B2B Talks: Barcelona’s digital ecosystem, a new magnet for artificial intelligence

How is Barcelona driving the development of artificial intelligence in Europe? What opportunities does the tech ecosystem offer start-ups and companies?

In this meeting, we’ll be looking at Barcelona’s key role as one of the continent’s most outstanding tech hubs, with a special focus on artificial intelligence (AI). Growth in the city’s digital ecosystem has mushroomed, attracting foreign investment, highly qualified talent and new start-ups.

It’s no coincidence that the European Union has chosen the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) to create one of the continent’s seven advanced development centres for artificial intelligence, known as ‘AI factories’, with the aim of opening up access to supercomputers so businesses, SMEs and start-ups can develop cutting-edge generative AI models.

Thanks to European companies established in the city, we’ll be presenting success stories that illustrate Barcelona’s potential as a driver of tech innovation.

The session will end with a networking space and drinks to facilitate contact between speakers and attendees and offer the chance to talk directly with representatives from European chambers of commerce about their services and business networks.

PROGRAMME:

4.30 pm - Opening and registration

4.45 pm - Welcome and introduction to the meeting

• Mario Rubert, Director of International Economic Promotion, Barcelona City Council
• Christian Marion, General Director of the French Chamber of Commerce in Barcelona and Coordinator of European Chambers of Commerce in Spain
• José Antonio de Ros, General Director of Eres Relocation

Event hosted by:
 Carles Planas Bou, journalist specializing in Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Power at El Periódico de Catalunya

5.00 pm - New projects and future investments in the field of artificial intelligence in Barcelona

Towards a smart and ethical city: challenges, opportunities and public-private commitment in the field of AI
• Patricia Moreno Atanasio, director of Innovation and City Technologies, Instituto Municipal de Informàtica, Barcelona City Council

Barcelona Supercomputing Center: future European AI factory
• Patricio Reyes, Senior Researcher and Head of Urban Data Science, Data Analysis and Visualization Group at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center – National Supercomputing Center

Positioning DFactory Barcelona, the leading tech ecosystem for Industry 4.0 (robotics, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity)
• Marta Vergés, Head of International Promotion at the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona

5.30 pm - Business panel discussion: success stories of start-ups and European tech companies developing innovative products and services thanks to AI, big data and the digital transformation. 

•Adrián Escudé, Chief Operating Officer, Sequra
• Iacopo Neri, Noumena and MPG Digital Visual Studies
• Inetum
• Marc Villalongue, Growth Marketing Director for Spain and Portugal, Revolut

Moderator:
• Sara Vallribera Gross-Melzer, Innovation Lead, GFT IT Consulting, S.L.U.

6.15 pm - Q & A 

6.30 pm  - Business networking 

Event promoted by the Directorate for International Economic Promotion at Barcelona City Council, in conjunction with European chambers of commerce in Barcelona: German Chamber of Commerce for Spain, Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Barcelona, Spanish-Finnish Chamber of Commerce, French Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, Italian Chamber of Commerce-Barcelona, British Chamber of Commerce in Spain, Spanish-Czech Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, Spanish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, Spanish-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Danish Business Circle of Barcelona.

Free, in-person session. Pre-registration is required. 

Capacity is limited. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.