From economic competitiveness to environmental sustainability — not to mention social inclusion and the rise of populist policies — the emergence of the main challenges facing the planet is increasingly fast though, above all, urban. It is in this changing context that Bruce Katz, an expert in North American urban policies, is opting for cities, local communities and city networks as big vectors of the transformations required by the world today. He also asserts that the traditional structures of power need to make way to new frameworks of growth, governance and finance capable of accelerating urban-innovation processes towards an inclusive and sustainable economic paradigm.

But what needs to be strengthened if we are to make progress in this direction? What does "new localism" represent in the global economic perspectives that the post-pandemic scenario offers? What can Barcelona learn from the innovation ecosystems of North American cities — and vice versa? This session will see Bruce Katz taking on some of their keys — such as the role of public-private alliances, the importance of promoting inclusive entrepreneurship and the relevance of large seed projects — and discussing them with representatives of the local business and academic fabric.