This will be the second edition of Bizbarcelona to take place in the midst of the pandemic. How is it shaping up?
Bizbarcelona was one of the few events held in 2020 despite the pandemic, in order to help reactivate economic activity and employment in Barcelona. This year we are back in full force and want to go a step further to boost this reactivation, gathering as many resources, ideas, and tools as possible so that entrepreneurs and SMEs can better face and adapt their businesses to the post-pandemic era. Barcelona’s entrepreneurial and business ecosystem is very dynamic and eager to meet again; that is why this year we will
strengthen networking activities to achieve a highly participative edition.
How do you think the pandemic has affected the digitalization of the trade fair sector?
I believe the digitalization of trade fairs and events, which accelerated during the pandemic, will remain as an
interesting complement to expand reach and audience when delivering content, especially of an educational nature, to more people.
For example, at Bizbarcelona we will
stream some of the conferences from the program via the exclusive Bizplayer platform, and they will be available after the fair for those who wish to watch them again.
The slogan for this year’s Bizbarcelona is “boosting talent and innovation to reactivate business.” What new features does this year’s edition present in this regard?
This year we want to highlight the existing need in the business world to
adapt and rethink business models, ways of working, product marketing, business management, and relationships with customers and suppliers… And doing this requires innovation, understood as the ability to solve problems and find solutions that have an impact on specific activities or on the environment and people. And undoubtedly, it also requires talent, which is responsible for carrying out this transformation at different levels.
In this sense, Bizbarcelona includes many inspiring conferences and activities centered around these themes, aimed at entrepreneurs, SMEs, the self-employed, and startups. Additionally, the
“Barcelona never stops” Awards will showcase various initiatives from companies and entities based on innovation and talent.
How has Bizbarcelona evolved during the 12 years you have been director? And how do you think it will evolve in the future?
Bizbarcelona has been the benchmark event for over a decade, not only in the field of entrepreneurship but also for the city’s business fabric, which is mostly made up of SMEs and the self-employed. It is the place where the dynamism of this ecosystem is made visible. The event has always adapted to the circumstances of the time by anticipating trends, focusing on key issues, and offering
useful tools and content that help adapt, transform, and grow businesses, and find partners, clients, or collaborators. This is our main function, and we want to reinforce it in the future. Also, during this time, Bizbarcelona has always sought synergies to enrich its content and convening power. A clear example is the joint celebration since last year with the Employment Fair (Saló de l’Ocupació) to reactivate business activity, as well as job opportunities and professional reinvention in a time as complex as the pandemic.
This edition coincides with Global Entrepreneurship Week. How do you think this will benefit the fair?
Yes, this year Bizbarcelona coincides with this global week dedicated to entrepreneurship, which brings together different events around the world with the aim of creating synergies. This coincidence
adds synergies among all the scheduled events to highlight entrepreneurship as an economic driver and the work of people who embark on their own business projects.
How do you think the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Catalonia is currently faring?
I believe it is in full
ferment. There is a lot of talent. There is no doubt that, despite the crisis, the pandemic has triggered new ideas and opportunities for entrepreneurship and business. Digitalization has accelerated, and this opens up good prospects for sectors such as logistics and e-commerce; SAAS, streaming platforms, and tools for remote work; online education and entertainment services; health and well-being; elderly care; and coworking centers. There have been people and companies that have known how to take good advantage of the moment to
generate new value propositions. I am convinced that we will see the number of businesses grow this year as the economic recovery intensifies, especially in the last quarter.
What is the profile of the entrepreneur who attends Bizbarcelona?
Around 40% of our audience identifies as entrepreneurs with fledgling projects or recently launched businesses. Another 40% fits the profile of an SME or self-employed professional, and the rest are students, job seekers, or technicians from various organizations.
The profile of the entrepreneur who visits us is very
heterogeneous in terms of education, sector of interest, and age. And regarding men and women, the percentage is quite similar. What we do see is that it is mostly
opportunity-based entrepreneurship, because they have value propositions that provide solutions to real problems and are likely to become businesses.
The slogan of Autoocupació is “I am what I want to be.” And you? Are you?
Right now, yes. I find it professionally very enriching to design an event like Bizbarcelona every year and to be in permanent contact with the agents of the entrepreneurial and business ecosystem. The important thing, I believe, is
knowing how to adapt to the environment and truly discovering what one wants at each moment, to change it if necessary.
