One of the most significant industry narratives unfolding at this year’s San Sebastián International Film Festival, running from September 18 to 26, is the high-profile presentation of SETT. As the venture capital fund arm of Spain’s Ministry for Digital Transformation, SETT has become a primary engine for the country’s modern industrial policy. Throughout the festival, the fund’s leadership—Director General Javier Ponce and Audiovisual Director María Coronado—will offer a comprehensive look at how the Spanish government is fueling the growth of its most dynamic companies, detailing the mechanics of their investment strategy, the rationale behind their support, and the roadmap for future initiatives.
For the international and domestic industry stakeholders gathered in San Sebastián, the presence of SETT serves as a bellwether for the health of the Spanish audiovisual ecosystem. By providing direct financing and equity stakes, the fund has moved beyond simple subsidies to become a strategic partner for companies ranging from animation powerhouses to post-production facilities. As the festival progresses, the fund is expected to unveil further details regarding the companies it has backed, many of which represent the most agile and forward-thinking players in the Spanish market today.
The Objectives of the Spain Audiovisual Hub
At the heart of the government’s efforts is the "Spain Audiovisual Hub" strategy. When asked to define the core objectives of this initiative, Javier Ponce explains that SETT functions as a public investment entity focused on sectors deemed strategic and transformative for the national economy.
"SETT is a public catalyst for growth, employment, innovation, and talent—all core elements of the audiovisual sector," Ponce says. The entity has been tasked with managing the Spain Audiovisual Hub Fund, an instrument established under Spain’s broader national Recovery Plan and financed primarily through the European Union’s Next Generation funds.
The strategy behind this deployment is multi-faceted. SETT provides financing, equity, and quasi-equity investments, either through direct interaction with production and tech companies or by working with financial intermediaries specialized in the sector. The primary goal is to mobilize private capital and lower the barriers to finance for projects in film, television, animation, multimedia, and interactive content. A critical priority of this mandate is the retention of intellectual property; the fund actively supports projects that keep creative rights firmly in the hands of Spanish production companies, thereby strengthening the long-term value of the national industry.
The Rationale of the Co-Investment Model
A defining feature of SETT’s operation is its reliance on a co-investment model. According to Ponce, this approach is dictated by the reality of the market. Public-private collaboration is essential to launch initiatives that, while transformative, carry risks that may deter purely private investors in the initial stages.
"Only highly liquid, large-scale markets with a long-established audiovisual industry are able to mobilize sufficient capital to finance major new productions or transformative industry initiatives," Ponce explains. By stepping in alongside private investors, SETT effectively de-risks these ventures, allowing them to proceed with the necessary capital infusion to reach scale.
The fund’s potential impact is significant, with the Spain AVS Hub fund authorized to draw down up to €1.5 billion ($1.75 billion) in NextGeneration E.U. funding. While officials have noted that current investments stand at just under €250 million, the discrepancy between the total capacity and the current expenditure is largely attributed to the logistical pressures of the E.U. funding timeline.
Ponce acknowledges that while European funds have been fundamental to Spain’s structural recovery, the strict implementation deadlines inherent in the program created challenges for deployment. "For the audiovisual sector, the possibility of co-investing alongside a public entity represented a major innovation," he notes. "Time became a critical factor, as market participants first needed to understand the role and implications of partnering with a public investor that shared both risks and returns." The focus now, he adds, is on ensuring that these initial investments continue to bear fruit and that confidence in the ambition of Spanish firms remains high.
Looking Ahead: The ‘España Crece’ Program
The work of SETT is far from finished. The institution is currently evolving to manage the transition toward new frameworks, most notably the upcoming "España Crece" program. With an ambitious budget of €13.3 billion ($15.6 billion), the program is slated to be held by the Official Credit Institute (ICO), with SETT expected to handle a significant portion of the investments.
"The audiovisual sector will remain one of SETT’s strategic areas of activity and will continue under the new ‘España Crece’ fund," says Ponce. Discussions are currently underway with ICO to define the collaborative framework. This transition signals a permanent shift in how the Spanish state views its role in the economy. Rather than acting as a passive regulator, the government is positioning itself as a permanent partner in the most innovative sectors, ensuring that Spain remains at the forefront of the global digital and creative economy.
Empowering the Industry Ecosystem
María Coronado, who oversees the fund’s audiovisual investments, emphasizes that the SETT model is built on three foundational pillars: an industry-wide approach rather than a project-by-project focus, a commitment to equity-based investment, and a focus on long-term public-private partnerships.
"Under this model, promoters must convince a genuinely private investor that their company represents a worthwhile investment opportunity," Coronado explains. "SETT co-invests alongside the private investor on a pari passu basis; public investment is intended to support companies, but always under the same terms and conditions as private capital."
This strategy has already yielded tangible results. Coronado points to the South African transactions involving companies such as The Refinery and Moonlighting, which saw a combined investment of €25 million. Similarly, in the animation sector—a crown jewel of Spanish production—the fund has facilitated significant capital for players like Amuse Labs and Milo, mobilizing €13 million and €19 million, respectively.
Building Scale and Changing Mindsets
Beyond the immediate financial benefits, SETT’s leadership believes the presence of sovereign venture capital is triggering a cultural shift within the Spanish film and TV industry. "It creates new opportunities," Coronado observes. "It is essential to think in terms of medium- and long-term business strategy, rather than focusing only on immediate projects. It enables companies to strengthen their capital base, making them more ambitious, better able to protect their intellectual property, diversify, expand internationally, and bring their products to market more effectively."
As the industry looks to the future, the challenges remain focused on scaling. "Scale is undoubtedly part of the challenge, as is ensuring the availability of the infrastructure needed to accommodate medium- and large-scale productions," Coronado adds. This includes strengthening technical training, fostering new talent, and refining the tax and regulatory framework to maintain Spain’s competitive edge.
Reflecting on the last two years of the Spain AVS Hub, Coronado emphasizes that the primary lesson learned is the necessity of patience. Business plans require time to mature, and companies need breathing room to secure private partners. As SETT prepares for the next phase of its operations, the focus will remain on these long-term gains.
Throughout the San Sebastián Festival, the SETT team will host a series of engagements to further clarify these goals. On September 20, the Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service will host an event showcasing the progress of the Spain Audiovisual Hub. This will be followed by a September 22 appearance by Coronado at the Spanish Screenings Investment & Tech conference, and an exclusive roundtable bringing together international and domestic investment funds. Through these efforts, SETT aims to prove that its role is not just as a financier, but as the architect of a more robust, sustainable, and globally competitive Spanish audiovisual industry.
