Catalonia ranks 8th globally for attracting tech and digital foreign investment projects

 
Catalonia ranks among the world’s top 10 regions in terms of the number of foreign investment projects in the technology and digital sector attracted over the past five years. These are the findings of the study, The technology and digital sector in Catalonia, prepared by ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, the agency for business growth under the Ministry for Business and Labour. According to the report, Catalonia ranks eighth globally in terms of the number of projects attracted during the 2021–2025 period, and second in the European Union, behind only Île-de-France, with a total of 388 projects (+32% compared with the previous five-year period).

Along these lines, the report highlights that over the past five years, Catalonia has attracted a total of €9.323 billion in foreign investment in this field, representing a growth of 165% compared with the previous five-year period (2016–2020). The study notes the presence of companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, NTT Data, and HP among the foreign technology investment projects attracted to Catalonia in recent years. In fact, it highlights that Barcelona is the world’s second most attractive city for foreign investment in R&D, according to the Global Cities Investment Monitor.

A strategic sector for the country’s economy

The report, released on the occasion of the Mobile World Congress being held in Barcelona this week, reveals that Catalonia has 28,122 companies in the digital and technology sector (2025 data), 13% more than the previous year. These companies generate €41.495 billion in turnover (2024 data, the latest available), 4.7% more than in 2023, and have surpassed the €40 billion threshold in revenue for the first time. The report also concludes that companies in this sector employ 218,598 people (2024 data, +10% year-on-year growth).

Within the framework of this report, the technology and digital sector is understood to include any economic activity with a significant digital and/or technological component. Thus, the core sector included within this concept is the ICT sector itself, complemented by other highly technological areas such as video games, the audiovisual industry, smart cities, and govtech, among others, as well as companies that develop and provide technological solutions.

Overview of the technology and digital sector in Catalonia

This is a young and dynamic sector, with 46% of companies established less than 10 years ago. Of all companies in the sector, 8% are startups and 7% maintain regular export activity.

Companies specializing in ICT and telecommunications account for the largest group, representing 87.6% of the total. They are followed by companies operating in digitally intensive sectors (23.7%) and providers of key technologies such as artificial intelligence, IoT, cybersecurity, semiconductors, and supercomputing (5.8%).

From a territorial perspective, the province of Barcelona stands out as Catalonia’s main digital hub, hosting 86.3% of companies, with Barcelonès (54.1%), Vallès Occidental (10.8%), and Baix Llobregat (7.5%) leading the list of counties with the highest concentration of technology and digital companies.

 
Catalonia’s technological potential as a magnet for international talent

The report highlights the factors that make Catalonia a leading global technology hub. Catalonia is the best startup ecosystem in southern Europe, with 2,403 startups, and Barcelona ranks as the EU’s leading city and the world’s third for attracting foreign investment projects in artificial intelligence, according to IBM.

In this regard, the study recalls that Catalonia has been recognized with the European Commission’s Regional Innovation Valley label, maintains its status as a strong innovator in the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS), and boasts scientific infrastructure and R&D centers such as the ALBA synchrotron, the MareNostrum supercomputer, the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park and the Institute of Photonic Sciences, as well as universities and clusters that complete the digital economy ecosystem and foster technology transfer.

In addition, Catalonia hosts major international technology events such as ISE, the leading global audiovisual congress, and the Mobile World Congress, which closed its 2025 edition with record economic impact and is celebrating its 20th edition in the city this year.

With regard to international talent, the report notes that Barcelona is home to more than 42,000 professionals in the sector from outside Catalonia, and that London is the leading exporter of digital talent to the city (12%), according to 2024 data. Among the digital specializations attracting foreign talent to the city are cybersecurity, application development, and web development.

Government support for the sector in the context of the MWC

This year’s edition of the Mobile World Congress kicks off today.  Under the slogan “AI. Shared responsibility,” and through a light-based experience presiding over the Catalonia stand, the Government of Catalonia will showcase at MWC 2026 its firm commitment to the development and use of trustworthy, secure, and people-centered AI. In addition, the Government will facilitate the participation of a total of 106 Catalan companies and startups in its spaces, with the aim of connecting with potential new partners and clients, local and international investors, gaining visibility, and opening up new international markets.

Specifically, the exhibition area of the Catalonia pavilion at MWC will once again host individual stands for 44 companies and technology centers from the Catalan digital ecosystem, allowing them to showcase their products, solutions, and services and to negotiate international cooperation agreements.

In parallel, the Government will support the participation of 62 Catalan startups at 4YFN, which will present their projects accompanied by the Government of Catalonia. Through ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, 36 startups from different sectors will be presented, with the aim of connecting with potential new partners and clients, local and international investors, and opening new international markets. Among these, four startups will have a dedicated space to conduct high-impact visual technology demonstrations. In collaboration with Biocat and other organizations, 16 startups from the health sector will also be showcased at the Catalonia Health Tech stand at 4YFN, reinforcing Catalonia’s positioning as an innovation hub in digital health. In turn, the Catalan Institute for Cultural Companies (ICEC), under the Ministry of Culture, through its internationalization brand Catalan Arts, will present the projects of 10 Catalan digital companies at 4YFN.

ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment will also promote various business events within the framework of the MWC. One of the initiatives organized by the agency is the Open Innovation Challenge, a series of meetings in which Catalan and international companies pose technological challenges so that Catalan startups or other corporations can propose the most innovative solution. The aim is to connect emerging companies with more established businesses. This year, participating companies will include Banc Sabadell, Banco Mediolanum, Desigual, Grup Mediapro, LG, RACC, Repsol, and Swiss Post, which will seek solutions for projects related to technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, the internet of things, mobility, and robotics. According to ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment estimates, more than 700 meetings between companies, startups, and solution providers are expected to take place during the congress.

This activity is organized by ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment as a member of the European Commission’s Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) in Catalonia.

With regard to 4YFN, ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment will promote a range of events aimed at entrepreneurs and investors alike, including an elevator pitch session for startups exhibiting in its pavilion, sessions to encourage co-investment among Catalan startups, and a workshop focused on advice for startups seeking to expand internationally.

Networking meetings and sessions organized by key ecosystem players such as Barcelona Health Hub, Norrsken House Barcelona, and Netmentora Catalunya will also be hosted.