75.7% of founders aged between 18 and 35 reinvest their income to grow without relinquishing control. Bureaucracy is their biggest financial hurdle, according to the Generación Founder 2026 survey.
According to Emprendedores (emprendedores.es), the Generación Founder 2026 survey gathers responses from entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 on how they build, finance, and manage their businesses in Spain.
The profile of the respondents shows a clear male majority: 62.2% are men and 37.8% are women. By age, the largest group is over 32 years old, at 45.9%, followed by those aged 28 to 31 (35.1%) and those aged 23 to 27 (18.9%).
45.9% operate in technology and digital innovation. 75.7% resort to bootstrapping, meaning they reinvest income to grow without external partners. International expansion is the main traction milestone for 48.6% of startups.
In terms of revenue, 37.8% earn between 100,000 and 500,000 euros annually, and 35.1% exceed one million euros. Artificial intelligence is present in nearly all businesses: 89.2% use it to automate processes and reduce costs, and for 35.1% it is the core of their product or service.
Founders also point out barriers. Bureaucracy is the biggest frustration in financial management for 64.9%. In their relationship with large companies, 40.5% request purchasing processes tailored to startups and reject rigid hierarchical structures, while 35.1% demand paid pilot tests.
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