FIDBAN successfully holds its 24th Investment Round in Santander, showcasing the talent of four Cantabrian startups

The Innovation and Development Foundation (FIDBAN) successfully held its 24th Investment Round at the Centro de Iniciativas Empresariales (CIE) in Santander. The event, organized in collaboration with the Santander City Council’s Department of Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Business Development, has become a key platform for channeling capital into innovative projects across the region.

More than thirty investors attended to meet four Cantabrian startups with strong growth potential, generating significant interest and investment opportunities expected to materialize in the coming weeks.

Cantabrian Talent at the Heart of the Ecosystem

The event began with an institutional welcome by Chabela Gómez Barreda, Santander’s Councilor for Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Business Development, who highlighted the role of the CIE as a hub for fostering talent and technological entrepreneurship.

Next, Diego Laínz Arroyo, Director of FIDBAN, presented the Foundation’s progress, noting that over 100 startups have participated in its rounds, with more than 30 now considered consolidated success stories. Laínz also emphasized FIDBAN’s growing international reach, with recent rounds in Chile and Peru, and upcoming events in Panama and Mexico, supported by the Ibero-American University Foundation (FUNIBER) and the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO).

The event also featured a “Success Stories” section, where José Manuel Colsa, CEO of Vamos Rural (a digital platform for rural tourism bookings), was interviewed by Fermín Mier, Content Director at Cadena SER Cantabria, sharing the story of a regional company that has successfully scaled and consolidated.

The Protagonists: Four High-Impact Projects

The four startups presented generated strong interest among attendees, standing out for their local roots and growth stage:

WYPO (Fintech): A digital mortgage platform designed to simplify mortgage intermediation and management. Presented by CEO Elena Ansótegui, the company is currently scaling after an initial funding round. WYPO aims to expand both in the “improve your mortgage” market and internationally.
BANBU (Waterless Cosmetics): An eco-friendly, non-toxic, and waterless cosmetics brand focused on reducing the environmental footprint of the beauty industry. CEO Rodrigo Folgueira presented Banbu under the motto “Goodbye to toxic cosmetics.” New funding through Convertible Notes will support its international expansion.
La Muda (Bikepacking and Rural Tourism): A responsible and sustainable tourism initiative offering a cycling challenge through the Valles Pasiegos. Founder Iván Diego emphasized the project’s focus on revaluing rural areas and promoting human connection.
EMYRA Cara a Cara (Human Connection): A platform organizing real, in-person meetings between like-minded people, using technology to turn off screens and turn on conversations. Presented by founder Sonia Gómez Salazar.

“We are very pleased with the quality of the startups and the strong interest they have generated among investors. This round demonstrates that Cantabria’s ecosystem continues to produce high-level talent and that FIDBAN is a key driver in channeling private investment toward these projects’ scaling phase,” said Diego Laínz.

The FIDBAN Board of Trustees includes FUNIBER (Ibero-American University Foundation), SODERCAN as main sponsor, the European University of the Atlantic, the Industrial Research and Technology Center of Cantabria (CITICAN), CEOE-CEPYME, and the City Councils of Santander and Torrelavega.