Catalonia’s silver economy now includes over 1,000 companies and generates more than €13.3 billion in revenue

Catalonia’s silver economy ecosystem now comprises more than 1,000 companies (1,030), generates a combined revenue of €13.312 billion and employs more than 72,800 people. These figures come from The silver economy in Catalonia, a study prepared by ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, the business growth agency of the Department of Business and Labour, in collaboration with the WeMind Cluster. The findings highlight the sector’s sustained growth: the number of companies has increased by 46.5%, revenue by 36.4% and employment by 42.3% compared with four years ago, when the sector was last analyzed.

The study defines the silver economy as a cross-sector field encompassing different economic activities centered on longevity, well-being and personal independence, rather than being limited to aging or dependency. It includes products, services and technologies designed to meet the needs arising from population aging and increased life expectancy.

ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment presented the study this morning at the WeMind Summit, an event focusing on mental health and active aging organized by the WeMind Cluster as part of this week’s Smart City Expo World Congress. The WeMind Cluster brings together nearly 100 organizations working in mental health, neuroscience, and longevity to promote collaborative projects and knowledge transfer.

The silver economy encompasses a diverse population that cannot be defined by age alone. Factors such as lifestyle and degree of independence must also be considered. In this respect, three broad profiles can be identified according to their level of dependency: people leading active lives, independent older people and those requiring assisted living.

The silver economy ecosystem as a whole

The sector can be divided into four main segments that make up its value chain. The first is active aging and well-being, which has recorded the highest growth in company numbers since 2022, at 63%. It includes areas such as senior tourism, leisure, financial services, and digital solutions designed to support active lifestyles. Health, meanwhile, is the ecosystem’s largest segment in economic terms. It is made up of 293 companies generating almost €6 billion in revenue, equivalent to 44% of the sector’s total, and employs nearly 15,000 professionals. Although the pharmaceutical industry accounts for a significant share of revenue, other areas experiencing notable growth include specialized nutrition and medical technologies.

The independence and quality-of-life segment accounts for approximately 14% of both companies and revenue. It focuses on solutions that help older people maintain their independence, including hearing aids, assisted mobility solutions, telecare, telemedicine, remote monitoring systems, and home automation. Finally, care services account for the largest number of companies, representing 36% of the total, and 62% of employment in the sector. Residential care homes and day centers remain the main activities in this segment, while home care is becoming increasingly important, with a growing emphasis on personalized services.

It is also worth noting that nearly 89% of companies operating in the silver economy have been established for more than 10 years, while more than a quarter (25.4%) are regular exporters. In addition, 15.2% are subsidiaries of foreign companies.

The study also identifies some 300 companies incorporating technological solutions, which together account for over 35% of the sector’s revenue. This highlights the growing role of technology in the silver economy, complementing the work of professionals without replacing human interaction. These technologies help improve older people’s quality of life, health and independence, particularly in healthcare. The most widely used technologies among companies in the sector include digital health, artificial intelligence, medical devices and the Internet of Things (IoT).

A comprehensive, world-class ecosystem

The report also examines Catalonia’s silver economy ecosystem as a whole, looking beyond companies to include a network of specialized organizations comprising clusters, technology centers, universities, hospitals, associations and technology transfer initiatives. Key players include the WeMind Cluster, ACRA, Catalonia.Health, LabORA and Catalonia’s wider biomedical and technological research ecosystem. Barcelona also hosts international events such as the Smart City Expo World Congress, which address longevity and active aging as areas of innovation, including through initiatives such as the WeMind Summit.

Catalonia also offers a wide range of educational programs in fields related to the silver economy, including geriatrics, long-term care, health, personal independence and assistive technologies. The report also highlights Catalonia’s growing international visibility as an innovation hub for longevity and aging. Between 2016 and 2025, Catalan silver economy startups attracted nearly $120 million in venture capital, while Barcelona ranked as the European Union’s leading hub for investment in startups in this sector in 2025. The study also identifies digital health, medical devices, artificial intelligence and personalized medicine as the main international business opportunities for Catalan companies.

Population aging, a social challenge as an economic opportunity

Population aging is a fundamental global demographic shift. Around the world, the number of people over 60 is increasing as a result of longer life expectancy and declining birth rates. This trend is particularly pronounced in Europe, Japan, China and other advanced economies. Catalonia’s population is also aging, with people over 55 now accounting for more than one-third of the total. Although the proportion of older people is slightly lower than in Spain and the European Union as a whole, life expectancy is higher. Projections indicate that by 2070, almost one-third of Catalonia’s population will be aged 65 or over. The Terres de l’Ebre, Alt Pirineu and Aran, and Central Counties are the regions with the oldest populations.

Against this backdrop, the study points out that population aging is no longer viewed solely as a social and healthcare challenge but has also become one of the major economic opportunities of the coming decades. Driven by a larger, more active and increasingly independent older population, the silver economy is creating new business opportunities and growing demand for products and services focused on well-being, health and quality of life.

Technology is one of the main drivers of this transformation. Solutions based on artificial intelligence, big data, robotics and assistive technologies are helping to improve older people’s health, independence and care. At the same time, care models, urban and residential environments, and financing arrangements are evolving to meet the needs of a society with increasing longevity.