Canarian Victoria Melián among five national finalists for CaixaBank’s A Profesional Autónoma Award

Canarian dentist Victoria Melián Artiles was one of the five national finalists in the sixth edition of CaixaBank’s A Profesional Autónoma Award, which recognises the professional achievements, talent and business contribution of self-employed women in Spain.

Melián, who had previously won the regional round in the Canary Islands, was named among the competition’s most outstanding self-employed professionals thanks to her project, Hogar Dental Dra. Victoria Melián, a family dental clinic in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

A graduate in dentistry from the Complutense University of Madrid, Melián has developed a care model specialising in paediatric dentistry, dentofacial orthopaedics and orthodontics, with a particular focus on children’s emotional wellbeing.

Her approach aims to transform children’s experience at the dentist through an environment built around calm, empathy and respect for each patient’s pace.

A comprehensive approach to children’s care

One of the features that sets Victoria Melián’s project apart is its interdisciplinary approach, linking dentistry with other specialities involved in child development.

Hogar Dental brings together expertise and care related to speech therapy, otorhinolaryngology, physiotherapy and podiatry, with the aim of offering a more comprehensive view of each child’s health.

This approach, which combines dental care with emotional support and collaboration between healthcare professionals, has been one of the distinguishing features of her business career.

Rosa María Calvo wins the national award

The 2026 CaixaBank A Profesional Autónoma Award has gone to Rosa María Calvo, founder and chief executive of Esencial Jobs, who won the regional round in the Community of Madrid.

Her project aims to make it easier for people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups to access the labour market.

The jury, made up of CaixaBank representatives and external professionals with links to entrepreneurship and the business community, assessed both the quality of the projects and the candidates’ personal and professional achievements.

The other finalists, alongside Victoria Melián and Rosa María Calvo, were María de la Paz Garrido, founder of Aula de Naturaleza El Cantalar and the winner in Andalusia; Estephania Bonnett, head of Playlab Films and the winner in Barcelona; and Julia Pla of CoCosint Coop., recognised in the Valencian Community and the Region of Murcia.

Women’s entrepreneurship in Spain

The A Profesional Autónoma Award is one of CaixaBank’s initiatives to recognise the contribution of self-employed women to the economy and promote equal opportunities in business.

According to the 2025 Self-Employed Women Report, produced by the Association of Self-Employed Workers (ATA), Spain has approximately 1.2 million self-employed women, representing 37.1% of the total.

The report highlights women’s presence in sectors including retail, hospitality, professional, scientific and technical activities, education and healthcare services.

The awards have two stages, regional and national, and aim to raise the profile of business projects led by women in Spain’s different autonomous communities.

An initiative linked to the Wengage programme

The awards are part of Wengage, CaixaBank’s diversity and inclusion programme, through which the bank runs initiatives to promote equal opportunities and highlight women’s talent.

Other initiatives include the CaixaBank Entrepreneur Award, the WONNOW Awards, which recognise academic excellence among women in science and technology disciplines, and the Girls in Finance & Talent (GIFT) programme, which aims to increase women’s representation in investment banking and financial markets.

Her place in the national final adds a further accolade to Victoria Melián’s professional career and to a healthcare project that champions paediatric dental care focused on both patients’ physical health and emotional wellbeing.