Barcelona has always been an important business city. Back in the 19th and 20th centuries, the city already had a long industrial tradition that made it one of the country’s main economic driving forces.
Decades later, the city has been able to adapt to progress and new technologies: proof of this is the creation of several business clusters in different sectors, such as information and communication technologies (ICT), biotechnology, design, mobility and urban planning, with the recent creation of an initiative within the Urban Tech Campus project of Barcelona Tech City.
An innovative and business friendly city
Thanks to a strong commitment to attracting and creating talent and promoting new economic activities, Barcelona meets the needs of national and international companies. The city’s international positioning, fostered by the local and regional governments, reinforces Barcelona’s capacity to attract and retain not only companies, but also employment, talent and foreign investment.
Barcelona is also one of the main cities in the world where most international trade fairs and congresses are held: in 2019, ranked fourth in the International Congress and Convention Association’s ranking (ICCA) and occupied the sixth position in the Union of International Associations (UIA) classification. Since the GSMA chose Barcelona to host the Mobile World Congress, the annual mobile technology fair, the city has become the world capital of new technologies. Other well-known trade fairs held every year in Barcelona include the Alimentaria Food Tech, the Automobile Barcelona, the Smart City Expo World Congress and 080 Barcelona Fashion. Hosting these events undoubtedly contributes to the international positioning of the city as a business generator.
In top of all this, it should also be considered Barcelona’s excellent quality of life, which favours a business culture based on talent, creativity, innovation and competitiveness. According to 2021’s World’s Best Cities report conducted by Resonance Consultancy, Barcelona is the eight-best city in the world to live and work.
Barcelona, a city connected to Europe
Barcelona’s privileged geographical location and its multiple transport connections with Europe make it an exceptional city for setting up all kinds of businesses. Located in Southern Europe, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, it enjoys a strategic position for national and international trade operations.
With one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean, an international airport, high-speed rail links and motorways connected to the European network, Barcelona is a growing city leading in the economic and industrial sector.
