Barcelona, October 6, 2023. Wayra, Telefónica's flagship open innovation program, held its Investors Day 2023, an annual event that brings together the most relevant international investors in the ecosystem and showcases some of the new startups it has invested in.
The event featured Irene Gómez, Telefónica's Global Director of Open Innovation, who, during her presentation, reviewed the final closing and the first investments announced by Leadwind, the fund launched jointly with Kfund in September 2021, where Telefónica is an anchor investor and which has raised $250 million. The fund has already invested in the following scaleups in Southern Europe and Latin America: Voicemod, a voice modification software company using AI; Nflux, an AI-based platform that optimizes operator-based processes for various industrial companies through computer vision; Digibee, an integration software company that plays a crucial role in facilitating seamless integrations for companies transitioning to the cloud; Factorial, a human resources platform for SMEs that streamlines time, talent, and document management; and Quibim, an AI-powered platform focused on precision medicine poised to revolutionize medical imaging. Irene Gómez also highlighted the increased investment by Telefónica's Open Innovation area, which has invested €10.6 million directly in 25 startups over the last twelve months. Furthermore, he highlighted the initial investments made by the Íope Ventures and Vivo Ventures funds, managed by Wayra. This year's Investors Day focused on the impact of startups on Telefónica and its customers. The event featured Chema Casas, General Manager of Telefónica in Catalonia, who emphasized the strategic role startups play within the company. In his speech, he stated: “Having an Open Innovation area gives us a competitive advantage in the market. By being in continuous contact with these companies, we can quickly address the major challenges facing the industry, enabling Telefónica to adapt rapidly to the changes demanded by this digital world.” The startups invested in by Wayra that had the opportunity to present their projects to investors were the following: B2B SaaS companies such as Rever, returns management software for e-commerce; Camillion, a visual productivity tool; and Haddock, a cost control solution for restaurants. Also included were Fintech and Insurtech startups such as Devengo, which offers instant payment infrastructure services; Invopop, which helps global software companies automate the issuance of electronic invoices; Bcas, which provides student financing with a novel loan repayment format; and BDEO, which simplifies underwriting and claims processes for insurers. Wayra also showcased its investment in online platforms, such as Cafler, focused on on-demand mobility services for car users, and Shakers, a platform that allows companies to find freelance talent. Finally, it presented the cybersecurity startup, Borneo, which prevents data breaches and manages privacy compliance for businesses. These companies had the opportunity to present to 200 investors, including international venture capital firms such as Speedinvest, Earlybird, LifeX Ventures, Breega, Elaia, Armilar, and Antler. The main national investment funds were present, including 4 Founders Capital, Banco Sabadell, Caixa Capital Risc, Conexo, Encomenda, Inveready, JME, Kfund, Kibo Ventures, and Samaipata, among others. Marta Antúnez, director of Wayra Barcelona, stated: “Investors Day has given us the opportunity to bring our startups together with more than 200 international investors and some of Telefónica's top leaders, and to highlight what Wayra can contribute as a strategic investor.”