Barcelona is a hub on innovation, business, technology and artificial intelligence

As we announced at the beginning of the year, Barcelona is the eighth leading hub for technology investment in Europe. It’s not surprising, then, that it will host one of the seven AI factories in Europe, gradually consolidating its position. But in fact, technology and innovation span many sectors, one of them being medicine and the life sciences, a key area of strength in the city. Now, at the end of the year, the French multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company Sanofi will open a new innovation hub in Barcelona, creating 300 specialized jobs and driving forward innovation itself.

The hub will be part of the Global Innovation Center, which will bring together an international team working in three primary areas: finance, supply chain, and digital, aside to health care.

Innovation and investment: synonyms of Barcelona

The Barcelona Global association brings together 279 research, training, and business institutions that help attract foreign investment, international talent, and, of course, the most advanced developments in science and technology to the city.

Last year, thanks to this ecosystem, capital investment in companies rose by 39%, generating 1.257 new jobs. Focusing on the new facilities of this pharmaceutical company, we see that its offices  (located also in Riells, Viabrea, and Madrid) currently employ around 1. 450 people. With the opening of this new hub, that number will undoubtedly increase.

But the significance goes beyond job creation. The main focus of these positions is to drive innovation and improve quality of life. Key areas include metabolic diseases, the central nervous system, oncology, cardiovascular disease, internal medicine, thrombosis, and vaccine production.

This new hub will not only address these needs but also enable the implementation and application of cutting-edge innovation in data science, including artificial intelligence.

Fourth industrial revolution?

As of mid-2025, we can’t yet speak of a fourth industrial revolution, but we’re getting very close. Just as computers once transformed the way we work, understand, and communicate, AI is set to do the same. We’ve gone from mechanization to mass production and electricity, then to computing and automation. So, what comes next?

Technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, robotics, and AI, or perhaps a combination of all of them, will be present across every sector, making all types of work more efficient.

But to make this possible, we first need professionals and people specialized in innovation and technology. That’s where institutions like our business school play a key role, offering cutting-edge programs that reflect the latest developments in technology and AI.

In fact, as we announced a few days ago, digital skills are expected to grow by 35% by 2030. There has never been a better time to train in these skills than now, through programs like our MSc Digital Transformation & Business Innovation.