Alberto Pascual, president of the ASLAN Association

In this interview, we speak with the president of the Aslan Association, Alberto Pascual, who offers us the keys to boosting our country’s global competitiveness in areas such as Spanish talent, the role of public initiatives in generating growth opportunities for the ecosystem, and the need to be aware of the main obstacles that Spanish technology companies must still overcome to scale internationally.

1.What is your role in aslan and what makes you state with such conviction that "Spanish technology is ready to compete globally"?

Aslan is currently the most representative association of the digital innovation and cybersecurity industry in Spain. And it is so not only because of the number of associated companies (almost 200) but especially because of its diversity. All technology categories are represented by the most prominent players in each of them. As president of Aslan, I therefore have a privileged view of what is happening in the technological landscape, which allows me to affirm our readiness to compete globally in those areas where we have focused and invested.

2. How has the Spanish technological entrepreneurial ecosystem evolved in recent years and what are its main competitive strengths?

Until 2023, the consolidation of several Spanish technology-based unicorns provided a boost to the ecosystem, an incentive for entrepreneurship, and a widespread feeling that success was possible. However, economic uncertainty and greater difficulty in accessing financing slowed that trend in 2023 and 2024. We still maintain faith in our main competitive advantages, those related to the character of Spanish talent. Creativity, passion, adaptability, communication skills, pragmatism, and the ability to do much with little place us above entrepreneurs from other geographies who, nevertheless, enjoy easier access to financing.

3. What investment trends and emerging sectors are you observing with the greatest growth potential in Spain?

The addition of artificial intelligence to different verticals is in the spotlight of investors and at the center of the innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem. Developments in fintech, educatech, and traveltech environments stand out. Cybersecurity and cyber-resilience are also among the top investment priorities.

4. How is the development of technological talent evolving in our country and what challenges do we face to compete globally?

We have gone through moments of scarcity and brain drain, toward geographies where better access to financing enabled more resources and better compensation schemes, losing the return on investment that, as a nation, we had made in the training and development of our youth. However, the popularization of remote work after the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that our lifestyle is very attractive to foreign talent. We must ensure that these digital nomads develop in our country, working for the Spanish business ecosystem, and we must also retain and bring back our nationals. To reverse the trend, we must commit public funds and programs, in collaboration with the private sector.

5. What are the main obstacles that Spanish technology companies still need to overcome to scale internationally?

There are two main obstacles to overcome. On the one hand, access to financing, having a local Venture Capital ecosystem that benefits from public incentives, as happens in successful environments. On the other, not hindering the repatriation of profits for those who expand their initiatives beyond our borders, pursuing the goal of achieving the right scale to be competitive.

6. What success stories reflect the potential of Spanish technological entrepreneurship?

Spanish nationals have a special and natural talent for communication, easily overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers. This is essential when establishing alliances with local players to facilitate global expansion. Focusing on building this network of alliances is key for rapid and sustainable expansion.

7. In areas such as artificial intelligence, sustainability, or cybersecurity, what opportunities do you see for Spain to position itself as an international benchmark?

For decades we have watched, with envy, how large unicorns from other countries have benefited from close public-private collaboration, where it was the public sector that invested in technological developments of greater risk and uncertainty. And later, it was the private sector that amplified those technological successes. We need to learn from those models, from their success stories, and apply them to our environment. To become an “entrepreneurial nation,” in the Entrepreneurial State so well described by economist Mariana Mazzucato, debunking the myths of public-private collaboration.

8. How is aslan’s collaboration with national initiatives such as the ONE Platform structured to strengthen the innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem?

Aslan is a transmission belt that identifies the needs of the digital innovation industry, shares them with the public sector, and disseminates among the private sector the initiatives that, like the ONE Platform, arise from the feedback we constantly provide. We have a very effective event format for these purposes, which are the “Getting to Know” lunches where we encourage this exchange of information between our members and prominent representatives of the public sector. In our Annual Congress, the administration also has a prominent presence. We must avoid these initiatives being wasted due to the two reasons that in the past have hindered their effectiveness: lack of knowledge and complexity in their management.