Barcelona’s easy-going but cosmopolitan Mediterranean lifestyle provides the perfect backdrop for professional careers. This walkable and open-air city has a European cultural offer second to none in all aspects, from cuisine to performing arts, while its melting pot of nationalities establish a welcoming atmosphere for all newcomers.

Catalonia, whose capital is Barcelona, has always been one of Europe’s four leading industrial regions, pioneering the continent’s productive capacity in areas ranging from textile to automobile. Today, it’s dynamic and internationalized export economy means Barcelona is one of Europe’s most attractive cities for foreign investment.


EU GDP percentage produced by
four leading industrial regions

/ 1.69% EU GPD Barcelona’s region
/ 2.01% EU GDP Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
/ 2.2% EU GDP Lombardia
/ 3.74% EU GDP Baden-Wurttemberg

Entrepreneurs, both local and from abroad, thrive in Barcelona: yet another example of the city’s innovative capacity. This wide-ranging and active digital ecosystem full of networking possibilities has created one of Europe’s leading startup cultures, undoubtedly driven by the Barcelona Tech City, 4YFN, and the Mobile World Congress, but also due to the ease of attracting and maintaining young global digital talent due to the city’s Mediterranean lifestyle.


Key Facts

/ 3rd startup hub in Europe
/ + 1,700 startups
/ 5th European scaleups ecosystem

With one of Europe’s largest higher education student populations and international campuses of excellence, Barcelona is a hive of talent.
A strong research tradition, often focused on emerging sectors such as biotechnology, new and renewable energies or advanced materials to mention just a few, means that talent also grows solidly here.


/ Key facts

5th city in scientific production in Europe and 18th Worldwide

+ 252,000 university students
+ 50,000 master’s and doctoral students
at the Barcelona region’s universities
+ 30% of postgraduate’s students are
international
+ 500 master’s degrees on offer
+ 40 research institutions

Barcelona offers an unparalleled balance between quality of life, talent and cost structure.
Barcelona’s European and global investment attraction is heightened thanks to a favorable mix of factors; where the local innovation culture, its strong industrial base and qualified professionals are all complemented by highly competitive prices in terms of salaries, office space and service providers.