Barcelona startup funding rounds in October 2026

October 2026 brings Barcelona the largest figure ever announced by a Spanish startup, a quantum computing round backed by a public and an industrial investor, and several smaller deals in AI and food. Here is a summary of the month’s main rounds, what sits behind each amount and what they say about the ecosystem.

In short

• The headline number: ID Finance (Plazo) announces €545M, but most of it is debt to lend out, not capital: around €45M is equity.
• Deep tech with an industrial partner: Qilimanjaro closes €19.6M with Indra and SETT in a Series A targeting €40M.
• Applied AI and consumer: Artiso (over €3M), Plesh (€3.75M) and Remolonas (€2.1M committed) round out the month.

October’s rounds at a glance

ID Finance: €545 million, mostly debt

The Barcelona fintech behind Plazo announces €545M, the largest figure reported by a Spanish startup. The breakdown matters: according to El Periódico, around €500M is structured financing from i80 Group, asset-backed debt the company uses to issue loans to its customers, and about €45M is equity, with Kingsway Capital among the investors. We cover it in detail in ID Finance’s €545 million round.

Debt vs equity: why they are not the same

In an equity round, the investor buys a stake in the company: they take the risk and only win if the company is worth more later. In a debt facility, the lender earns interest and gets its money back, usually against collateral, without taking shares. For a lending fintech, debt is raw material: it is lent out and repaid. That is why ID Finance’s €545M is not comparable to a €545M equity round, and the figure that measures investors’ bet on the company is the roughly €45M.

There is a middle ground: the convertible loan, which starts as debt and turns into shares later. That is the structure Indra uses in Qilimanjaro.

Qilimanjaro: quantum with Indra and SETT

Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech, which builds quantum computers in Barcelona, closes a first tranche of €19.6M of its Series A: €10M from Indra through IndraMind, as a convertible loan equal to about 5% of the company, and €9.6M from SETT. The goal is to reach €40M with other investors. More context in our article on Qilimanjaro.

Applied AI and consumer: Artiso, Plesh and Remolonas

Artiso, founded by three former Mango executives, closes over €3M in pre-seed led by Criteria Venture Tech, with Swanlaab and Bynd. It builds an AI platform for fashion design teams and will use the money to grow in the United States.

Plesh, a no-added-sugar chocolate brand, raises €3.75M with Gerard Piqué and Ibai Llanos joining as co-founders. Remolonas has €2.1M committed from Clave Capital, EONIQ and SEGO Venture, and will complete the round through crowdfunding.

One deal sometimes listed as Barcelona’s is not: Causa Prima, which raises $20 million (about €18M) led by Base10, is based in Madrid and Munich.

What these rounds say about the ecosystem

1. Big numbers need fine print. In lending fintech, debt inflates headlines. Always check how much is equity.
2. Public and industrial money matters in deep tech. Qilimanjaro relies on SETT and Indra, not pure venture funds.
3. Seed money goes to AI applied to specific industries. Artiso does not sell generic AI: it sells hours saved in a trade its founders know.
4. Consumer brands use audience as capital. Plesh brings in two creators with millions of followers as co-founders.

This article is for information only and is not investment advice.

DEXT FORCE: where founders and investors sit down to talk

DEXT FORCE is Barcelona’s congress on finance, investment, AI and startups, with an electronic music after party. Beyond the talks, we arrange meetings between founders and investors so a conversation can turn into a round. See how they work on Meetings.

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest Barcelona startup round in October 2026?

ID Finance’s, with €545M announced. Of that, around €500M is structured debt from i80 Group and about €45M is equity.

What is the difference between debt and equity in a round?

With equity, the investor buys shares and takes the risk. With debt, the lender earns interest and gets its money back without becoming a shareholder. A convertible loan starts as debt and may end up as shares.

How can I meet investors in Barcelona?

Congresses with room for meetings are a direct route. At DEXT FORCE you can request meetings with investors through Meetings.