Global innovators meet in Barcelona-Catalonia at ISE

Barcelona-Catalonia has reaffirmed its position as a leading innovation hub during Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) Barcelona, the world’s foremost event for audiovisual and systems integration technologies.

The event brought together over 92,000 attendees from global corporations, startups, and institutions to explore how emerging technologies are shaping the future of mobility, retail, culture, and customer experience.

The video featured in this article captures insights from three organizations actively engaged in open innovation in Barcelona-Catalonia: SEAT Cupra, IKEA Xplore Studio Barcelona, and Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera.

“We have an amazing talent base in Catalonia, and the innovation ecosystem is impressive because it combines creativity and technology”

Susanna Kamph, Xplore Studio Leader Barcelona at IKEA

Share quote:

• X
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Whatsapp

ISE Barcelona as a platform for open innovation

For large corporations, ISE Barcelona is a strategic space to identify new technologies and collaborate beyond traditional supplier networks.
Enric Perarnau, Innovation Officer at SEAT Cupra, underlines the value of the event as a gateway to new ideas and partners: “For SEAT and CUPRA, it's important to participate in ISE to explore new technological solutions and new suppliers away from our traditional ones. It’s a way to explore outside the box.”

Through the Open Innovation Challenge, SEAT Cupra is exploring how artificial intelligence can transform in-car experiences, particularly through personalized sound and lighting adapted to both the user and the driving context.

Exploring the future of retail and customer experience

Innovation at ISE Barcelona spans multiple industries, including retail. Susanna Kamph, Xplore Studio Leader Barcelona at IKEA, explains why the company sees the event as a key opportunity to look ahead: “ISE is becoming more and more relevant on the global market in terms of technology, and it’s super exciting to see all of these amazing new technologies and understand what will come in the future.”

IKEA’s Xplore Studio Barcelona presented challenges focused on next-generation retail experiences, multisensorial technologies for brand storytelling, and AI-powered localization, reflecting the company’s ambition to better connect with customers through technology-driven innovation.

Innovation applied to culture and heritage

Innovation in Barcelona-Catalonia also reaches the cultural sector. Gerard Segú, from the Science, Education and Research area at Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, highlights the importance of using technology to enhance visitor experiences at La Pedrera-Casa Milà, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: “Our challenge focuses on making the visitor experience more meaningful and more attractive, offering personalized and interactive content depending on each visitor’s interests.”

By integrating digital tools, audio and video guides, and personalized information, the foundation aims to redefine how visitors engage with architecture and cultural heritage.

A dynamic innovation ecosystem in Barcelona-Catalonia

Across all three perspectives, one message stands out: Barcelona-Catalonia offers a thriving innovation ecosystem built on talent, creativity, and collaboration. Corporates and institutions alike emphasize the role of startups in delivering agile solutions, testing new ideas, and accelerating innovation.

Events such as ISE Barcelona reinforce the region’s attractiveness as a place where global companies, startups, and research-driven organizations can connect and co-create.

Barcelona-Catalonia: where innovation takes shape

By hosting major international events and fostering collaboration across sectors, Barcelona-Catalonia continues to position itself as a strategic destination for innovation, technology, and investment. Watch the video to hear directly from industry leaders and discover how Barcelona-Catalonia is shaping the future through open innovation.