Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous region in north-east of Spain. With 1.6 million inhabitants, it is the largest city in the region and the second largest in Spain. Its metropolitan area of 4.8 million inhabitants is the fifth most populous in Europe. The city was significantly transformed after the 1992 Olympics, thanks to close collaboration between various local actors. Since then, it has become a hotspot for industrial design and the main hub for biotech in Spain.
While it is seen as the region’s leader in innovation, the city faces challenges, having lagged behind in the face of advanced manufacturing and the rise of connected devices. The city aims to meet these challenges as new opportunities to reinforce its leading role in innovation. By encouraging the formation of FabLabs, a network of innovation hubs, the city is rapidly embracing new technologies and becoming a playground for testing, prototyping and shaping tomorrow’s industry.
By building a dynamic innovation ecosystem, Barcelona aims to foster close collaboration between politicians, companies, academic institutions and residents to improve the city’s competitiveness.
Barcelona was a mentor city in the DCC.