Catalonia’s cybersecurity sector surpasses €1.7 billion in revenue, growing 19.8%

The cybersecurity sector in Catalonia continues to grow strongly and now totals 607 companies, up 9% from the previous year, generating combined revenue of 1.764 billion euros and employing 11,887 professionals. According to the annual report ‘Cybersecurity in Catalonia,’ prepared by ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, the agency for business growth of the Department of Business and Labour, and the Catalan Cybersecurity Agency, the sector's revenue rose 19.8% last year. It is consolidating as one of the most dynamic technological areas of the Catalan economy. The document provides an in-depth look at the industry, along with its main opportunities and challenges.

This ecosystem consists mainly of SMEs (83.5%), with 10.4% startups. Additionally, nearly a quarter of companies (24.7%) are less than ten years old, demonstrating the sector's capacity to generate new business activity and innovation. At the same time, the field is internationalized: 24.1% are exporters, and 15% are subsidiaries of foreign companies. By business segment, companies focus on protecting (90.6%), identifying (65.9%), detecting (43.2%), responding to (38.7%), and recovering from (26%) cyberattacks.

The report also notes that cybersecurity is evolving as it faces new threats, increasingly by integrating complementary technologies. Currently, 244 companies in the sector (40.2%) incorporate artificial intelligence into their solutions, while 43 companies (7%) are working on quantum technologies applied to digital security. In addition, 108 companies are developing products and services focused on the security and defense sectors.

Strategic Policy in Europe

The study also highlights that Catalonia is Europe's seventh-largest region by volume of foreign investment projects attracted in the cybersecurity sector during the 2021-2025 quinquennium, with 13 projects (62.5% more than in the previous five years). These projects have generated over 250 million euros (seven times more than in the previous five-year period) and created more than 1,200 new jobs (three times more than in the five years before).

Catalonia is also the fifth-largest European region in Horizon Europe funding (2022-2024), with 19 projects receiving 11.3 million euros.

Additionally, 39% of the 203 international corporate technology hubs established in Catalonia focus on cybersecurity. Notable hubs include AstraZeneca, Lufthansa, PepsiCo, Boehringer Ingelheim, Nestlé, Cisco, Oracle, and IBM, among others.

Lack of Adequate Skills, the Sector's Main Challenge

The sector continues to grow, but the availability of specialized professionals remains a major challenge. On the one hand, cybersecurity is currently the most in-demand digital technology in the Barcelona job market, with only 3.53 professionals available per job opening. On the other hand, it is also one of the best-paying digital disciplines, with an average annual salary of 64,100 euros.

To meet this demand, Catalonia offers 21 university programs in cybersecurity and 58 vocational training courses through 47 educational centers.

Trends in Catalonia and Worldwide

Data security incidents in Catalonia have increased by 27.4% in 2025 and are also affecting more and more people. Human error continues to cause more than half of incidents. The Cybersecurity Agency of Catalonia managed 6,544 incidents in 2025, a 94% increase over the previous year. Despite the risks, the business fabric shows a degree of digital maturity, with 83.2% of Catalan SMEs having reached a basic digital level.

Globally, the sector continues to grow: worldwide cybersecurity revenue is expected to reach $265 billion by 2030, at an annual growth rate of nearly 6%, according to the most conservative forecasts. The ongoing migration of business infrastructure and data to the cloud will drive this growth. The growing impact of AI and rising cyber threats tied to the geopolitical context could further accelerate it.

Globally, financial services (28.6%), government (26.1%), and telecommunications (14%) have the highest demand for cybersecurity services. Geographically, the United States accounts for 44% of the global cybersecurity market. At the same time, China is the second-largest market by revenue and, along with India, is projected to grow the fastest in the coming years. In Europe, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy stand out.

However, the study also points out that, in addition to the shortage of professionals specialized in this area, one of the sector's main challenges is strengthening companies' ability to detect and respond to attacks that AI makes faster, more automated, and more massive. This opens the door for sector companies to offer cybersecurity services that can scale coverage and speed response. The report also points to the shift toward post-quantum cryptography and the need to accelerate detection and response capabilities amid increasingly sophisticated threats.