The IT & technology industry is big business in Barcelona! Located within the highly digitised region of Catalonia, Barcelona-Catalonia stands as the fifth most digitised area in Europe and easily outperforms tech leaders like the UK and Germany. This remarkable level of digitalization has made Barcelona a haven for tech companies, startups, and multinationals alike. The chief reason Barcelona’s IT & technology industry enjoys such success is its unparalleled connectivity. Catalonia is Europe’s most highly connected society, providing businesses with the digital infrastructure they need to thrive. Additionally, Catalonia became the first region in Europe to establish an open 5G laboratory, further attracting technology companies looking to test and implement cutting-edge solutions. In terms of human capital, Catalonia ranks fourth in Europe for its workforce's readiness for digitization. Barcelona-Catalonia has also become one of Europe’s go-to destinations for startups, boasting around 2,100 startups. The city is ranked as the second-best place in Europe to launch a startup and the fifth-largest startup hub in the EU. This fertile environment has produced seven unicorns—startups that have achieved a valuation of over $1 billion—including well-known names like Glovo, eDreams, Wallbox, and TravelPerk. The thriving startup scene is backed by a robust ecosystem that provides access to venture capital, networking opportunities, and an entrepreneurial mindset. This has drawn an influx of tech entrepreneurs from across Europe. It’s not just startups that are flocking to Barcelona; large multinational companies are also increasingly choosing the city as their European base. The proactive business mentality and highly supportive tech ecosystem have attracted blue-chip companies such as Alstom, which recently expanded its operations with a new 3D printing hub, and DE-CIX, which has established Southern Europe’s largest neutral interconnection ecosystem in Barcelona. Additionally, in 2021, over 50% of technological projects in Catalonia were the installation of new digital innovation hubs.