Barcelona Tech City will soon open its doors to a second building for the city’s entrepreneurs. The opening is scheduled for November and is designed to foster relationships between new model companies. It will focus on one of the most promising technological innovations of recent times, blockchain technology. Barcelona Tech City is a private non-profit association, open to the entire local and international technology ecosystem based in Barcelona.
The association works with entrepreneurs, startups, consolidated companies, investors, incubators, accelerators, universities, business schools, media companies, government agencies and other entities.
The blockchain and state censorship
It is also a project promoted by local entrepreneurs who currently represent more than 1,000 associated companies and Barcelona has become a key centre for startups. The latest studies already recognise it as one of the first four big cities in the European Union for entrepreneurs and in the last two years more than 1.2 billion euros have been invested in the city between acquisitions and capital increases by international funds.
However, with regard to the creation of the new building, the association is looking for entrepreneurs who are located in this new infrastructure to share their experiences. They will develop a true urban campus that will promote new businesses and even encourage the start of new startups by jointly identifying new challenges and proposing possible solutions.
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Pier 01 International Technology Hub of Reference in Europe
It is a building of more than 11,000 m2 where about 1,000 people from more than 100 companies and startups live daily. Located in Palau de Mar, Pier01 is one of the most important projects of Barcelona Tech City.
The space includes a coworking area, showrooms and common areas to promote Bitcoin Evolution innovation and collaboration.
This building is unique in the world. First, because of the space available. In addition, startups are represented in its different stadiums, from people starting in coworking to more consolidated companies like HolaLuz or Antai itself.
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But they have also attracted accelerators such as Connector or the Mobile World Capital in Barcelona and venture capital funds. In addition to having innovation centers of large companies such as Gas Natural Fenosa, the Metropolis:Lab in Seat or the Payment Innovation Hub of Caixabank, Samsung and Visa, among others.
Pier01 facilitates contact, collaboration and innovation, it is a meeting point that brings together much of the ecosystem in one place, to promote collaboration and innovation, in facilities completely dedicated to the technological and digital ecosystem of Barcelona.
New buildings
It took them a little over two years to open Pier 01, as these are complex projects where you have to search for available locations. The demand is there and their vision is to create a Technological Bay that goes from the 22@ neighborhood to the center of the city. They are contemplating growth through other piers or vertical campuses in which digital technology subsectors such as health, gaming or blockchain technology will be installed.
They promote initiatives that break the digital divide, since they want and work to achieve equal opportunities among young people. As far as funding is concerned, the association relies heavily on contributions from its members and partners. A list that includes Seat, Telefónica, the Mobile World Capital, Caixabank, Gas Natural Fenosa, KPMG, Letgo, Esade, Airbnb, Ymedia Vizeum, Epson or Damm.