Eight out of ten businesses transferred in Catalonia remain active: success of the Reempresa model

19 September 2025

On September 18, 2025, the Centre de Reempresa de Catalunya, promoted by the Autoocupació foundation together with Cecot, and supported by CaixaBank, presented the report on business sales and acquisitions in Catalonia for the 2011-2025 period at the “all in one” office in Barcelona. The event brought together institutional representatives, city councils, provincial councils, county councils, professional associations, and guilds, highlighting the positive results of the business transfer model.

According to the data presented, eight out of ten businesses that have been transferred remain in operation after the business handover, a figure that far exceeds the survival rate of newly created companies. This data consolidates business transfer as a real and effective way to promote entrepreneurship and ensure the continuity of the productive fabric.

From 2011 to September 2025, 5,365 businesses have been successfully transferred in Catalonia, with an induced investment of 281.7 million euros. The average transfer price reached 76,400 euros this year, the highest figure since the service began. The most active sectors are services, trade, and hospitality, which account for more than 75% of transfers, while industry accounts for the operations with the highest economic value.

Regarding the profile of the participants, most transferors are over 50 years old and decide to transfer the business mainly due to retirement, while re-entrepreneurs are mostly between 30 and 50 years old. Geographically, 70% of transfers have been concentrated in the province of Barcelona, followed by Girona, Tarragona, and Lleida.

During the presentation, Xavier Panés, president of Cecot, highlighted that the results are the fruit of “collective work” and that when the public and private sectors work together, the positive impact on the economy and society is evident. For her part, Laura Sallent, director of Reempresa, underlined that business transfer is a consolidated alternative for entrepreneurship. Finally, Guillem Arís, director of Autoocupació, remarked that every business transferred not only maintains jobs but also experience, knowledge, and roots in the territory.

The report also highlights some future challenges, such as the imbalance between supply and demand in certain sectors, especially trade, where there are often more businesses seeking a successor than people willing to take them over. Nevertheless, the data confirms that Catalonia maintains a positive trend and strong business dynamism.

With this balance sheet, Reempresa and Autoocupació reaffirm their commitment to continue promoting business continuity and offering a safe and sustainable path for those who want to start a business from an existing one.

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