The 5th Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW), organized by the Barcelona Free Zone Consortium (CZFB), ended with a record participation of 12,746 experts, of which 7,522 in person and 5,224 participated online. During the four-day event, participants took part in panels, sessions and discussions focused on the socio-economic challenges faced by businesses, large enterprises and start-ups in the development of Industry 4.0.
In this edition, BNEW facilitated the creation of over 10,129 networking contacts through the digital platform specially developed by CZFB. Pere Navarro, state representative of the consortium, said the fifth edition exceeded expectations in terms of participation and became a reference point for the new economy. Navarro added: “Once again we created new business opportunities, formed alliances to tackle big challenges, and shared knowledge and experience among our experts.” Furthermore, it was announced that preparations are already underway for the 6th event to be held in October 2025.
“BNEW brings together all the areas we have brought together: human resources, sustainability, mobility, health, aviation and the digital industry. Because we “We live in a very dynamic world that is constantly changing.” ” .Soliguet noted that the event offers a disruptive and unique experience, establishing itself as an essential event for the B2B sector.
Technology and health: a key combination for the future
One of the highlights of the final day was a session on the application of new technologies in the medical field, moderated by Santiago de Torres, Executive President of Atrys Health. Josep Maria Campisto, General Director of Barcelona Hospital Clinic, also participated. Manel del Castillo, Executive Director of the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Barcelona. and Montserrat Vendrell, co-founding partner of Aliath Bioventures.
Mr. Kampistol highlighted the current complexities of the healthcare sector around the world, characterized by increasing demand, shortages of experts, and financing issues that impact the sustainability and accessibility of the system. I did. As he pointed out, “Technology is the only way to reverse this situation. A better future requires disruptive and bold new health profiles.”
Manel del Castillo pointed out the importance of leveraging technology to improve accessibility, stressing: It’s telemedicine. ” Montserrat Vendrell believes that “artificial intelligence is transforming the entire value chain and has great potential to improve diagnosis, treatment and system sustainability”, and believes that “artificial intelligence is transforming the entire value chain and has great potential to improve diagnosis, treatment and system sustainability”, and to integrate technological innovations in healthcare systems. emphasized the role of investors in
BNEW Aviation and Airways: The Future of Sustainable Connectivity
This year, the BNEW aviation sector debuted as one of the central themes of the event, focusing on the presentation “Strategic Forecasts of Spain’s Air Route Development in a Global Context”. The session, moderated by GPA CEO Jaume Adrover, was also attended by Ignacio Biosca, AENA’s Director of Data and Aviation Markets. Jordi Pla, Interim Chief Network and Strategy Officer, Vueling. Mr. Gabriel Shumilovic, Director of Volotea Strategy.
Ignacio Biosca said: “Spain is the fifth country in the world in terms of passenger numbers, making it a very competitive country in terms of air connectivity.” According to Biosca, this position is expected to be maintained by 2050. Jordi Pla emphasized the importance of Barcelona’s short-range connectivity and its potential to become a hub with longer-range connectivity. Gabriel Shmilovic highlighted the strategic role of railways as a complement to aviation, saying it expands options for passenger transport and enables a transition to more sustainable models.
Youth Excellence and Entrepreneurship in BNEW Talent
Within the BNEW Talent category, mayors from different Catalan towns presented their initiatives to motivate young people through technical and sustainable projects. The event also served as a venue for 30 startups selected from 170 participants to present their projects to investors and companies, promoting the creation of synergies and new business opportunities. .
