for companies to increase their size and consolidate their development in the national and international market, an annual programme will be created for companies with high growth potential.
- International programme to attract women’s talent. Investing in women’s talent is a strategic and principled issue for our country. A programme will be created to position Spain as a benchmark country for professional women.
- Visa programme. Improve the programme for access to work visas for foreign professionals who meet certain requirements, a tool that will be essential for attracting, retaining and developing talent.