1. It has been three years since you assumed the general directorship of Barcelona Activa. What is your assessment?
Yes, three years in which many things have happened and which are shaking our economies and societies. I believe that at Barcelona Activa we have been able to provide advice and resources to the city and its citizens, especially by supporting innovative and transformative projects and ensuring social cohesion, by helping those who needed it most. Our role alongside individuals and the economic fabric had a clear objective: to help businesses survive and protect employment in the first instance. And once the emergency phase caused by Covid was overcome, to support the diversification and transformation of the economy and improve employment opportunities for people. Barcelona Activa has a long and recognized trajectory both within and outside the city, and in recent years we have risen to the challenge. These three years have also been an opportunity to listen and speak with many organizations and individuals to focus public policies as efficiently as possible, doing so with an outstretched hand to local entities. I believe we have successfully contributed to strengthening the ties between the public and private sectors.
2. Barcelona Activa promoted various actions to help small businesses cope with the crisis derived from the pandemic. What has been the impact?
We recently presented a study analyzing the impact of the set of measures that, not only from Barcelona Activa but from the entire economic promotion area of the City Council, we activated during 2020 and 2021. There were 54 support lines, with an extraordinary fund of 91 million euros, two-thirds of which were dedicated to direct aid and financing. The overall impact on the economy as a whole has exceeded 400 million euros, meaning 4.5 times every euro invested, which, among other things, has helped maintain or create more than 13,300 jobs. In total, more than 31,000 businesses and workers have directly benefited from these measures.
In addition to the more directly quantifiable data, we have been providing support through other resources and assistance, reinforcing and expanding our service catalog, beyond conjunctural needs. With a strong boost to digitalization and business training, in emerging fields (such as the blue economy or sportech) and necessary ones like sustainability, improving the skills of individuals and businesses through reskilling and upskilling programs. We have also supported shops and establishments, and launched initiatives for the creation and maintenance of businesses, such as microcredits with municipal guarantees, and the renovation of shop window shutters. Another example is the subsidies for new projects that emerge locally to provide proximity services. We have created innovation projects to help small businesses, such as Connectio, an open innovation platform, so that small, medium, and large companies can connect with each other and with startups to solve current innovative challenges. All this, while giving more visibility and opportunities to women, young people, and people over 45 in many of our programs. We have a long list of actions that we periodically evaluate to see and identify what helps most and what is most needed by the city’s small economy.
We are permanently alongside freelancers and small businesses, attentive to their needs and difficulties. For example, in recent weeks, with the presence of First Deputy Mayor Jaume Collboni, we have held meetings with representatives from the sector, SMEs, freelancers, and guilds, and these types of meetings allow us to grasp details of their daily lives and contrast the usefulness of the aid and resources we can make available to them.
3. How has the number of entrepreneurs seeking assistance from Barcelona Activa evolved in recent years?
Quantitatively speaking, we have supported around 1,500 entrepreneurial projects each year, and the number of people accessing our annual services ranges from 5,000 to 6,000. As I mentioned, we are increasingly assisting people who are venturing into more diverse sectors, in future and strategic sectors for the city, in terms of generating quality employment and types of projects. Many people, even in uncertain and difficult times, see opportunities and take risks. Barcelona Activa’s services have been highly personalized for entrepreneurs, but also to address emerging sectors. An interesting case is that recently we are seeing people arrive with very specific ideas and a great contribution of value to society, whereas at other times entrepreneurship out of necessity was more prevalent, and what they asked us for were ideas. We live in times of many changes, and Barcelona proves that we are a city with drive and projects.
4. What are the main obstacles these individuals must overcome to create their company?
More than obstacles, these are perhaps the main issues to resolve before creating a company. Addressing the search for funding, the establishment of the appropriate legal form, considering the team or complementary talent to that of the entrepreneur, and also the correct knowledge of potential clients; that is, determining market need and what marketing and communication tools are most suitable. We offer support at all stages and for all issues. We are a PAE point for company formation, we offer individual and group advice, we have very permeable services depending on each situation, and we refer to other institutions when we deem it appropriate. Finally, knowledge of the applicable legal framework for each case and sector is essential. The recently approved Start-up Law and the Business Creation and Growth Law enable more favorable frameworks for business initiatives. We are also aware that the administration must facilitate economic activity and, in this regard, we have launched the ‘Barcelona Fàcil’ Plan to identify and improve processes, technology, regulations, and communication aspects for the economic fabric.
5. How has the number of companies created with your support evolved?
At Barcelona Activa, we establish around 600 companies a year, which is 10% of those established throughout the city. But beyond the numbers, the best way to explain the support we offer is to give examples: Hola Luz, Heura, Tiendeo, Lipotec: they were born incubating with us, and are successful and well-known cases in different markets. What matters to us is not so much the creation but the sustainability and scalability of projects, that companies consolidate and can grow.
6. What is the survival rate of these new companies?
At Barcelona Activa, we have a survival rate of 75% for companies in our incubators. This indicates that by the 4th year, which is the most critical year, 3 out of 4 of those incubated with us remain active.
7. Autoocupació’s motto is “I am what I want to be”. Are you?
A good motto. Yes, I feel quite satisfied at all levels. Professionally, in charge of a public institution with such noble objectives as supporting job searching, starting new businesses, training, and designing policies especially for those who need it most and for a dynamic, creative, and innovative city. And also with my other passions: communication, music, relationships with the people around me… Without a doubt.
