Invest in Spain

What Invest in Spain does

Invest in Spain is the inward investment promotion brand of ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones, E.P.E., a publicly owned business entity ascribed to Spain's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business through the State Secretariat for Commerce. Headquartered at Paseo de la Castellana 278 in Madrid, the agency provides free advisory, market-intelligence, regulatory, and aftercare services to foreign companies — from multinationals to early-stage startups — that are evaluating, entering, or expanding operations in Spain. Its core portfolio comprises structured programs (Rising Up in Spain for foreign startups paired with local partners, Innova Invest for R&D projects funded by Spain's Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, the Smart Technology Fund for technology-related investment, and the España-Latam Scale-up program for Latin American scale-ups), ongoing investor-services advisory, dedicated LATAM and Asian desks, and publications such as the Guide to Business, Barometer of the Business Climate in Spain, and Global Latam report. The agency operates a global channel through ICEX's trade-office network in Spanish embassies and consulates and works in partnership with regional development agencies across all Spanish autonomous communities and with co-organizers BID Lab and Endeavor for specific programs.

The organization has no proprietary software or AI product; its value is delivered through human advisory services, structured programs, events (including the annual Invest in Spain Summit), and informational publications covering ten priority sectors — Aerospace, Agri-Food, Audiovisual, Automotive, Chemical, Digital Economy/ICT, Life Sciences, Logistics, Renewable Energy, and Tourism. Documented success-story investors include Amazon, Bayer, Pfizer, MSD, Hewlett Packard, Procter & Gamble, Huawei, Zoho, Toyota Material Handling, Ceva Logistics, Mercedes-Benz Vans, and Elis.

The business model is non-commercial: as a government entity, Invest in Spain is funded through Spanish public-budget allocations and EU funds (including FEDER) and charges no fees to investors for its advisory or program services. Customer concentration risk is therefore structural rather than revenue-based — the agency serves a heterogeneous multinational and startup base across geographies and verticals, with no transactional revenue dependency on any single counterparty. Growth is measured in program launches, ecosystem partnerships, and investor-lead-generation outcomes rather than top-line sales.

Name

Invest in Spain

Legal name

ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones, E.P.E.

Website

https://investinspain.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Invest in Spain is the FDI promotion brand of ICEX, the Spanish government's state-owned trade and investment agency. It provides free advisory, regulatory, and aftercare services — plus structured programs and funds — to foreign companies establishing or expanding operations in Spain across ten priority sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Promotion Services

NAICS

Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Investment Promotion & FDI Facilitation (BPADAMAD)

Keywords

• Foreign direct investment
• Investment promotion services
• Market entry advisory
• Inward investment facilitation
• Investor support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public funding: As a public entity under the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business, Invest in Spain is funded through government budget allocations and EU funds (including FEDER). Services to investors are provided free of charge.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Invest in Spain is the official Spanish inward investment promotion agency operated by ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones. It provides free advisory services, market intelligence, and hands-on support to foreign companies looking to establish or expand operations in Spain, including regulatory guidance, market entry assistance, partner introductions, and access to structured programs (Rising Up in Spain, Innova Invest, Smart Technology Fund, and España-Latam Scale-up).

Product overview

Invest in Spain, operated by ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones, is a strategic investment promotion service rather than a software product. It offers a portfolio of advisory programmes and publications to attract and support foreign investment in Spain. The core programmes include Rising Up in Spain (startup support), Innova Invest (R&D project support), Smart Technology Fund (technology investment), España-Latam Scale-up (Latin American startup expansion), and Investor Services/Aftercare (ongoing advisory). Supporting these are publications (Guide to Business, Global Latam, Barometer), the annual Invest in Spain Summit event, and sector-specific information platforms covering 10 industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• e-Market Services: Export and internationalization services brand under ICEX
• Foods & Wines from Spain
• Audiovisual from Spain
• Interiors from Spain
• ICEX Next
• ICEX CECO
• Innova Invest
• Rising Up in Spain
• Smart Technology Fund
• España-Latam Scale-up
• Invest in Spain Summit
• Latam Desk
• Asian Desk

Products and services

• Rising Up in Spain A programme to help foreign startups set up in Spain hand in hand with a local partner, offering free workspace, mentoring, and reimbursable funding for initial investment.
• Innova Invest A programme financed by the Recovery Transformation and Resilience Plan to support foreign companies in settling R&D projects in Spain.
• Smart Technology Fund A technology-focused investment fund supporting companies establishing technology-related projects in Spain.
• España-Latam Scale-up A programme by ICEX, BID Lab, and Endeavor to attract Latin American scale-ups for expansion and implantation in Spain as a gateway to the European market, including a one-week immersion programme.
• Investor Services Advisory and information services for investors willing to set up their business in Spain, including guidance on regulations, incentives, and market entry.
• Aftercare Services Continued support services for companies once they are established in Spain, including operational assistance and business development.
• Guide to Business Annual guide summarizing the main regulatory aspects governing investments in Spain in under 400 pages.
• Global Latam Reference report for analysis of foreign direct investment issued by Latin American countries and companies.
• Barometer of the Business Climate in Spain Annual survey-based report collecting opinions of foreign investors on the business climate in Spain.
• Invest in Spain Summit Annual summit event for investment promotion, connecting investors with Spanish business opportunities.
• Sector Industry Pages Dedicated sector pages covering Aerospace, Agri-Food, Audiovisual, Automotive, Chemical, Digital Economy/ICT, Life Sciences, Logistics, Renewable Energy, and Tourism.

Quantifiable outcome

• Foreign companies successfully established in Spain across all major industry sectors
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BID LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBID Lab (the innovation laboratory of the Inter-American Development Bank Group) is a co-organizer of the España-Latam Scale-up program, which attracts Latin American scale-ups seeking to expand into Spain and Europe. The program provides immersion in the Spanish entrepreneurial ecosystem during a one-week program.
• EndeavorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndeavor, a global organization supporting high-impact entrepreneurs, is a co-organizer of the España-Latam Scale-up program. The initiative selects Latin American startups for immersion in Spain's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA): Dutch government agency operating under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy to attract foreign investment. Directly comparable in structure, mandate, and service model; key competitor for distribution-hub and tech-sector FDI in northwestern Europe.
• Business France: France's national agency supporting international business development and FDI promotion. Directly comparable in mandate, structure (government-backed), and service portfolio (free advisory, sector expertise, aftercare services) competing for the same pool of foreign companies evaluating EU market entry.
• UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT): UK government department responsible for attracting inward investment and supporting exports. Comparable in government-backed investor services, sector expertise, and global office network; significant competitor especially for English-speaking investors evaluating Europe.
• Business Sweden: Swedish government agency helping Swedish companies grow globally and attracting foreign investment to Sweden. Comparable structure (government-backed), services (advisory, sector expertise, aftercare), and target audience (foreign multinationals); competes with Invest in Spain for Nordic-region-adjacent FDI.
• Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI): Germany's economic development agency providing FDI advisory services to foreign companies. Directly comparable in function, government backing, and sector-specialized investor support; competes head-to-head with Invest in Spain for manufacturing and tech investments targeting EU markets.
• Enterprise Singapore: Singapore government agency promoting investment and enterprise development. Comparable in government-backed model, free advisory services, and sector programs; while Asia-focused, both agencies compete for the same multinationals evaluating global investment locations.
• IDA Ireland: Ireland's investment promotion agency with a long track record of attracting FDI. Comparable in mandate, free advisory model, and sector specialization; represents one of Invest in Spain's most established competitors for tech and pharma FDI in Europe.
• Invest in Turkey: Turkey's official investment promotion agency under the Presidency of the Republic. Comparable in mandate (FDI promotion), government backing, and free advisory services; represents a peer competing in the southern European and emerging-market FDI corridor.
• JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization): Japanese government-related organization promoting trade and investment between Japan and the world. Comparable in scale, government backing, and global office network; represents Asia's largest peer in the FDI promotion agency space.

Others

• World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA): Global membership organization of national and subnational investment promotion agencies. While not a competitor, WAIPA is a peer ecosystem player that convenes the global FDI promotion community in which Invest in Spain actively participates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/investinspain
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/invest-in-spain

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Invest in Spain