From coffee to AI assistants: LinkedIn's 20 leading Spanish startups in employment

Which Spanish startups could be setting the pace for innovation, and not just that, but also for the future of labor relations? LinkedIn's new Top Startups Spain 2025 list attempts to offer that snapshot. A color-coded look at which technologies, skills, and professional narratives are gaining ground in a labor market no longer defined by a permanent contract, but by a sequence of projects, sprints, and learning curves.

Seven out of ten companies in the ranking appear for the first time. This is a sign of renewal and a strong investment appetite. They're not just growing. And, above all, they're generating employment in areas that boost productivity: artificial intelligence to automate sales or video production, digital health that reduces friction in clinical follow-up, and sustainable business models that pursue impact and efficiency.

Seven out of ten companies in the ranking appear for the first time. This is a sign of renewal and a strong investment appetite. They're not just growing. And, above all, they're generating employment in areas that boost productivity: artificial intelligence to automate sales or video production, digital health that reduces friction in clinical follow-up, and sustainable business models that pursue impact and efficiency.

1. Incapto – Subscription-based coffee beans and our own coffee machines, with a sustainable focus.
2. Ukio – Furnished, flexible rental homes for digital nomads and businesses.
3. Luzia – Conversational artificial intelligence assistant integrated into WhatsApp and Telegram.
4. Embat – Real-time treasury management platform for companies.
5. VIVLA – Proptech offering co-ownership of second vacation homes.
6. Hotelverse – 3D solution for accurately viewing and booking hotel rooms.
7. Vidext – Large-scale personalized video platform using AI.
8. Livo Health – Digital monitoring of chronic patients with a focus on continuity of care.
9. Olistic – Personalized health and wellness products based on hair science.
10. FLiPO – Brand of modular and sustainable eyewear with interchangeable designs.
11. Yaba – Consumer brand that promotes healthy habits and physical well-being.
12. Cold Culture – Urban fashion brand expanding into Europe and Latin America.
13. Haddock – Real-time financial control tool for restaurants and hospitality.
14. Orbidi – Platform for self-employed workers and SMEs that manages Digital Kit grants.
15. Apipana – Startup that develops APIs to connect public administrations and businesses.
16. Onum – Specializing in data analytics and governance for compliance and security.
17. Diverger – Fintech that allows you to invest in low-value alternative assets.
18. Inversiva – Proptech focused on fractional and accessible real estate investment.
19. Northius – Online education group that integrates different digital schools.
20. Genesy – Artificial intelligence solutions for automating B2B business processes.

LinkedIn developed the ranking based on four factors: employment, engagement, interest in job openings, and the ability to attract talent who have previously worked at large companies. The measurement period—from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025—adds context. It encompasses a phase of scaling generative AI in business, a more selective capital market, and a consumer attitude that rewards a clear proposition.

Furthermore, the eligibility filter excludes companies with layoffs exceeding 10 percent. And it requires independence, headquarters in Spain, at least 30 employees, and a maximum of five years of existence. In other words, these are not embryonic projects or stabilized unicorns. This is the range in which the product fits, the channel matures, and the talent machine defines its DNA. That critical point at which a bad hire weighs heavily and a good one accelerates.

The AI ​​wave has opened up niches and relaunched entire verticals. From Genesy, which automates B2B sales processes, to Vidext, focused on personalized video , the technological vector shifts the focus from "product" to "experience" and, above all, to "time." Time saved for the salesperson, the marketer, and the operations team. Time that becomes margin. And margin that feeds back into hiring.

Proptech is showing three lines of action: flexible rental (Ukio), co-ownership (VIVLA), and fractional investment (Inversiva) . Three answers to the same question: how to live and save in expensive cities without compromising your freedom. Flexibility doesn't eliminate rootedness; it redefines it. It changes the timeframe, not the desire to belong to a place. These startups don't sell bricks and mortar, they sell options.

Tourism is turning to 3D with Hotelverse , which turns booking into a mini-video game: the traveler "sees" the room and bridges the gap between expectation and reality. This control over the moment of purchase reduces cancellations, improves reviews, and, in the process, trains revenue teams with relevant data. When users navigate a hotel as if it were a map, friction decreases and the product becomes tangible.

Fashion continues to embrace its street narrative: Cold Culture is growing with stores in Europe and Latin America. Yaba is promoting healthy habits. These are signs of how Spanish DTC is internationalizing with its own identity, without abandoning physical retail when it offers experience. The key lies in execution: brand control, efficient supply, and a keen understanding of communities.

Haddock offers real-time financial tools to restaurants. Embat creates a live treasury for businesses. Orbidi helps freelancers and SMEs connect with the Digital Kit. Apipana provides APIs that connect the public and private sectors. Onum focuses on data analytics and governance with a focus on compliance. This infrastructure layer doesn't look as prominent in networks, but it underpins the system. It's the plumbing of a productive fabric thirsting for efficiency and traceability.

Diverger explores alternative assets for young people. It's a nod to a generation that saves differently and demands low-cost vehicles and a clear narrative. Northius, with its online education group, completes the picture: upskilling is no longer an event, it's a practice. Learn while you work, and work while you learn. The market demands visible progression, and startups that facilitate it gain traction.

In this scenario, talent attraction isn't improvised. LinkedIn's method rewards those who convert followers into applications and applications into hires. It's a hard metric. It rewards the candidate's value proposition. Salary and equity, yes. But also purpose, autonomy, pace, and a clear growth plan.

The list suggests three skill sets. First, applied engineering: data, AI, security, APIs, and governance. Second, the product that translates technology into use: design, research, experience analytics, roadmap management. Third, the business that bridges the gap with the market: consultative sales, creatively driven performance marketing, and margin-focused operations. It's a small but sharp orchestra.

For the candidate, the message is clear: knowledge isn't enough; you have to show it. Portfolios, repositories, and use cases carry more weight than traditional credentials. In environments like Genesy, Vidext, or Onum, those who demonstrate prototypes and impact metrics arrive earlier in the interview. In healthcare and proptech, the message is different: understanding regulations and processes.

LinkedIn developed the ranking based on four factors: employment, engagement, interest in job openings, and the ability to attract talent who have previously worked at large companies. The measurement period—from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025—adds context. It encompasses a phase of scaling generative AI in business, a more selective capital market, and a consumer attitude that rewards a clear proposition.

Furthermore, the eligibility filter excludes companies with layoffs exceeding 10 percent. And it requires independence, headquarters in Spain, at least 30 employees, and a maximum of five years of existence. In other words, these are not embryonic projects or stabilized unicorns. This is the range in which the product fits, the channel matures, and the talent machine defines its DNA. That critical point at which a bad hire weighs heavily and a good one accelerates.

The AI ​​wave has opened up niches and relaunched entire verticals. From Genesy, which automates B2B sales processes, to Vidext, focused on personalized video , the technological vector shifts the focus from "product" to "experience" and, above all, to "time." Time saved for the salesperson, the marketer, and the operations team. Time that becomes margin. And margin that feeds back into hiring.