100 investors join the Pre-Market Environment for startups

• The Pre-Market Environment becomes investment benchmark for Spanish startups
• First training session for management teams, shareholders and advisors scheduled for 29 June
• Environment still open to more startups

The Pre-Market Environment for startups, created to improve access to private funding and help companies discover how the stock market works, has just welcomed 100 new investors and is swiftly becoming an investment benchmark for Spanish startups.

Under this initiative these 100 new investors will have the necessary support to achieve the level of competitiveness required by law so that they can access the various funding options offered by the markets which are managed by BME Group companies.

The first training session for the management teams, shareholders and advisors of the three companies which are currently in the Environment is scheduled for 29 June. There they will be able to discover how BME's markets are structured and work, focusing particularly on the equity markets. They will also meet the BME employees who will be giving the courses and who will on hand to answer all their queries while they are in the Environment.

For Fernando Ibáñez, Head of the Environment's Steering and Monitoring Committee and a representative of Big Ban Angels, the Environment, which is one of the association’s main projects, “helps offer startups various funding options, establishes ties and encourages communication with investors and raises companies’ visibility”. He added "we're aiming to design a dynamic virtual environment which encourages contact between companies and investors/business angels and offers training to companies, professionals and shareholders in those markets managed by BME".

The Pre-Market Environment is still open to more startups and to date 30 have applied to join with the new members to be announced shortly. The second group of startups will be presented in September.

Current members, Biomar, Cuatroochenta and Housers,have said they particularly appreciate the training, experience and knowledge they will gain prior to joining the market which will help them perform well and increase their exposure and access to private investors.

The Pre-Market Environment is open to those startups which meet the following requirements: they are public limited or limited companies; they are under two years old; they submit financial statements for the previous two years; they have a three-year business plan; and they have financing requirements of between €500,000 and €2 million or are mature enough to access the equity markets managed by BME Group companies.