For the first time, Catalonia has become Spain’s top performing region in the European Commission’s Regional Innovation Scoreboard, the EU’s benchmark for measuring innovation across 241 regions.
Catalonia now reaches 124.7 points on the innovation index, ahead of the Basque Country (121.7) and the Community of Madrid (119.5), and clearly above the EU average of 112.6.
For Barcelona & Partners, working daily with companies and investors evaluating expansion opportunities, this milestone confirms a trend we see on the ground. Catalonia’s innovation ecosystem is not only improving, it is now setting the pace within Spain.
A notable leap forward
Catalonia remains in the Strong Innovator group, the second highest of four categories defined by the European Commission: Innovation Leaders, Strong Innovators, Moderate Innovators, and Emerging Innovators.
Compared with the previous edition, when Catalonia ranked third nationally with 119.9 points, the region gained 4.8 points to move into first place. Since 2018, the first year with comparable data, its score has increased by 16.1 points.
The Basque Country, historically Spain’s leading region in this ranking, also improved slightly by 0.8 points, but was overtaken by Catalonia’s stronger momentum. Madrid, meanwhile, saw a marginal decline of 0.6 points and moved into third place.
Spain now has five regions performing above the EU average: Catalonia, the Basque Country, Madrid, Navarre, and the Valencian Community. At the European level, the top performing regions continue to include Stockholm, Hovedstaden, London, Zurich, and Upper Bavaria.
What is driving the improvement
Catalonia’s rise reflects a longer term trajectory. The region was already classified as a strong innovator in the early 2010s, before falling back during the years of economic crisis, when reduced public investment and shifting policy priorities impacted innovation performance.
In recent years, this trend has reversed. Catalonia has regained its Strong Innovator status and, for the first time, taken the lead nationally.
A key factor behind this progress is increased collaboration between companies and public research institutions, particularly among small and medium sized enterprises. Technology centres such as Eurecat have contributed to this shift, delivering thousands of innovation projects and supporting companies in developing and scaling new technologies.
Where challenges remain
Despite this progress, the report highlights areas where further improvement is needed.
Innovation among SMEs, particularly in processes rather than products, remains below the level of leading regions. Patent activity is still comparatively low, and both public and private investment in research and development fall short of what would be required to match top European performers.
In addition, Catalan SMEs tend to be smaller than their European counterparts, which can limit their capacity to invest in innovation, even as sectors such as biotechnology continue to grow strongly.
Why this matters for businesses and investors
Regional innovation performance increasingly shapes strategic decisions: where companies locate research and development centres, how investors assess ecosystems, and how public funding is allocated.
Catalonia’s move into first place nationally is a clear signal that its fundamentals, talent, research capabilities, and the ability to translate innovation into market outcomes, are strengthening.
For companies and investors, this is not just a ranking shift. It reflects a deeper transformation: a more connected, more mature, and increasingly competitive innovation ecosystem.
From Barcelona, this momentum is especially visible in the growing number of international companies choosing the city as a base for innovation, technology development, and growth.
Get in touch to explore how Barcelona can support your innovation and investment strategy.