The Rafael del Pino Foundation and the Foundation of the University of Cantabria for the Study and Research of the Financial Sector (UCEIF), constitute the national support team for the development of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) project in Spain. The GEM is an annual observatory, since 1999, of entrepreneurial activity. Its main mission is to provide data on the rate of entrepreneurial activity in the participating nations, regions and cities, as well as a broad description of its characteristics, its relationship with economic development and a diagnosis of the state of the main institutional conditions or environment for entrepreneurship. As the main result of its research work, the observatory produces an annual report, through which institutions and agents related to entrepreneurship have access to quality information and indicators to promote entrepreneurship. The time series and comparisons between different economies and cultural backgrounds are also of great value for understanding and learning about the mechanisms that promote entrepreneurship.
GEM Spain, within the framework of this global project, is formed by the Spanish Network of Regional GEM Teams, made up of researchers from 19 universities. It has the support of 90 institutions, companies and organisations, with the backing of the Rafael del Pino Foundation and the main sponsorship of Banco Santander, through its Santander Universities Global Division. The leading institution of GEM Spain at the moment is the UCEIF Foundation, through the Santander International Centre for Entrepreneurship (CISE).
GEM Spain has been recognised by the GERA (the project's highest global management body) as the best GEM team in the world (San Francisco, January 2012).