Despite the challenging overall market conditions of 2023, continued investments in emerging technologies promise substantial future growth for Europe’s greater startup and tech industry.

Global IT spending, for one, is expected to hit $5.1 trillion in 2024, reflecting an 8.8% growth compared to 2023.

At the same time, by the end of this year IT spending in Europe is expected to reach $1.1 trillion, representing a 9.3% increase from last year.

A number of trends look to be driving this, including the growing investment and interest in GenAI. While a macroeconomic environment with elevated interest rates has affected capital investment, innovation and longer-term demand reflect positive growth and optimism.

Halfway through 2024, the signs are showing that the tech industry in Europe is picking up again as leaders look to take advantage of the warmer economic climate after more than a year of austerity. 

Publicize, a global PR agency supporting high-value, high-growth tech startups and enterprises, is one example of the tech industry in the region showing positive signs. Its leadership team has just named Claudia Santos as a Principal of the company in a move that’s sure to show increased confidence in European’s tech industry.

The Puerto Rico-born, Madrid-based PR professional

Santos first joined Publicize in 2022, playing an important role in the growth of its Spain office.

The executive, who has her Masters Degree in Product Marketing from EAE Business School, also serves as a Mentor at IE Business School’s incubator program and is a Contributor at Entrepreneur Magazine.

She was earlier Vice President at Publicize, an organization which has partnered with Stanford University, international think-tank Horasis and Oxford University.

Santos is based in Madrid, which has become one of the world’s leading startup hubs, and a city with a growing startup ecosystem.

The city serves as the home to many tech startups and large corporations’ EMEA hubs, and has long been regarded as Spain’s business and financial hub, in addition to being at the country’s epicenter of its banking, energy and construction industries.

According Financial Times-fDi ranking, Madrid was ranked 5th in Europe for attractive startup hubs, after London, Amsterdam, Dublin, and Paris.

In the Startup Heatmap Europe Report 2023, Madrid was ranked second for the number of offices opened by unicorns. 

PR firm for startups and enterprise

Publicize, the PR firm at which Santos has just been named as a Principal, works with technology startups and Fortune 2000 enterprises with specialized service offerings for the publicity the specific needs of each company.

The company currently holds offices in Spain, Colombia and the US, where its international team works to help startups and enterprises achieve media exposure.

The also company hosts a highly successful event series called Connect, which are held both online and in strategic cities worldwide to help startup founders forge ties with the media and deepen their understanding about the media. 

The company’s mission is to help startups and technology enterprises leverage digital PR for growth.

This article includes a partner of an Espacio portfolio company