On 8 October, we organised our first Investment Roundtable focused on creative tech. Held in the framework of Barcelona Design Week and hosted by Barcelona XRLab, the event gathered around 70 participants, including investors, startups, creative professionals, and public and private organisations.
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) represents the world’s largest innovation ecosystem, powering startups collectively valued at over €70 billion. As the newest EIT Knowledge & Innovation Community (KIC), EIT Culture & Creativity aims to demonstrate the significant role the CCSI plays. The event provided the perfect setting to highlight how investment strategies can boost resilience and growth in creative tech, and to co-create a roadmap for Europe’s future innovation.
Before the main event, we held an exclusive pitching session where a select group of startups presented their businesses to VIP investors. The startups were chosen from across our innovation and business creation programmes, including ventures CODA, Escena 4.0, and the Barcelona XRLab ecosystem, including Alma Digital Studio, Embodied Reports, Rial Studio, and LuzidLab.
The event then opened with a warm welcome from Oriol Sans, Senior Startup Manager at ACCIÓ, who shared how the agency supports startups established in Catalonia. Next, Fabio Palma, our South-West Regional Hub Director, highlighted the strategic importance of the cultural and creative industries for boosting EU competitiveness. Francesco Carollo, our Investment Manager, followed with an overview of our programmes and investment opportunities designed to empower creative entrepreneurs.
Insights from a dynamic roundtable on creative investment
A vibrant roundtable discussion moderated by our Business Creation Director, Javier Arias, followed. The session brought together a diverse mix of investors and creative entrepreneurs, sparking lively exchanges between speakers and audience members. The panel featured Albert Colomer i Espinet (EBAN – European Business Angel Network), Ana Oliveras Daví (Alfa5), Josep Guitart Pardellans (Banco Sabadell), and Xavier Mayo (Barcelona Investment Office).
One of the most memorable moments came from Albert Colomer, who shared a compelling analogy: “Entrepreneurs often expect business angels to be the jockey riding the horse, but in reality, angels are just looking to back the winning horse.” His point was clear: investors are there to support, not to lead the business. Startups must be ready to run the race themselves.
Josep Guitart continued by emphasising that the fundamentals of a good investment case remain consistent across industries. “What investors are looking for doesn’t necessarily change,” he noted – and creative entrepreneurs should understand what investors expect. Ana Oliveras reacted, drawing on her long experience building projects, that this can require a big effort from creative teams who don’t necessarily have a financial background.
Josep also highlighted a unique advantage creatives have: “Unlike other sectors that promise they will do something, creatives often have a portfolio that shows what they’ve already done.” This tangible proof of work can be a powerful asset when pitching to investors – provided it’s paired with a solid investment case.
Xavier Mayo focused on the importance of cities in supporting local projects while encouraging them to maintain an international outlook, strengthening competitiveness and growth across the European market.
The discussion underscored the importance of bridging the gap between innovation and investment readiness.
And finally… networking time
A vibrant networking apéro ended the event where the energy was electric, the conversations meaningful, and the connections promising.
We are proud to engage local providers who share our values. For this event we were delighted to have the support of the social initiative Mescladis, the refreshing kombucha beverage LovFerments from Barcelona’s 22@ district, and Yzaguirre, a well-known aperitif brand from the Catalonia region.
The event was also the perfect moment for a very special announcement: Our Regional Hub South-West team will soon be based at Barcelona XRLab!
This first roundtable was just the beginning. Make sure to connect and stay tuned for more events and opportunities in the region.
