Business District…

Barcelona’s Poblenou quarter is home to the 22@ innovation hub, an inspired project where almost 3 million sq m of derelict warehouses has been re-envisioned for business, education and technology development.

In 2000, the government invested €180m into redeveloping the neighborhood. Ten years later the numbers are looking good: 1,502 companies have set up offices around 22@ (bringing 44,600 jobs).  There are 4,000 new social housing units and10 universities. Also, the inclusion of 114,000 sq m of green spaces and 29km of cycling lanes make 22@ a model for sustainable city planning.

22@ fosters social interactions through the professional spaces designated in the district. The 22@Network is composed of companies and institutions within the district that have innovation and knowledge as key components to their business models.

The innovating start-ups operating out of 22@Barcelona are leading the new technological revolution seen in the city. Barcelona production expertise is changing rapidly: more than two-thirds of its exports now are high or medium-high technological goods.

The ‘innovation hub’ model of 22@ is nurturing the right type of business activities and shared expertise that will help Barcelona to intensify its knowledge-driven industrial activities and profit from them.