Maria 01 and Tech Barcelona have signed a strategic collaboration agreement to strengthen ties between the startup ecosystems of Helsinki and Barcelona.

The partnership brings together two leading European innovation communities with the goal of fostering stronger connections between startups, investors, corporates and ecosystem builders across both markets.

Founded in 2016, Maria 01 has become one of Europe’s most recognised startup campuses and communities, home to more than 220 startups and a network of over 2,000 members. On the other hand, Tech Barcelona, established in 2013, represents more than 1,500 members and over 110 partner organisations.

Through this agreement, both organisations will collaborate on initiatives aimed at encouraging knowledge exchange, supporting startup internationalisation and creating new opportunities through events and shared visibility iniciatives.

The alliance reflects a growing momentum among Europe’s leading innovation hubs to work more closely together and create stronger bridges for entrepreneurs looking to scale internationally. With Helsinki and Barcelona both recognised as rising tech capitals in Europe, this collaboration marks a significant step toward building a more connected and globally competitive European startup ecosystem.

JetBrains, the creator of intelligent development tools trusted by 15 million users and 88 of the Fortune Global Top 100, has joined Tech Barcelona as a Global Partner. This partnership is designed to foster deep collaboration within the local ecosystem, creating new opportunities to engage directly with the developers, founders, and builders shaping Barcelona’s tech future.

Since its founding in 2000, Amsterdam-headquartered JetBrains has become a global leader in software development. The company’s portfolio features over 30 products, including premier IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm, alongside the JetBrains AI suite (Junie and the code-centric LLM, Mellum). JetBrains also provide essential team tools like YouTrack and TeamCity, and are the creators of Kotlin, a cross-platform language used annually by over 2.5 million developers.

JetBrains is strengthening its footprint in Spain by partnering with Tech Barcelona, Southern Europe’s largest tech association, which represents over 1,500 members and 110 partners. Building on the recent establishment of JetBrains Spain, this alliance represents a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to building a lasting, long-term presence in Barcelona.

According to Daniil Shulgin, Country Manager at JetBrains Spain, “Spain has the talent and the ambition. Partnering with Tech Barcelona is how we put that to work — bringing our expertise in developer tooling to the community and giving local startups the support to reach their next stage.”

Miquel Martí, CEO of Tech Barcelona, stated: “Our goal is to connect the ecosystem with leading developer tools and help startups access the resources and support they need to grow and scale. Working with a European company with global reach like JetBrains adds further strength to this effort.”

Barcelona, April 29, 2026. – Global travel platform Skyscanner has become a Corporate Partner of Tech Barcelona, the non-profit association representing Barcelona’s digital and tech ecosystem. Through this alliance, the association strengthens its ecosystem with the addition of a company committed to Barcelona, focused on investing in talent, fostering new collaborations and accelerating innovation in travel technology.

Founded in Edinburgh in 2003, Skyscanner operates in more than 180 countries, helping millions of travellers compare flights, accommodation and ground transport options. In Barcelona, the company contributes to the local ecosystem through its technology teams, working across areas such as engineering, data and product development, while collaborating with other players to create better travel experiences for users worldwide.

By joining Tech Barcelona, Skyscanner seeks to strengthen its relationship with the city’s tech community through the exchange of best practices, the sharing of knowledge and learnings and active participation in collective innovation initiatives. As a global travel-tech company with a strong focus on AI-driven products, Skyscanner looks forward to supporting initiatives and fostering dialogue with one of Europe’s largest tech hubs.

“Skyscanner is on a mission to become the world’s number one travel ally, helping people move faster, travel smarter, and discover more of the world with ease and confidence. We are committed to making travel search, planning, and booking more transparent and efficient, while helping lead the industry’s transition towards more modern and sustainable travel. Our presence in Barcelona is key to accelerating that mission through technology, talent, and community,” stated Toni Marqués, Director of Engineering at Skyscanner.

Miquel Martí, CEO of Tech Barcelona, said: “Skyscanner strengthens Barcelona’s position as a leading European tech hub, particularly in established sectors such as travel. Its growing commitment to collaboration and knowledge sharing will add great value to the ecosystem.”

Miguel Vicente, President of Tech Barcelona, added: “Barcelona is already home to exceptional talent and an ecosystem where tech frontrunners like Skyscanner demonstrate how innovation developed in the city can have a global impact. At Tech Barcelona, we act as a gateway for these companies, helping them connect with the local community and grow together with the ecosystem.”

Thinex, the technology unit of the Girona-based printing company Rotimpres, has joined the Tech Barcelona association as a Corporate Partner to foster collaboration with the city’s tech ecosystem and accelerate the development of innovative solutions linked to printed electronics.

ELO Digital Office Spain has joined Tech Barcelona as a Global Partner, landing at Pier 01 and bringing its expertise in digital innovation to the local tech ecosystem.

Founded in Stuttgart in 1998, ELO develops digital solutions for companies of all sizes and industries. Today, with a team of more than 1,000 people worldwide, the company helps organizations improve information management, automate processes, and work more efficiently.

With a network of partners and technology alliances, including Microsoft, SAP, and IBM, ELO aims to expand its reach while staying connected to local ecosystems.

PINN, a consultancy specialized in strategy and innovation, has joined the Tech Barcelona association as a Corporate Partner to foster collaboration within the ecosystem and promote the development of projects in the health sector.

Founded in Barcelona in 2021, PINN will support Tech Barcelona in identifying, analyzing, and developing initiatives related to innovation and health technologies—a sector that in Catalonia brings together 1,650 companies and 94 research institutions. The initiative aims to integrate all ecosystem stakeholders to build a shared vision around key challenges and address them through a systemic approach that enables the activation of the best solutions.

Within this framework, a working group has been established, bringing together representatives from the public sector, hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry, startups, associations and professional bodies, universities, business schools, and key figures from the healthcare field. PINN and Tech Barcelona will create a permanent space for dialogue and collaboration, facilitating interaction among stakeholders and helping identify growth opportunities and new solutions.

According to Juan Varela and Carles Mur, founding partners of PINN, “this alliance represents a key opportunity to consolidate a strong and cohesive ecosystem, ready to collaborate strategically in addressing the sector’s major challenges through true innovation processes.”

According to Miquel Martí, CEO of Tech Barcelona, “the agreement with PINN and the creation of this working group respond to a clear trend in the development of the health ecosystem: collaboration among all stakeholders can generate very positive open innovation dynamics, accelerate the integration of new technologies into the healthcare system, and ultimately have a positive impact on citizens’ lives.”

With this initiative, Barcelona strengthens its ambition to position itself as an international benchmark in health innovation.

Barcelona, January 15, 2026.– UK-based edtech firm Cambridge Spark has recently established operations in Barcelona as part of its international growth strategy, reinforcing its ambition to become a leading provider of AI and data education in Europe. The company has also partnered with Tech Barcelona, the non-profit association representing the city’s tech and digital ecosystem –bringing together more than 1,500 members– to integrate into the local tech community, foster new synergies and support the development of startup and corporate talent across Spain.

Founded in London in 2016, Cambridge Spark supports organisations and professionals in accelerating their digital transformation through data and AI skills programmes. By establishing operations in Barcelona and joining Tech Barcelona’s ecosystem, the education provider will access new talent, increase its visibility, build strategic connections and accelerate its expansion in Spain while, at the same time, contributing to strengthening Barcelona’s position as a global tech hub. The city currently hosts more than 160 multinational technology hubs, over 2,300 startups and a digital workforce of approximately 130,000 IT professionals.

Dr. Raoul-Gabriel Urma, Founder and Group CEO of Cambridge Spark, commented: “Barcelona marks a key milestone in Cambridge Spark’s expansion. We see the city as a vibrant digital and technology ecosystem, offering unique opportunities for collaboration and growth. Partnering with Tech Barcelona allows us to connect with the right talent, gain visibility and build strong relationships that will ensure our success in the Spanish market.

“Miquel Martí, CEO at Tech Barcelona, stated: “We are in the era of AI adoption, and companies must upskill their employees to remain competitive. Having a partner like Cambridge Spark will enable organisations within our ecosystem to access world-class training in data and AI, driving growth and innovation.”

For his part, Miguel Vicente, president of Tech Barcelona, added:“Cambridge Spark is yet another example of an international company choosing Barcelona as a gateway to the wider market and to the network of companies established here. Tech Barcelona serves as the entry point for these global companies, helping them connect with the local ecosystem and grow alongside it.”

The fibre optic infrastructure that Adamo has installed in the “Piers” consists of high-capacity dedicated links delivered directly from its backbone network, providing a symmetrical, stable connection with optimal performance for high-demand environments and massive data transmission.

In addition to the services that Adamo provides to Tech Barcelona, any company or institution that is part of the association will be able to access Adamo’s services with advantages and special conditions. For those companies with specific connectivity needs, Adamo makes its technical team (Network Engineering) available to jointly define tailor-made solutions that respond to these requests. Outside the scope of the Piers themselves, Adamo’s network allows for solutions to be proposed to provide advanced connectivity to locations throughout the country.

Marc Casademunt, Head of Corporate & Public at Adamo, says that “unlike other operators and as a company founded in 22@, part of Barcelona’s technological ecosystem since 2004 and a member of Tech Barcelona since 2022, Adamo understands and shares a vision of reality that is very close to that of Tech Barcelona’s members and partners. We are a flexible technological ally for a wide range of clients, whether they are start-ups or large corporations and public institutions: we listen to their needs, make the possibilities of our network available to them and offer connectivity solutions with high added value, beyond a simple service as part of a rigid and predefined portfolio.”

Innovation at the heart of the city

Tech Barcelona’s ecosystem model is deployed across a network of unique buildings connected so that innovation and technology are integrated into the city and coexist with its citizens. Pier01, an iconic headquarters since 2016 and the birthplace of successful start-ups in Barcelona, is a 12,000 m² space that is home to nearly 100 entities, from start-ups to large corporations and institutions such as ACCIÓ, ICEX and Mobile World Capital Barcelona. With the growth of the ecosystem, Pier03, a historic building in the Porxos d’en Xifré, was inaugurated in 2018 and has become a cross-cutting extension of Pier01. The most recent addition, Pier07, is a 6,000 m² building located at Via Laietana 26, focused on innovation in life sciences and offering space for start-ups, pharmaceutical companies, specialised investors and the European artificial intelligence factory BSC AI Factory.

Barcelona, 28 October 2025. – Xplore Studios, in close collaboration with Ingka Group, the largest retailer within the IKEA franchise system, has launched a pilot programme in Barcelona to explore, develop and test new solutions that will shape the future of retail. As part of this pilot, Xplore Studios has joined Tech Barcelona as a Global Partner, connecting with the city’s ecosystem of start-ups and creative talent.

Xplore Studio Barcelona will act as a space for co-creation and experimentation, connecting entrepreneurs, companies, universities and customers to design and test new solutions. The studio applies an open innovation model, exploring new formats and technologies to respond to consumer needs.

Through its collaboration with Tech Barcelona, Xplore Studio Barcelona will engage with the association’s community, made up of more than 1,500 members, 100 partners and their talent, to drive initiatives in artificial intelligence, automation, new experiences and circularity, developing and testing concepts to scale in global markets.

“We are delighted to launch Xplore Studio in Barcelona, where we will explore, learn and jointly create new solutions for retail together with Barcelona’s ecosystem of innovation and creativity. The collaboration with Tech Barcelona allows us to fully immerse ourselves and engage with the city’s talent in our mission to explore the retail of the future, with the ultimate goal of creating a better everyday life for many people,” says Susanna Kamph, Leader of Xplore Studio Barcelona.

According to Miguel Vicente, President of Tech Barcelona: ‘The agreement with Xplore Studios reinforces our goal of connecting global companies with Barcelona’s innovation ecosystem. It is a collaboration that empowers our own start-ups to develop solutions with global impact.’

Miquel Martí, CEO of Tech Barcelona, added: ‘Few cities combine creativity and innovation like Barcelona. The arrival of Xplore Studios demonstrates how global brands are now turning to our ecosystem for inspiration, collaboration and experimentation.’