An integral component of Barcelona's smart city ecosystem, Barcelona Activa serves as the city council's economic development agency. The organisation's core mission revolves around fostering entrepreneurship, nurturing startups, and enhancing workforce skills through a comprehensive suite of programmes and resources. This includes operating technology incubators and co-working spaces, thereby providing essential infrastructure and collaborative environments for nascent businesses to thrive.
Significantly, Barcelona Activa delivers extensive training programmes focused on digital skills, artificial intelligence, and data science. Its Cibernàrium programme, a notable initiative, has imparted digital literacy to over 500,000 citizens, positioning it as one of the largest public digital training initiatives across Europe. With a focus on social entrepreneurship and urban innovation, Barcelona Activa plays a pivotal role in shaping Barcelona's economic landscape. By equipping citizens with cutting-edge skills and supporting innovative ventures, the agency actively contributes to the city's smart city objectives, fostering sustainable growth and enhancing the quality of life for its residents. Their efforts directly address the need for a digitally skilled workforce, essential for realising the full potential of smart city technologies and initiatives at the local level.