Catalan company Shoulderpod introduces its camera accessories at MWC, already distributed by Apple and used by the BBC

Within the framework of the MWC, Catalonia Trade & Investment will receive over 20 trade delegations from all over the world, interested in discovering the opportunities to be found in the Catalan ICT sector. Visits by organisations, companies and official delegations from countries such as Japan, South Korea, Chile, Argentina, Belgium, Sweden, the USA, China and Peru, to name just a few. The 15 directors of the 36 Catalan Government Trade and Investment offices around the world are also attending the event. Furthermore, this year the Catalonia Stand dedicates part of its facilities to a group of North American ICT companies, thanks to an agreement between the governments of Catalonia and California.

Top ICT companies are already successfully located in Barcelona. With 12,800 ICT companies at present, the number has been constantly growing since 2008. With an ICT workforce of some 84,600 and a vigorous mix of consolidated companies and new business ventures, Catalonia has generated a large pool of highly skilled workers. Accompanying this talent is an outstanding academic support system with more than 15,000 students in mobile-related studies at internationally renowned universities such as the UPC BarcelonaTech, ESADE or UPF.

Barcelona will be the Mobile World Capital from 2012 to 2023. This means that not only the international flagship mobile event will be held yearly here — the GSMA Mobile World Congress — but a whole range of activities and programmes all year around will create a dynamic, professional ecosystem for the mobile world and its satellite industries. This initiative has transformed Barcelona into the permanent global centre for mobile technologies, has involved the development of a business environment focused on this type of industry on an international level and has made Barcelona a global benchmark for mobile transformation.