Barcelona, a booming tech and digital hub in Europe

Barcelona-Catalonia is the fifth most digitized area in Europe, ahead of countries like the UK, Germany and Estonia. So, it’s no wonder that the tech industry feels at home in Barcelona-Catalonia.

We’re Europe’s most highly connected society, as well as coming fourth in terms of human capital prepared for digitalization. And, what’s more, Catalonia became Europe’s first open 5G laboratory.

Barcelona, a city that has embraced technology like no other

Barcelona is one of the top tech cities in Europe. In fact, in terms of tech, it’s pretty much at the top of all the rankings:

• Barcelona is the 1st best Tech non-capital city in the world.
• The Financial Times named Barcelona 2nd – after London – for tech effective ecosystem approach.
• The Boston Consulting Group says that Barcelona is the 5th most attractive city in the world for digital experts.

Startups get a running start in Barcelona-Catalonia

The 2,100 startups here already up and running make Barcelona-Catalonia one of the top startup hubs in Europe. Why? Well, Barcelona is the 2nd best place to establish a startup in Europe and 5th EU startup hub.

Not only that, but with 7 unicorns being founded here, it’s clearly an even greater place to make your startup grow.

• Glovo
• eDreams
• Wallbox
• Adevinta
• Letgo
• TravelPerk
• Factorial

Blue-chip companies also like what they find

The pro-active business mentality in Catalonia, combined with tech, makes us attractive to prestigious multinationals that find a solid ecosystem and a thriving center for the European tech industry.

Like Alstom, expanding their existing operations here with a new 3D printing hub. And DE-CIX, establishing a new Internet exchange in Barcelona, creating Southern Europe’s largest neutral interconnection ecosystem.

Barcelona-Catalonia, your digital hub in Europe

In recent years, more and more global firms have been choosing Catalonia to install their digital hubs in Europe. In fact, in 2021 over 50% of technological projects carried out were installations of new digital innovation hubs.

PepsiCo, for example, opened a new digital hub in Barcelona that will be a center of excellence for its global digitalization priority program. Not to mention Amazon and DHL in logistics or Porsche Digital in the automotive sector.