Barcelona International B2B Talks: Barcelona, the European capital of tech hubs

Barcelona, European capital of tech hubs

Barcelona is home to most of the hundred or so multinational company tech hubs that have established themselves in Catalonia over the last few years. What is more, there are currently 9,155 foreign-national companies in Catalonia hailing from over 90 countries. Together they are responsible for 18.5% of the employment and 31.5% of the business turnover in the region. These are record numbers that highlight the large contribution made by foreign multi-national companies in creating and attracting quality employment in our city.

Organised to provide a better understanding of the reality of the impact of multi-national company tech hubs, this first edition of Barcelona International B2B Talks will also offer a unique opportunity for making contacts and facilitating relations and exchanges between participants.

The event is aimed at not just managers of foreign-capital companies with their headquarters in Barcelona but also representatives of local enterprises with global interests. The City Promotion Department at Barcelona City Council is running it, together with the European Chambers of Commerce in Barcelona and in collaboration with Bit Habitat, Mobile World Capital Barcelona and support from Both People & Comms.

 

PROGRAMME 

5.30 pm - 5.45 pm – Opening and registration

5.45 pm - 5.55 pm – Welcome

  • Mario Rubert, the Director of International Economic Promotion at Barcelona City Council
  • Christian Marion, Director-General of the French Chamber of Commerce in Barcelona and Coordinator of the European Chambers of Commerce in Spain

5.55 pm - 6.10 pm – Capsule: Barcelona, the European capital of tech hubs

Presentation from the Tech Hubs Overview - Barcelona, European capital of tech hubs studio analysing the 96 hubs that have established themselves in Barcelona and its metropolitan area under a foreign-investment strategy and specialising in technological innovation and development to enable European- or global-level business services, solutions and functions.

  • Jordi Arrufí, the Director of the Digital Talent Programme, Barcelona Mobile World Capital Foundation

6.10 pm - 7 pm – Round table: Successful cases of Innovation Hubs established in Barcelona

This round table will be offering first-hand accounts, with managers, of the features that make the city an ideal place for tech hubs and the challenges it needs to overcome to better maintain its leading position in Europe.

Moderated by:

  • Oscar Sala, director, ShakingMinds. Business advisor and innovation expert.

7 pm - 7.15 pm - Capsule: Ca l’Alier

Presentation on Ca L’Alier, the Barcelona Urban Innovation Centre,  managing this space housing the CISCO Co-Innovation Centre.

  • Lluïsa Cendon, Urban innovation project manager, Fundació Bit Habitat
  • Xavier Azemar, Head of Barcelona Innovation Center, Cisco Systems

7.15 pm -  8 pm - Business networking

Participants at this networking session will be able to chat with speakers and other attendees over a glass of wine as well as meet representatives from all the European Chambers of Commerce to obtain first-hand information on their services and receive specific answers to queries from enterprises or entrepreneurs.

 

Free in-person event, prior registration. The attendance is limited, places will be allocated on a first come-first serve basis.