Innovation in Barcelona

Talking about Barcelona is to speak about the world mobile capital and an international benchmark in the use of technology as a way of managing a city intelligently. It is the number one smart city in Spain.

Its desire to be ever more intelligent is turning it into one of the most attractive cities in the world and a great brand.

A smart city

The continual spirit of innovation and the desire to apply these advances to many, diverse fields has made Barcelona a world leader in architecture, design, the performing arts, food, sport, tourism, scientific research, knowledge and the social environment.

Barcelona is the Mobile World Capital, the global benchmark city for innovation and talent in the field of mobile phones, and each year it organises the GSMA Mobile World Congress.

Living innovation

The Catalan capital has demonstrated its readiness for innovation with an advanced network of infrastructures, like Wi-Fi in the streets, meaning 500 free access points across all the city's neighbourhoods, a fibre optic network and the development of 5G technology. In addition to this, there is District 22@Barcelona, an important platform that makes Barcelona one of the most dynamic cities in the field of innovation.

The city has developed and consolidated a large number of mobile applications to make it easier for residents and visitors alike to access useful information and to make their lives easier. On an international level, Barcelona is also a pioneering city for open data.

Innovation has also been applied to mobility and transport with initiatives such as the new bus network, which incorporates technological features that provide information to its users.

Barcelona has become a testing ground where technology companies such as Microsoft, HP, Telefónica, Abertis Telecom, Schneider Electric, Cisco Systems and GDF Suez test initiatives such as smart traffic lights, traffic control systems, fibre optics, sensors in selective waste collection containers, smart water and gas meters for homes and LED public lighting. BIT Habitat is the foundation that promotes innovation in new urban services through collaborative projects with companies.

In southern Europe, Barcelona leads the way in adopting Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), with one of the highest ICT penetration rates in homes and businesses, as well as pioneering the development of e-Government. The city is a hub for companies in the ICT sector1, boasting technology parks, technology and research centres and internationally-renowned scientific facilities such as the Barcelona Supercomputing Center.