Across Spain, and echoing into neighbouring regions, women are building networks that fuel entrepreneurship. These groups prioritize referrals as a central aim while also offering emotional backing, meaningful connections, and practical guidance. Time and again, these alliances spark new collaborations and ventures. The Entrepreneurship Observatory’s GEM report notes that while the gender gap in entrepreneurship is narrowing, gaps remain. It states that startups founded by women account for 12% of total entrepreneurship in Spain, with internal hurdles like self-doubt and, most notably, limited access to capital. Women attract only 3% of investment, according to WstartupCommunity. It also references the Innovative Women’s Entrepreneurship II Report by Teresa Alarcos in collaboration with the University of Malaga, slated for release soon.
Data from WstartupCommunity and the Observatory of Women Entrepreneurs show that startups led or co-led by women tend to be more profitable, carry lower leverage, and, if leverage is used, repay loans more quickly. The push for economic independence is a central motive, highlighted by research from Micro Bank, CaixaBank’s social banking arm, in partnership with Stone Soup Consulting. The typical female entrepreneur in this dataset is a professional aged 36–49, holding a bachelor’s degree, and operating in service-focused business models.
Aranzazu Egusquizaga embodies this path by offering human resources services to companies and taking part in the Euskadi Entrepreneurial Women Association (EmakumenEkin) for three years. This network, formed about a decade ago, grew from informal meetings among several entrepreneurs in Bilbao. Its president, Izaskun Rama, explains that the early members were economics and tax advisory specialists who recognized the need to support women entrepreneurs, especially in pricing their services. The association now numbers around 150 members.
Egusquizaga joined with support from her partner Ana Martínez. Her venture Bluelook focuses on team organization. She reflects, “I had been self-employed for years, providing services to other firms. In 2019, I started another project and joined the association to find guidance for this journey. I discovered a network where doubts could be discussed and client testimonials gathered.” Through these connections, occupational risk prevention and conflict mediation were integrated into their offerings, enabling a more comprehensive service for clients.
Gehisy Hernández found her business partner, Belén Loredo, within the Businesswomen network, a federation of freelancers and professionals from Asturias established in 2021. Her Be Sostenible project delivers sustainability consulting to small businesses. “Asturias’s business environment is dominated by very small firms, which will need to implement evolving sustainability regulations, so we aim to assist them,” she notes. Hernández highlights the role of such associations in elevating women’s work and visibility, adding, “There are times when talking about money isn’t seen as appropriate for women.”
An initiative in Alicante, the Red Juntas network formed in 2021 to unite all businesswomen and entrepreneurs in the province. “We realized the need to bring women together to stand up against management challenges. The most important thing in tough times is not to go it alone. That is the spirit behind our fully collaborative effort,” says Marcela Fernández, president of the Alicante Association of Businesswomen, Professionals and Managers (AEPA), which backs the Red Juntas project.
In Barcelona, about 600 women belong to the Juno House club. Irene Juárez notes that this private initiative, launched in 2022 by a team of American and Spanish women, aims to propel female talent. Natalie Batlle, co-founder, explains that the group seeks to help women balance work and life and to thrive. A core objective is to enable women to secure investments among themselves or from external sources and to forge professional connections. Batlle adds a pointed reflection: women have been slower to network among themselves compared to men.
digital entrepreneurs
The GEM 2022-2023 report from the Entrepreneurship Observatory shows a shift in an industry long dominated by men. It states that the gender gap is narrowing and that men and women now pursue similar opportunities. Esther Molina, co-founder of Women Startup Leaders, argues that entrepreneurship is not inherently different by gender, though cultural biases exist and vary by generation. She emphasizes that female entrepreneurship should be accessible to all, not just those with extraordinary breakthroughs, and sees value in mentorship and visible female role models.
Statistics indicate the average age for women leading ventures is 36–45, somewhat older than male counterparts. The WstartupCommunity report notes that a new generation of women is viewing entrepreneurship as a primary career path. Many have prior corporate experience, with roughly half occupying middle or senior management roles before starting their own ventures.
Female Startup Leaders focuses on fostering tech-driven ventures, a sector where women remain underrepresented. Maria José Blanco Gutiérrez, head of the Barcelona Activa program for business creation, highlights the need for targeted funding. She notes that parts of the economy—such as grooming or fashion—often attract less investment, underscoring the necessity for dedicated resources to women entrepreneurs. Teresa Alarcos, founder of WstartupCommunity, stresses the importance of building female references, providing training, mentoring, and stronger financial support to empower more women to start and grow businesses.
Rural entrepreneurship shows similar momentum. The Entrepreneurs in Movement Network, established in 2018, gathers women in the Sierra de Madrid for workshops and mutual aid. Yolanda Larrumbide, the network’s communications lead, explains that the initial gathering in Torrelodones sold out a modest meeting hall and the network has grown to around 170 members. In Aragon, the Women’s Institute supports Rural IAM Network, a virtual platform assisting women starting businesses in dispersed rural areas. The initiative offers digital guidance and visibility for women’s work, with roughly 150 participants registered.