Six in ten entrepreneurs in Spain consider it difficult to start a company, according to a new report that highlights ongoing challenges around bureaucracy and financing for small business owners across the country.
The findings come from the “AI for Business” report by bunq, Europe’s second-largest neobank, which surveyed entrepreneurs and self-employed workers in Europe and the United States. The data shows that administrative burdens and regulations rank as the top obstacle, with 30% of respondents citing red tape as their biggest challenge when launching a business.
Financing and clients remain persistent hurdles
Difficulty obtaining financing affected 21.5% of those surveyed, while client acquisition presented problems for 17%. Spain stands apart from other markets analyzed in the report. In the United Kingdom, only 13.2% of entrepreneurs named administrative load as their primary obstacle. The figure in the United States reached 13.4%, where concerns centered more on access to capital and getting operations off the ground.
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Despite these barriers, entrepreneurial spirit appears resilient. About 61.5% of Spanish entrepreneurs said they would start their own business again, even if they had known from the beginning all the difficulties involved in the process. The desire for professional independence drives most decisions. Nearly 43% of respondents said they launched their company to enjoy the freedom of being their own boss. Another 21.8% decided to turn an innovative idea into a viable business.
Artificial intelligence tools gain traction among business owners
With limited time and resources, entrepreneurs increasingly turn to technology to streamline daily operations. The report indicates that 73% used artificial intelligence tools to support their business in the past twelve months. This adoption marks a shift in how small businesses manage their operations, reducing administrative load and freeing up time for strategic activities like business development and customer acquisition.
Spanish entrepreneurs lead this digital transition compared to other European markets where adoption rates lag. In the United Kingdom, roughly half of entrepreneurs, about 51.2%, reported using AI tools to manage their companies over the past year. Ireland showed similar rates at 49%.
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The regulatory environment in Spain continues to shape how entrepreneurs approach these challenges. Administrative requirements often consume resources that could otherwise go toward growth initiatives. Business owners frequently cite the time spent on compliance as a significant drain on productivity.
Looking at the broader picture, these obstacles compound for first-time entrepreneurs who lack established networks or prior experience handling bureaucratic processes. The gap between starting a business in Spain versus the United Kingdom or the United States suggests structural differences in how these economies support new ventures. Whether recent policy changes will narrow that gap remains to be seen, though the report captures sentiment at a specific moment in time and does not account for potential future reforms.
The data reflects conditions as they stand now. Entrepreneurial optimism persists even among those who acknowledge the difficulties. The majority who would start over despite knowing what lies ahead suggests that non-financial motivations often outweigh the friction of administrative requirements. For policymakers focused on encouraging small business creation, the findings point toward concrete areas where intervention could ease the path forward.
