The BAC will be the city’s second specialised economic activity hub after the launch of the Barcelona XRLAB in May, devoted to creative industries.

The hub will operate as a lab for enterprise and innovation in the circular economy, aimed at fostering the digital transformation of industry and supporting the implementation of new circular economy models which are more sustainable, generate a positive impact for the local area and help create and attract talent and qualified jobs.

The new facility will be located in the industrial unit at C/ Ciutat d’Asunción, 16, distributed over three floors with an overall floor space of 3,400 square metres, devoted to four very specific areas of activity:

• Promotion of entrepreneurial initiatives and new business models, with programmes for incubating and accelerating projects.
• Business competitiveness and innovation, with innovation programmes and prototyping of solutions in the digital manufacturing workshop.
• Talent and training, with a mainly practical programme adapted to the needs of the ecosystem.
• Connection with the community, as a space for collaboration and innovation open to the various stakeholders in the ecosystem and industry.

Goal: diversification of the economy

Specific economic activity hubs form part of the strategy to diversify the city economy according to Barcelona Impulsa, the roadmap for the city’s economic promotion through to 2035. These are physical facilities that act as hubs to attract talent, entrepreneurial initiative, investment and new economic activity.

Besides the Barcelona XRLAB and the BAC, work is also being carried out on Barcelona Urban Innovation (BUI), a hub promoted by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) and dedicated to urban innovation. In a second stage, a new hub is also planned for the care and ageing economy.