Cisco’s Barcelona Hub is a premier center for innovation and the company’s first Giga-Scale Semiconductor Design Center in the European Union. Located in the 22@ tech district, it serves as a critical node for Cisco’s global engineering and R&D strategy.  

1. The Semiconductor & Chip Design Center

This is one of Cisco’s most ambitious European projects.

• Mission: It focuses on the design and prototyping of next-generation semiconductors. This initiative is part of the “PERTE Chip” program, aiming to strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty in the microchip industry.
• Technology: Teams here work on advanced silicon photonics and high-performance chips that power the world’s most complex data centers and internet infrastructures.

2. Co-Innovation Center (Ca l’Alier).

Cisco also operates a Co-Innovation Center located in a renovated 19th-century factory.

• Focus: This site is dedicated to Smart Cities, Internet of Things (IoT), and Cybersecurity. It acts as a collaborative space where Cisco engineers work alongside startups, researchers, and public institutions to build urban technology solutions.
• Strategic Role: It is one of only a handful of such centers globally, focusing on digitizing critical infrastructure and energy efficiency.

The Barcelona sites employ several hundred highly skilled engineers, developers, and data scientists. As with their global operations, English is the primary professional language.