Barcelona – Catalonia: The hub for tech in Europe

Barcelona-Catalonia has emerged as a dynamic tech hub, with companies worldwide choosing the city to establish digital centers for the European market. Currently hosting 96 global tech development centers, Catalonia has witnessed a remarkable doubling of tech hubs since 2018, generating an annual economic impact of over 1.4 billion, poised to surpass 2 billion by 2025.

In a recent Tech Spirit edition in Barcelona, Catalonia Trade & Investment hosted a roundtable featuring industry leaders, including IOI Interactive, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Quantion, shedding light on the benefits and challenges of setting up digital hubs in the city.

IOI Interactive, a leading AAA independent games developer and publisher, set up a studio in Barcelona in 2021. Eduard López, Studio Head of IOI Interactive Barcelona, highlighted the city's thriving passion for video game development and the growing success of the mobile market as key factors in their decision to establish a presence in Barcelona.

Quantion, a Catalan company specializing in facilitating digital transformations for businesses, collaborated with Lufthansa to launch its first digital hub in Southern Europe. Jordi Griful, CEO of Quantion, emphasized Barcelona's strategic advantages in talent, security, and connectivity, making it the ideal choice for their project.

Boehringer Ingelheim, a pharmaceutical giant, strategically located its European IT Hub in Barcelona. Marieta Ramos, Head of IT at Boehringer Ingelheim Spain, outlined the three reasons behind this decision: a strong existing presence in Barcelona, an impressive talent pipeline from local universities, and a favorable cost-benefit ratio.

Watch the roundtable to learn all the insights from IO Interactive, Qauntion, and Boehringer Ingelheim.