mobility Archives - Innovation Safari

Intel Barcelona Hub

Intel has turned Barcelona into a strategic cornerstone for its European strategy, focusing on two major high-tech pillars: Next-Generation Microchips and Autonomous Driving.

1. The Semiconductor Design Center (Zetta-Scale)

In collaboration with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Intel has invested €400 million over ten years to create a laboratory for high-performance computing.

The Mission: Designing Zetta-scale processors. These are chips 1,000 times faster than today’s most powerful supercomputers.
RISC-V Technology: The hub is a pioneer in using RISC-V, an open-source architecture that aims to reduce Europe’s dependence on proprietary American or British chip technologies (like ARM or x86).
Sovereignty: This project is part of the “PERTE Chip” initiative, aimed at making the EU a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing.

2. Mobileye (Autonomous Driving Hub)

Intel’s subsidiary Mobileye (the world leader in computer vision for cars) also considers Barcelona a key “living lab.”

Autonomous Fleets: Mobileye uses Barcelona’s streets to test its Robotaxi technology and autonomous mapping (REM).
Infrastructure: They work closely with the city council to integrate AI into traffic management and urban safety.

IRP Systems recently established its European R&D Headquarters in Barcelona, Spain. This Israeli-based company is a leading provider of high-performance electric powertrain solutions, specifically software-defined motor controllers for electric vehicles.

The Barcelona Europe Hub

Strategic Role: The Barcelona office serves as the company’s business and R&D center for Europe. It provides local customer support and manages design-win activities across the continent.
Local Ecosystem: IRP Systems is a member of the CIAC (Clúster de la Indústria d’Automoció de Catalunya), collaborating with major local players like SEAT and B-Tech to drive clean mobility innovation in the region.
Key Projects: The hub recently signed a commercial agreement with Silence Urban Mobility, Europe’s leading urban mobility OEM based in Barcelona, to provide advanced Dynamic 6 motor controllers for their electric platforms.

SEAT:CODE

SEAT:CODE (Center of Digital Excellence) is the digital innovation hub and software development center of the automotive brand SEAT S.A.. Founded in 2019, it is located in the 22@ tech district of Barcelona.

Core Mission

SEAT:CODE drives the digital transformation of SEAT and CUPRA, shifting the company from a traditional car manufacturer to a digital mobility service provider. It employs over 280 digital experts from 14+ nationalities.

Key Solutions and Projects

Giravolta: A proprietary Software as a Service (SaaS) mobility platform that allows cities and companies to manage 100% digital vehicle fleets, including car-sharing and bike-sharing.
Connected Car Apps: Development of the My SEAT and My CUPRA apps, which centralize charging management, vehicle data, and remote connectivity services.
SEAT MÓ: Managing the digital infrastructure for micromobility services, such as electric scooters and motor-sharing in Barcelona.
Industrial AI: Utilizing big data and artificial intelligence to optimize factory logistics, supply chains, and predictive maintenance for production lines.

Barcelona Urban Lab

Barcelona Urban Lab uses the city as a live testing ground for innovative urban projects. It provides companies with real-world public spaces to pilot new technologies—such as smart sensors for parking or advanced mobility solutions—before they are commercialized. Backed by the Barcelona City Council, this initiative aims to promote economic growth, improve public services, and transform the city into a hub for smart technology and sustainability.

Ca l’Alier is a leading urban innovation center located in Barcelona’s Poblenou district. Housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century textile factory, it serves as a collaborative hub where technology companies, startups, and the city council work together to develop smart city solutions. It is a symbol of the city’s commitment to sustainability and digital transformation.

Key Aspects:

Location: Primarily focused in areas like the 22@ innovation district.
Objective: To overcome regulatory barriers for startups and companies testing innovative products in natural environments.

Barcelona Smart City Open Innovation Safari

Explore one of Europe’s leading urban innovation ecosystems

Location: Barcelona – Themes: Smart City / Urban Innovation / Mobility – Duration: One Day

The Barcelona Smart City Open Innovation Safari is a one-day immersive experience designed for professionals who want to explore how cities are using technology, data and innovation to improve urban life.

Led by Certified Innovation Safari Sherpa Francesc Saldaña, this Safari introduces explorers to Barcelona’s urban innovation ecosystem, one of the most recognized Smart City environments in Europe.

During the experience, explorers will discover how technology, entrepreneurship and public policy combine to transform cities into more efficient, sustainable and connected environments.

Barcelona has become an international reference in urban innovation through initiatives related to digital infrastructure, smart mobility, open data and sustainable urban development.

Explorers will explore topics such as:

Smart city innovation
Urban mobility solutions
Digital infrastructure for cities
Data-driven urban management

Innovation Safaris allow explorers to experience innovation where it actually happens.

The experience

Explorers will explore a key innovation hotspot in Barcelona’s urban innovation ecosystem:

22@Barcelona – the city’s main innovation district and a global reference for urban regeneration driven by technology, startups and knowledge institutions.

Explorers will:

Exploration walk the innovation district and learn about its transformation from an industrial area into a technology hub
Explore how companies, startups and research centers collaborate in the district
Expert Keynote: Understand how urban planning and innovation ecosystems can reinforce each other
Innovation workshop with other explorers: Discuss the role of cities as platforms for innovation

This immersive approach helps explorers better understand how urban innovation ecosystems operate in practice.

What explorers will gain

Explorers will learn and design by:

understanding how cities create innovation districts
discovering how public and private actors collaborate in urban innovation
connecting with Barcelona’s innovation ecosystem
generating ideas and inspiration for urban transformation initiatives

Who Should Join

corporate innovation leaders
urban planners and city officials
technology and mobility professionals
entrepreneurs and startup founders
researchers and academics

Explorers from different sectors are encouraged to join and share perspectives.

Join this Open Safari

Limited group to ensure a high-quality exploration experience.