Barcelona Business Support Ecosystem: A European Good Practice

Thanks to the TRINNO project, Resolvo took part in a study visit in Barcelona to one of the most advanced systems in the EU for supporting entrepreneurs and start-ups. The visit was hosted by TRINNO Advisory Partrner, University of Barcelona – Barcelona Institut d’Emprenedoria.

The City of Barcelona’s Strategic Framework for 2012-2015 was designed to make Barcelona a city of culture, knowledge, creativity and science; a favourable environment that attracts and retains talent. The political commitment is based on years of work by a huge range of public and private actors in this field.

Barcelonactiva is well known across Europe for its work to support the creation and growth of new businesses. As part of Barcelona City Council, Barcelonactiva has been implementing policies to develop employment, entrepreneurship and business for thirty years. It’s services are offered in various locations in and around Barcelona. TRINNO partners were guided round Glòries Entrepreneurship Centre, the city entrepreneurs’ facility. The building hosts the Resource Centre for Entrepreneurs, a space with information, meeting / training rooms, interactive multimedia and an Advisory Point for starting and running a business.

Among other things, the city has managed to take advantage of its role as Mobile World Capital to promote business thanks to the transversal power of mobile / smart phones technology. The 22@ Innovation District is a whole area of the city dedicated to digital innovation, mobile technology and innovative business support.

The city’s flagship Barcelona Growth Centre – located in the MediaTIC building at the heart of the 22@ Innovation District is the symbol of Barcelona’s service orientation to local and foreign companies, economic growth and job creation. TRINNO partners visited the building and, in particular, the M-startup-barcelona programme that supports the creation of mobile technologies businesses.

But Barcelona is not only about high-tech. The city is also sensitive to humanities and social sciences. In this context, the University of Barcelona has begun development of a Humanities and Social Sciences Park in the 22@ district. The park will be hosted in Can Jaumandreu and Can Ricart, both ex-factories that will be restructured over the coming years. TRINNO partners held part of their interregional meeting in Can Jaumandreu, which will be the first part of the park to be opened (expected 2017), already having been used an incubator space for Barcelonactiva.

 

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