Observatorio del Emprendimiento Red GEM Espana

What Observatorio del Emprendimiento Red GEM Espana does

Observatorio del Emprendimiento Red GEM Espana is the Spanish national team of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) consortium, hosted at the Universidad de Cantabria and operating continuously since 1999. Its core function is the annual production of standardized, internationally comparable entrepreneurship data for Spain through the GEM Adult Population Survey (35,000+ respondents) and the National Expert Survey (1,000+ experts), supplemented by the GUESSS Spain university student survey. The consortium publishes a flagship national report (Informe GEM Espana) together with regional editions for autonomous communities such as Jaen and Castilla y Leon, and ad-hoc thematic studies.

Methodologically, GEM Espana executes survey instruments inherited from the global GEM network rather than building proprietary technology products; outputs are research reports, datasets, and policy-facing analyses delivered through public channels. The organization coordinates a network of 40+ Spanish partner universities and roughly 200 researchers embedded in the wider GEM community of 25+ national teams.

Its business model is non-profit and sponsorship-driven. Institutional sponsors -- including ENISA, MAPFRE, Coca-Cola, Santander UCEIF, REALE Seguros, Fundacion ONCE, Instituto de las Mujeres, and COTEC -- fund the consortium in exchange for research visibility, co-branded outputs, and access to policy advisory conversations. Reports and data are distributed at no cost to maximize policy influence and academic citation, and the consortium monetizes influence rather than access. GTM is reputation- and relationship-led, with entry into the network gated by academic affiliation and sponsor relationships built through long-cycle institutional engagement.

Name

Observatorio del Emprendimiento Red GEM Espana

Legal name

Observatorio del Emprendimiento de España

Website

https://gem-spain.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Observatorio del Emprendimiento Red GEM Espana is a non-profit research consortium hosted at the Universidad de Cantabria that produces annual longitudinal entrepreneurship data and reports for Spain as the country's official team within the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor network, serving policymakers, researchers, universities, and institutional sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Research

NAICS

Political Organizations (81394)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Leadership, Management & Teamwork for Business (EDAMAHAI)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship research reports
• National entrepreneurship surveys
• Academic research observatory
• Ecosystem analysis research
• Entrepreneurial activity data

Headquarters

HQ city

Santander

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Collaboration and Sponsorship: The organization operates as a non-profit research entity funded by institutional collaborators and sponsors. Sponsors include ENISA, MAPFRE, Instituto de las Mujeres, Santander UCEIF, Coca-Cola, REALE Seguros, Ageingnomics, YBS, FUNDACION ONCE, FRP25, Fundacion Bankia, and COTEC. These organizations provide financial and strategic support enabling the production and publication of GEM reports at no cost to the public.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Observatorio del Emprendimiento de España is a non-profit research entity affiliated with Universidad de Cantabria that produces free public-access GEM España reports (national, regional, provincial, and special) measuring entrepreneurial activity in Spain, including the Tasa de Actividad Emprendedora (TEA) and related ecosystem metrics. Its primary inputs are the Adult Population Survey (APS) with 35,000+ annual interviews and the National Expert Survey (NES) with 1,000+ expert interviews, complemented by an interactive data portal and GUESSS student entrepreneurship studies.

Product overview

The Observatory offers a portfolio of research and reporting services focused on measuring and analyzing entrepreneurial activity in Spain. The core offering consists of GEM Reports (National, Regional, and Special) that provide the Tasa de Actividad Emprendedora (TEA) and related entrepreneurial metrics. These reports are produced using primary data from two main collection mechanisms: the Adult Population Survey (APS) conducting 35,000+ annual surveys and the National Expert Survey (NES) conducting 1,000+ expert interviews. The portfolio also includes Interactive Data tools for data analysis and GUESSS reports focused on university student entrepreneurship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Informes GEM Nacionales (National GEM Reports) National-level GEM reports analyzing entrepreneurial activity in Spain, including the Tasa de Actividad Emprendedora (TEA) and other entrepreneurial metrics, built on APS and NES primary data. Targeted at policy makers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and the general public.
• Informes GEM Regionales (Regional GEM Reports) Regional and provincial GEM reports covering specific Spanish territories, enabling comparative territorial analysis of entrepreneurial activity, attitudes, and ecosystem conditions. Targeted at regional policy makers, local institutions, and researchers.
• Informes GEM Especiales (Special GEM Reports) Special thematic GEM reports derived from GEM Spain data, addressing targeted topics related to entrepreneurship such as gender perspectives and other specialized ecosystem analyses. Targeted at researchers and policy audiences interested in specific themes.
• Informes GUESSS (Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students' Survey Reports) Reports on entrepreneurial intentions and activity among university students in Spain, produced as part of the global GUESSS consortium and covering national, international, university-specific, and special studies on student entrepreneurship. Targeted at universities, researchers, and policy makers.
• Datos Interactivos (Interactive Data Platform) Self-service interactive data tools available on the website that allow users to explore and analyze entrepreneurship metrics, trends, and territorial comparisons drawn from the GEM España dataset. Targeted at researchers, policy makers, entrepreneurs, and the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• Entrepreneurial Activity Rate (TEA) calculated annually for Spain at national, regional, and provincial levels
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• COTEC FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOTEC Foundation for Innovation is a national collaborator supporting the GEM Spain research effort, bringing expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship analysis.
• GEM Global ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe GEM Global Consortium is the international coordinating body that harmonizes GEM methodology across 50+ countries. The Observatory serves as the official national team for Spain, following global protocols for data collection and reporting.
• GEM-ACEDEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ACEDE (Spanish Academy of Management) for organizing the annual International GEM-ACEDE Research Workshop, bringing together 200+ researchers for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
• 40+ Universities and InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 40 universities and research institutions collaborate in the GEM Spain network, contributing researchers and local expertise for data collection across Spanish territories.
• 25+ GEM Teams in SpaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional GEM teams operate across different Spanish territories, enabling localized data collection and regional report production for provinces and autonomous communities.
• GUESSS (Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students' Survey)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Observatory coordinates the GUESSS project in Spain, a global survey on entrepreneurial intentions among university students, in partnership with the international GUESSS consortium.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): Publishes internationally comparable entrepreneurship indicators (e.g. Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs) used by policy makers. Comparable as a producer of cross-country entrepreneurship data, though at supranational rather than national-observatory scale.
• Kauffman Foundation: US-based philanthropy historically the lead sponsor and research partner behind GEM. Comparable as a long-horizon funder and producer of flagship entrepreneurship research and indicators, though operating at foundation rather than observatory scale.
• Babson College: Co-founder of the GEM project and one of the world's leading academic centers for entrepreneurship research. Highly comparable in producing longitudinal, internationally comparable entrepreneurship data, though operating at broader US/global scale.

Direct peers

• Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN): Global non-profit network that operates programs like Global Entrepreneurship Week and Startup Genome Compass. Comparable as a multi-country entrepreneurship data and ecosystem convening organization, with overlapping audience of policy makers and founders.
• COTEC Foundation: Spanish foundation for innovation that collaborates with the Observatorio on GEM Spain reports. Direct Spanish peer producing complementary innovation and entrepreneurship analysis, sharing overlapping sponsor and stakeholder networks.
• GEM Global Consortium: The international coordinating body of which the Observatorio is the Spanish national team. Direct organizational counterpart that sets the methodology, harmonizes data across 50+ countries, and co-publishes global GEM reports.

Emerging players

• Startup Genome: Private-sector producer of startup ecosystem reports (e.g. GSER). Comparable as a producer of international comparative entrepreneurship and ecosystem data, but operating commercially with faster refresh cycles than the Observatory's annual GEM cadence.
• IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Spain-based business school center producing entrepreneurship research, case studies, and ecosystem analysis. Comparable as a Spanish academic entrepreneurship research node with overlapping audience of policy makers and entrepreneurs.
• Dealroom.co: Private-sector provider of startup, venture, and ecosystem data used by European corporates and policy makers. Comparable as a competing source of European/Spanish ecosystem intelligence, though built on transaction data rather than population surveys.

Others

• Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Spain's official statistics agency, which the GEM methodology explicitly differentiates itself against. Comparable as a producer of business creation statistics in Spain and a potential upstream/downstream data source for entrepreneurship research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBZlX-yUFrztM7MiztTyAGg
• Facebookfacebook.com/red.gem.spain
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gem-espana
• Instagraminstagram.com/observatorioemprendimiento_es
• Xx.com/GEM_es

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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