All through history, the Mediterranean area has attracted special interest from the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation. From the days of the Sea Consulates right up to the present time, the Chamber has always been at the forefront in the development of initiatives aimed at building bridges and opportunities. In recent years, the Chamber has turned Barcelona into a platform  and landmark for business and economy along the Mediterranean: the sea of three continents, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The new trade routes between East and West will no longer be just for silks, but for ideas and knowledge. The cultural richness and diversity of the Mediterranean may be where this exchange of creativity and innovation occurs. And Barcelona, linked to Europe and pending Africa, could become the global location dedicated to finding solutions to meet the far-reaching and bespoke creative needs of international investors and companies.

Barcelona has become one of the main digital hubs in the Mediterranean region and Europe. It is already the main start-up hub in the region. In addition, Barcelona is the first Mediterranean and third most attractive European city for entrepreneurs to found a start-up and the world’s fifth most attractive for digital talent. This positions
Barcelona as a Mediterranean technology hub with a great potential for attracting talent and international investment in the digital field.

With its business-ready infrastructure and leadership position, Barcelona offers creators the opportunity to harness the untapped potential of the Mediterranean. There are human resources, youth, very talented women, distribution capacity at a Mediterranean and international level. Creativity is nourished by optimism, and Barcelona and the Mediterranean have this resource in abundance.

At the Mediterranean level, Barcelona is emerging as a leading platform for professionals seeking to connect with innovative companies, driven by the digital transformation of essential sectors, such as health, education, finance, commerce or entertainment, among others.

Barcelona could be the heart of Mediterranean creativity, a privileged destination for creatives. The city promotes brainstorming and production, in an environment of free thinking, with clusters and support networks, a city that wishes to promote a sustainable future based on knowledge, in creating an agile and motivated public-private synergy that promotes a dynamic, creative and innovative environment. In this Forum, distinguished Barcelona business leaders and economists will share their insights on how international companies could take advantage of Barcelona’s unique role to capture More Talent, startups and Digital Business opportunities.