Tapping into Spanish private markets: An oasis of calm in a world rattled by tariffs?
This article was initially published in Funds Society in Spanish, see the article here.
Over the past 12 months, Spain’s economic performance has been an outlier in Europe, avoiding the malaise that has dragged on its neighbours’ growth. This turnaround – from laggard to top performer – is turning heads.
Anecdotal Spanish private market strength has been matched by equally impressive performance. Last year, the Spanish private equity market saw surging transaction volumes – increasing 37% on the previous year – and surging asset value, rising 7% to €31.1bn in 2024 (source). While the market is still relatively small compared to the UK or Germany, its growth and resilience is striking – presenting a tantalising opportunity for investors.
Could we be on the cusp of a Spanish private market gold rush? Possibly. The country’s growth potential is hard to ignore. For firms eyeing potential opportunities in a world rattled by tariffs and volatility, opportunities must be seized. Doing so, however, is not always straightforward. To succeed and scale in private markets, firms need the right technological infrastructure – not just to invest, but to track and manage rapidly growing portfolios – hedging potential exposures, measuring valuations and identifying opportunity.
Paving the way
For investors operating in the Spanish market, or those eyeing opportunity, modern technology is the means through which firms can rapidly implement the infrastructure required to lay down roots or scale. Spanish private markets, like their global counterparts, require management, extraction and analysis of huge volumes of documents. Whether native Spanish firms or global investment houses, being able to view private market exposures as part of an overall portfolio is essential.
AI and automation are crucial to achieving this. Rather than hiring vast swathes of employees to take on the hugely time-consuming and error-prone process of gathering, sorting and storing alternative data, firms can automate these processes using advanced technology. Generative AI can rapidly digest and process volumes of data beyond human comprehension – regardless of format or language, bespoke models seek and extract the information at an asset level to create usable data.
At a fundamental level, this technology gives firms the basic capabilities to operate effectively and scale. The benefits however extend far beyond streamlining workflows, enhancing data accuracy and boosting productivity. By standardising and centralising private market data, firms can view their exposures at a granular level across geographies through a single system and build an intricate picture of their investments.
This level of oversight is more important than ever. As US tariffs uproot global supply chains, businesses and investors are rushing to understand their private market exposures and prevent potential fallout resulting from global volatility. Having greater command of market data means that investors no longer need to trawl through physical documentation. Instead, they can quickly identify, analyse and respond to exposures at the click of a button.
Maturation of a market
Spain is far from immune to the impacts of a potential trade war, yet it is expected to weather the storm better than some of its European counterparts, due to its strong growth and a lower proportion of US exports. While headwinds remain, the outlook is broadly positive relative to other European markets.
By rapidly establishing infrastructure that allows for deeper insights into portfolios, investors can increase efficiencies while introducing complex data analysis that allows them to predict market trends and identify investment opportunities. At a portfolio level, having consistent data capabilities across markets means identifying risk but also pockets of resilience that can guide global investment strategies.
This is an exciting time for Spanish private markets. A strong economy and growing interest could, with the right technological infrastructure, lead to the maturation of Spanish private markets through the proliferation and standardisation of market data. In the global hunt for yield, the conditions in Spain are ripe for growth. Investors have the tools required to efficiently and effectively gain a strong foothold on the market at their fingertips – the question is, why wait?
###
About Canoe Intelligence
Canoe Intelligence (“Canoe”) is the platform for smarter alts management. We redefine alternative investment intelligence with AI-driven software that directly addresses the core challenges of private markets. Our technology empowers institutions, LPs, and wealth managers to future-proof their alts infrastructure, modernizing systems and providing a scalable foundation for long-term growth and compliance. By automating manual data processing with AI-native precision, Canoe helps clients reduce operational costs and risks, significantly lowering overhead and mitigating errors. Ultimately, our timely, accurate, and comprehensive data enables investment teams to drive superior investment outcomes through deeper insights and more profitable allocation strategies. With Canoe, it’s all about making Alts, smarter. Learn more at www.canoeintelligence.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Betsy Miller Daitch
Canoe Intelligence
+1 443-690-6200
bdaitch@canoeintelligence.com
