“The Least Spanish City,” as Barcelona has become known, bears the nickname with pride. Catalonian flags fly freely from every window, a sign of the deep, historical desire for independence. Barcelona, with a metropolitan area population of 5 million, is the largest city on the Mediterranean. The city attracts over 35 million visitors a year and is a hub of entertainment, media, tourism, and international trade. However, recently Barcelona is making a name for itself in quite a new area: the tech industry. Startups are setting up in the city and building a community set to grow. Most importantly, Barcelona has been chosen as the home for the Mobile World Congress that occurs each February. The congress is the most celebrated tech conference in the world and is shedding light on the growing ecosystem in Spain. Exciting projects are continuously occurring here and people are increasingly attracted to this incredible city by the sea.
Dealing with the Crisis
Since the boost given to the city by the 1992 Olympics, Barcelona has seen a steady rise in tourism, culture and service and all of these have contributed to a new booming economy. Who wouldn’t want to stroll down Las Ramblas, visit the architecture of Gaudi or try some tapas on the beach? Yet with progress there are still heavy setbacks taking place in Spain as the economic crisis enters its 6th year. High unemployment rates place the country as having the second most jobless citizens in the EU. At 26%, the situation is dire. Many Catalonians see this as even more of a reason to become independent from Spain, blaming the government for the widespread troubles. Many took to the streets in protests when Barcelona’s unemployment rate rose to 27% in July 2013. The city is in need of jobs and an economy boost, and the tech industry may just be the way out.
Startups… in Barcelona?
Though Berlin and London have been basking in the spotlight, there are many wonderful startup communities growing all over Europe, and such is the case in Barcelona. More than 200 active tech startups are blossoming in the city, creating a healthy dose of competition for the European Union. Companies such as Whisbi, CloudWork, and UppTalk, are three of the startups leading the tech pack, increasing communication for consumers in the workplace and in everyday life. Bicing, one of the most effective bike sharing programs in the world, was created to enhance the flow of the people in the city and within a year, doubled the amount of bikers within the city. These are just a few in the plethora of new guys in town and many more are planting their home base in Barcelona.
Recently, Barcelona beat out big cities like Milan and Paris to become the Mobile World Capital from 2012 to 2018. The news is huge on a number of levels. Besides the obvious benefit for the city’s role in the tech community, the status will help the city receive an economic boost. Foreign companies are moving facilities to Barcelona and current mobile companies are creating new projects, along with new jobs – a high demand in today’s crisis.Each February since 2007 Barcelona opens its doors to 60,000 – 70,000 visitors exploring the mobile industry from around the globe. This year, the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world’s largest mobile event, will be held on February 24-27. This is a particularly exciting year because Mark Zuckerberg will be giving the keynote speech of the conference in the overarching theme “Creating What’s Next.” Over 4,300 CEOs are expected to attend from more than 200 countries. The MWC will offer a leadership conference, a cutting-edge product and technology exhibit, abundant world-class networking opportunities, and the Global Mobile Awards. This year, for the first time MWC is extending to include the mPowered Industries program, comprising a range of vertical industry conferences and exhibits led by well-known and highly regarded industry domain leaders. Being chosen to host the conference could not position Barcelona any better for claiming recognition in the tech industry.
In the United States, South by Southwest (SXSW) has risen to tech conference supreme and is the event of the year for the tech and media industries. Beginning in 1987 as a music festival in Austin, Texas, it has grown to include film, tech, and interactive. The event has had truly remarkable effects on the city of Austin, contributing to a $218 million impact on the economy – and with 155,000 visitors it is almost double the size of the MWC. Still, with mobile on the rise, we can expect this conference to further expand and become an important growth factor for the economy of the region.
The Future is Bright for Barcelona
As far as tech is concerned, New York City has clearly positioned itself as a big player in the tech community, yet Barcelona seems unconcerned with finding a comparison or its own “Silicon Valley” play-on-words nickname. The city is solely concerned with how to make Barcelona a better Barcelona, and considering the city’s past successes out of struggle, focusing on inward talent and goals is going to help the city improve. Luckily, with the international spotlight being turned on through events like the World Mobile Congress, the city is in a great position to flourish.The Spanish are making progress, but one area to tackle is the need to create a better startup ecosystem so talent can begin to grow. The crisis has certainly thrown a curve ball at the Spaniards, but it also may be nurturing the perfect soil in which to grow a thriving new community. The cost and way of living attract a new pool of internationals to start up and stay. Yet it can also motivate those stuck in the crisis to step out, be creative, and make a move towards their entrepreneur dreams. Currently, the risk of doing nothing is worse than trying a new project. Perhaps spearheading the crisis is just what Barcelonians need to show the world what they’re made of.