On 25 November, the University of Barcelona will host the 5th TECNIO Congress, bringing together more than one hundred TECNIO agents, companies, and representatives from the Government of Catalonia and the European Commission.

Organised by the TECNIO Association, the congress will explore how Europe’s new priorities in innovation, competitiveness, decarbonisation and strategic autonomy are affecting Catalonia’s business landscape, and how applied research and technology transfer can help companies adopt new technologies.

What topics will be addressed?

The event will focus on strategic technologies and sectors such as artificial intelligence, energy, agri-food, semiconductors and dual-use technologies. It will also address the challenges involved in bringing research results to market and turning them into business innovation.

In the afternoon, networking sessions will be organised to connect research groups with companies across five areas: construction, healthcare, agri-food, dual-use technologies and semiconductors, and water and energy management.

The impact of the TECNIO model

Between 2021 and 2025, TECNIO agents generated €460 million through projects and contracts with companies, supported the creation of 25 spin-offs and helped consolidate an ecosystem of more than 80 active companies.

They also have 161 intellectual property assets currently being exploited and more than 300 technologies available for licensing.

Europe and Catalonia: driving technology transfer

The congress will also address new European policies aimed at accelerating the journey from research to market, as well as Catalonia’s Business Innovation Strategy 2026–2030, which seeks to strengthen companies’ innovation capabilities and competitiveness.

The goal is to reinforce the connections between universities, research centres and companies so that scientific and technological knowledge can be translated into new business opportunities and economic activity.

Event information

• Date: 25 November 2026.
• Venue: Historic Building of the University of Barcelona.
• Organised by: TECNIO Association, with the support of ACCIÓ.

More information: 5th TECNIO Congress

EIT Urban Mobility launches the SME Market Expansion Open Call 2027, aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to expand their innovative urban mobility solutions into new markets and regions.

The objective is to support the commercialisation and replication of solutions that have already demonstrated their potential, facilitating their validation in real-world environments alongside public or private customers.

What types of projects are they looking for?

The call focuses on five key areas:

1. Public transport and shared mobility.
2. Urban logistics and last-mile delivery.
3. Transport electrification and alternative fuels.
4. Mobility data management and analytics.
5. Health, wellbeing and urban mobility.

Who can apply?

SMEs with an innovative solution and a public or private end client committed to testing it in a real-world environment are eligible to apply. Each company must apply individually.

What funding is available?

Selected companies can receive up to €60,000 per project. The call has a total budget of €600,000, expected to fund approximately 10 projects.

The funding will support solution validation, facilitate entry into new markets and create business opportunities across Europe.

Timeline

• Call opening: 9 October 2026.
• Application deadline: 1 December 2026, at 17:00 CET.
• Evaluation: January – February 2027.
• Results announcement: March 2027.
• Project start: 1 April 2027.
• Project completion: 31 October 2027.

Useful links

• • Official website: https://www.eiturbanmobility.eu/call-for-proposals/sme-market-expansion-open-call-2027/

The Santander X Racing Innovation Challenge is an initiative launched by Santander X and Real Racing Club, aimed at identifying startups, scaleups and innovative companies with technological solutions capable of transforming the future of sport.

Its goal is to connect entrepreneurial talent with the real needs of a professional football club, identifying innovative projects that can be implemented and generate a positive impact across the sports industry.

What types of projects are they looking for?

The challenge is structured around four main areas:

1. Sports Performance and Talent Development: AI-powered solutions, data analytics, computer vision and other technologies that enhance player performance, talent identification and the development of young athletes.
2. Museum, Heritage and History: Tools to digitise and preserve the club’s history, create immersive experiences through virtual or augmented reality, and develop interactive and educational content.
3. Fan Experience and Community: Applications, virtual assistants, loyalty programmes and personalised experiences that strengthen the relationship between the club and its supporters before, during and after matches.
4. E-commerce and Shopping Experience: Solutions to optimise purchases, reduce queues, personalise recommendations, improve e-commerce and transform the in-store shopping experience.

Who can participate?

The challenge is open to startups, scaleups and innovative companies that meet the following criteria:

• Based in Spain (foreign companies with a subsidiary in Spain are also eligible).
• Have validated solutions with growth potential.
• Develop technologies applicable to at least one of the challenge’s four focus areas.

Companies do not need to be Banco Santander customers, but they must be registered with Santander X to submit an application.

What can selected companies gain?

• Opportunity to collaborate with Real Racing Club: The possibility of exploring pilot projects and testing solutions in a real sporting environment (although this is not guaranteed).
• Visibility: The opportunity to present their project to executives from Racing, Banco Santander and industry experts.
• Access to Santander X 100: Joining Santander X’s community of leading startups and scaleups, with international visibility and access to resources.
• Networking and business opportunities: Connections with potential strategic partners across the sports and technology ecosystems.

Application timeline

Up to 12 semi-finalist projects (up to 3 per category) and up to 4 winning projects will be selected.

The finalists will be invited to attend an in-person semi-final in Santander, where they will pitch their projects in Spanish to a panel of expert judges.

Useful links

• Official Racing Innovation Challenge website
• Registration and application submission

The 2nd edition of Aina Hack is here! This hackathon presents real-world challenges to drive the development of new artificial intelligence applications and services that help strengthen the presence of Catalan in the digital world. The event will take place on 11 and 12 December at the Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC), in Barcelona.

The event is aimed at people aged 18 and over, particularly those with backgrounds or interests in:

• Computer engineering and software development
• Artificial intelligence and data science
• Telecommunications
• Mathematics and statistics
• Computational linguistics
• Translation and language technologies
• Innovation and digital transformation

Event information:

• • Event: Aina Hack 2026
  • Date: 11–12 December 2026
  • Venue: Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC). Plaça Nova, 5, Barcelona.
  • Registration: https://eurecat.tfaforms.net/5203120
  • Website: https://eurecat.org/calendari/aina-hack-2026/
  • Participation guidelines: https://storage.cdn.eurecat.org/AinaHack/Bases-2026.pdf

The Female Innovation Index, powered by Female Foundry, is an initiative that explores the European landscape of innovation and funding led by female entrepreneurs. Through an annual survey targeting female founders, investors, and professionals across the startup ecosystem, it gathers insights into key trends, opportunities, and challenges, shedding light on the reality of female entrepreneurship in Europe.

The survey for the 2027 edition will open on 2 November 2026 and takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. The responses will contribute to the development of the new index, which is scheduled to be launched in March 2027.

Key dates:

• 2 November 2026: Female Innovation Index 2027 survey opens.
• January 2027: Survey closes.
• Early March 2027: Publication of the Female Innovation Index 2027 and official launch event in London.

Take part in the survey: https://index2027survey.femalefoundry.co/

Find out more: https://www.femalefoundry.co/female-innovation-index

A breakfast for HR, People, Talent and Learning & Development (L&D) professionals, as well as team leaders, to exchange ideas about people, talent and what helps teams thrive.

Good Coffee. Different Perspectives.

A morning for HR, People, Talent and L&D professionals, and team leaders.

We want to have an honest conversation about how hiring, developing and retaining talent is changing, and what technology cannot solve for us.

This isn’t just an event where you sit and listen. We’ll start with an inspiring conversation and then move to the heart of the morning: small-group discussions where different perspectives come together, ideas are challenged and everyone has a seat at the table.

First, a Fireside Chat

Timo Buetefisch (Cooltra) × Damiana Casile (Dow Jones)

We’ll kick off the morning with an open conversation between Timo Buetefisch, founder and CEO of Cooltra, and Damiana Casile, Senior Manager, People Business Partners at Dow Jones.

Timo founded Cooltra in Barcelona almost 20 years ago and has grown it into a company operating across Europe. Together, they’ll explore the human side of building a business: the people-related decisions that made the biggest difference, what it really means to bring AI into a company, and how leadership and teams are evolving.

Real stories, lessons learned and a few questions we still don’t have answers to.

Then, pick a table and bring your perspective. Or simply stay for a coffee and some networking.

After the opening conversation, we’ll move into small-group discussions around coffee tables, each hosted by an expert bringing a different perspective on people, teams and the changing world of work.

Why this format? Because some of the best ideas come from unexpected conversations, different disciplines and people who don’t always see things the same way.

Meet the Table Hosts & Explore the Conversations

Bring your questions, experiences and curiosity. You don’t need to be an expert in any of the topics. At the end, each table host will share some of the key ideas and questions that emerged with the whole group.

Table 1 — Future-Ready: Are We Learning Fast Enough?

AI, upskilling and the skills we’ll need tomorrow.

AI is transforming how we work, but are we also changing how we learn? Let’s explore how to develop future-ready skills, embrace artificial intelligence and help people grow alongside technology.

Table expert: Alfonso Bustos, Ph.D. — Head of Digital Skills & Workforce Transformation at RICOH Europe.

Table 2 — What Makes People Want to Stay?

Motivation, belonging and team engagement.

What really keeps people motivated? Beyond perks and pay, we’ll explore what makes people feel valued, connected and excited to contribute, especially when everything around them is changing.

Table expert: Damiana Casile — Senior Manager, People Business Partners at Dow Jones.

Table 3 — From Colleagues to Community: Closing the Belonging Gap in Hybrid Teams

For people who move to a new city or country for work, their team often becomes their first community in that new environment. If they don’t find a sense of belonging there, they may disengage or decide to leave.

When we spend less time together in person, how can we get to know our colleagues beyond their professional roles? What new dynamics, adapted to hybrid working, can help turn a team into a supportive community?

At this table, Yeon Sue will bring an anthropological perspective to exploring how teams can become genuine communities.

Table expert: Yeon Sue Park — Anthropology Practitioner and Founder of Culturematters.

Table 4 — Are We Hiring the Same People Over and Over? Who Are We Missing?

We often hire for what feels familiar: the right degree, the expected career path or a CV that ticks all the boxes. But what if we’re overlooking the talent our teams need most?

Critical thinking, communication skills and the ability to bring fresh perspectives don’t always fit the traditional mould. Humanities graduates are a great example.

In this conversation, we’ll explore how to identify overlooked talent, recognise transferable skills and rethink recruitment practices to bring in people we might otherwise miss.

Table expert: Núria F. Rius — Professor of Art and Visual Culture at Pompeu Fabra University and Vice-Dean for Employability and Institutional Relations at the Faculty of Humanities.

Table 5 — What Does a Good AI Future Look Like for Your People?

Vision, purpose and the positive impact on people that HR professionals and team leaders can help shape.

Most conversations about AI at work focus on reacting: which tools to adopt, which roles will change and which risks to manage. Yet far fewer of us stop to think about what a genuinely positive future for people would look like.

Without that vision, we risk making decisions driven by fear and uncertainty rather than by a clear sense of purpose.

At this table, we’ll try to build that vision together. What would a positive AI future mean for the people in your teams? What would you like to see five years from now? And what would need to change in the way we hire, develop and lead to make it happen?

Table expert: Tobias Haug — Founder of Humanizing Business Network and former Head of Humanizing Business at SAP.

Tick the relevant box during registration to receive a notification when sign-ups for the discussion tables open.

On November 13, Urbine (Districte Cultural de L’Hospitalet) will host the 4th edition of VIBEZ Festival, a meeting point for digital culture, technology, creativity and entrepreneurship, showcasing young talent and creating new opportunities.

What can you discover at VIBEZ?

More than 30 projects by young talents in digital culture, across six different areas:

Fashion Tech · Gaming · Food Tech · Music Tech · Digital Art · New Technologies

What’s in store?

Morning (9:00 am–1:00 pm)

• Talks on future skills, culture and innovation.
• Speed Job Dating sessions connecting students with companies and professionals.

Afternoon (4:00–8:00 pm)

• Conversations with inspiring professionals about creativity, the jobs of the future and entrepreneurship.
• A Playground showcasing more than 30 projects by young talents.

Evening (7:00–11:00 pm)

• LAN Party, games and activities to meet new people and discover exciting projects.
• Followed by a party hosted by @trama.world.

All centred around six areas of digital culture: Gaming · Food Tech · Fashion Tech · Digital Art · Music Tech · New Technologies (AI, VR, AR…).

🎟️ Tickets are now available!

📲 @vibezfestival

Come and discover, connect and experience youth digital culture.

See you on November 13 at Urbine!

Before we come together for our next afterwork, we’re bringing the Tech Barcelona community a hands-on workshop to explore how AI agents and CRM intelligence can transform the way startups build their sales pipelines.

Build a pipeline that learns, with Clay agents and HubSpot.

A sequencer knows who opened your email. Your CRM knows who became a customer. But what if your pipeline could learn from the deals that actually close?

In this hands-on workshop, you’ll connect Clay and HubSpot to build a smarter, self-learning pipeline for your own startup.

Bring your laptop and your ICP. In just two hours, you’ll put AI agents to work finding and researching accounts, build your pipeline in HubSpot, and use real deal outcomes to improve who you target next. All directly in your browser.

Then, team up for a 35-minute challenge. The best system wins €1,000 from HubSpot for Startups, plus Clay credits.

What’s in it for you?

• 2,000 Clay credits and access to Clay agents.
• 14 days of HubSpot Professional.
• A hands-on AI-powered pipeline built for your startup.
• A chance to win €1,000 from HubSpot for Startups.
• The opportunity to connect with fellow founders and GTM builders from the Tech Barcelona community.

Workshop agenda

• 16:30 — Doors and check-in
• 17:00 — Welcome and HubSpot for Startups
• 17:10 — Guided build
• 17:55 — Break and team formation
• 18:10 — Team challenge
• 18:45 — Demos, jury and prizes
• 19:00 — Networking

Who’s it for?

Tech Barcelona members, seed-stage founders and GTM builders ready to put AI to work. Coming solo? No problem — we’ll match you with a team.

Before joining, create your Clay and HubSpot accounts using the links in our 5-minute guide, and write down your ICP in 3–5 lines.

📍 Pier01, Tech Barcelona

Hosted by Tech Barcelona, HubSpot for Startups and Clay Club Barcelona.

Build something useful. Connect with your community. Then join us for the afterwork!

Put your project to the test, but don’t do it alone

We know that moving a project forward raises many questions. Who am I targeting? Is the need strong enough? What price should I set? How can I test it before taking the leap? These questions are best answered together. That’s why we’re inviting you to a meetup designed to exchange ideas, share challenges and build connections.

Introducing TestLab, the 2nd networking event of the Idees amb Futur 2026 Programme, promoted by Barcelona Activa. It’s a space to connect young women entrepreneurs, like-minded projects and key players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem around a common challenge: validating your project.

The aim of this activity is to help you put your idea to the test and find partnerships and synergies that will help you take the next step.

🗓️ When? Tuesday, November 24

⏰ Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

📍 Where? Sala Emprèn · Barcelona Activa Emprenedoria · Glòries (carrer de la Llacuna, 156–162, 08018 Barcelona)

What will you take away from this event?

• A fresh perspective on your validation challenge: target audience, customer need, business model or pilot test.
• Key contacts relevant to your sector.
• New partnerships and collaboration opportunities.
• Concrete ideas to define your next steps and take action.

Attendance is completely free, but places are limited.

We look forward to seeing you there and growing the entrepreneurial community together!

Futuros: Free, open online session — 45 minutes.

Bring the 2027 decision you still haven’t made, and we’ll work through it live: three scenarios, the signals worth watching, and a first decision with a date.

We’ll select three challenges from the ones you send us, and each of those three will receive their scenarios in PDF format.

For consultants and strategy, innovation, and marketing teams who need to make decisions under uncertainty.

The session will be led by Oliver Henares, co-founder of Futuros, an AI-powered futures design platform built in Barcelona by Mimetik.

Only 12 spots available. Your Google Meet link will arrive by email when you book.

Reserve your spot