Gibraltar should not think small

Why locally developed startups and entrepreneurs matter to the local economy. Build Local, Think Global Pitch Battle 2026. 

By Denise Matthews 

Gibraltar has never had the luxury of getting too comfortable before something beyond our control suddenly changes everything. Our physical size, our location and the political and economic challenges around us have always required us to be alert, resourceful and commercially savvy. 

Long before startups became terminology that was recognised, the people who settled here after 1704 were traders, merchants and problem-solvers who understood how to build relationships across borders and find opportunity in difficult circumstances. Moroccan Jewish merchants helped establish important trading routes and later settled in Gibraltar, becoming part of its commercial life. Other communities followed, each contributing knowledge, connections and enterprise. 

The businesses and institutions that grew from this multicultural history helped turn a small and constrained territory into a resilient trading economy. That history matters because Gibraltar's prosperity has never come from its size or natural resources. It has come from people who recognised change, built trust and created value from our position in the world. 

Today, supporting entrepreneurship is not a departure from Gibraltar's economic history, but a continuation of it. This is also the thinking behind the 2026 Build Local, Think Global Pitch Battle, which is currently inviting applications from people with ideas or early-stage businesses that have the potential to grow beyond Gibraltar. There is a £5,000 seed funding prize, together with opportunities for selected applicants to receive mentoring, develop their business propositions and present them to experienced judges. Applications close on 31 October, with the live Final taking place on 19 November. More information and apply at startupgrind.com/gibraltar 

THE NEED TO KEEP BUILDING 

Gibraltar has achieved a level of economic development far beyond what our geography might suggest, but we cannot assume that what has worked for us in the past will necessarily sustain us in the future. Technology is changing how businesses operate, competition is increasing and international developments continue to influence the markets we depend on. We have always had to adapt, and I believe we need to be just as conscious of that responsibility today. 

Economic resilience is not simply about protecting the industries we already have. It is also about creating the conditions for new businesses, skills and solutions to emerge alongside them. We need to encourage people to look at the problems around them, recognise opportunities and consider what they could build from Gibraltar that might eventually serve a much wider market. 

Having run Startup Grind Gibraltar since 2017, I do not believe we lack ideas, ambition or talent. What we sometimes lack is a clear route through which an idea can be tested, challenged, supported and connected to people who might help it move forward. We live in a community where access to experienced business people, potential customers and decision-makers is often closer than we realise, but those connections do not necessarily happen on their own. 

There are practical challenges too. Our domestic market is small, early-stage funding can be difficult to access and founders may have excellent technical knowledge but limited experience in pricing, selling, financial planning or presenting a business proposition. Good ideas can remain just that unless people are encouraged to take the next step. 

PROBLEMS WORTH SOLVING 

Innovation begins with recognising a problem and being willing to do something about it. Gibraltar is an interesting place to test that thinking because our size allows us to see many of the challenges around us quite clearly. Whether it is transport, sustainability, hospitality, business productivity, health or education, there are opportunities to improve how things work. 

Not every solution needs to begin with an extraordinary invention or an ambition to build the next billion-dollar company. Sometimes it is a better process, a service that does not yet exist, a digital tool or a more efficient way of using the resources we already have. What matters is whether it solves a genuine problem and whether the people behind it are prepared to listen, adapt and put in the work. 

There is also an important distinction between building a successful local business and building one that can scale. Both have value, but with such a limited domestic market, I think we should be encouraging more people to ask whether something developed here could also work elsewhere. 

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE 

Having hosted founders for fireside chats who have built companies worth millions and, in some cases, billions, their experiences have reinforced something which is about people. Success rarely comes from an idea alone. It depends on the people behind it, their determination, the decisions they make, the teams they build and their ability to respond when things do not go according to plan. 

Last year, we took that experience a step further with Gibraltar's first Pitch Battle, giving people the opportunity to put forward their own ideas, receive constructive feedback and learn from those with practical business experience. 

The competition brought together ten local startups, with mentoring and preparation helping participants strengthen their propositions before presenting them to a judging panel. Leon Thick, founder of Your Front Desk, an AI-powered reception service, was announced as the winner. However, the real value of the initiative was never going to be measured by one winner or one prize. 

The process itself matters. Learning to explain your idea clearly, understanding your market, questioning your assumptions and having experienced people challenge your thinking are valuable skills regardless of whether you ultimately win. The introductions made along the way may also lead to opportunities that would otherwise never have happened. 

AN OPPORTUNITY WORTH CONSIDERING 

The funding is important, particularly for someone at an early stage, but I would encourage anyone considering applying to look beyond the prize. There is real value in developing a credible proposition, presenting it to experienced business people and building relationships within a community that may be able to help you take the next step. 

I would particularly encourage those who have been quietly working on something, or who have identified a problem they believe they can solve, to consider applying before 31 October. This is not just for those who are already established or comfortable speaking in a room, but for those who may have the ability and ambition without yet having the access or confidence. 

Our history tells us that Gibraltar has always depended on people who were commercially curious, outward-looking and willing to adapt. I believe our next economic chapter will require exactly the same qualities, together with stronger connections between education, business, investment and those prepared to build something new. 

This is the first in a series of articles on entrepreneurship. Further information: https://www.startupgrind.com/gibraltar