Motorcycles can also use the app to pay to use Barcelona Serveis Municipals (BSM) car parks on a per-minute basis  

This feature, a first in the city, enables motorcycles to use the car parks faster and more conveniently and helps free up public spaces at street level  

Barcelona’s personal mobility services app, SMOU, continues to advance to help provide well-planned, combined, sustainable and connected mobility. To enable motorcyclists to use the city's car parks faster and more conveniently, SMOU has added a new feature that allows them to enter and leave Aparcaments BSM car parks using number plate reading technology.

In addition, SMOU also allows motorcyclists to pay for their stay in Barcelona Municipal Services (BSM) car parks by the minute through the "Parking via app" digital ticket service available on the same app. These two new developments will encourage motorcyclists to use these car parks, as they can enter without stopping to take a ticket on the way in or pay at the machine on their way out. Aparcaments BSM car parks currently provide a total of 1,592 spaces for motorcycles. 

SMOU and the Aparcaments BSM network thus provide a safe and convenient option for anyone who travels around the city on a motorcycle. In addition, they help regulate above-ground parking and free up public spaces. 

According to Laia Bonet, First Deputy Mayor and president of BSM, "This is yet another example of how car parks can be our allies when it comes to addressing the city's mobility challenges, including in the case of motorcycle parking. It is also a good example of Barcelona's commitment to innovative and digital solutions that improve residents' daily lives."

Smart cameras to read motorcycles' rear number plates 

This improved access for motorcycles, which is a first in the city, is already in operation in 18 Aparcaments BSM car parks, and work to extend it to the entire network is already in progress. To use it, you must be registered with SMOU and have registered your motorcycle number plate in the "My vehicles" section. 

For now, motorcycle number plate reading technology is in place at the following car parks: BSM Bilbao-Llull, BSM Cardenal Sentmenat, BSM Concepció Arenal, BSM Estació Barcelona Nord, BSM Gràcia Motos, BSM Illa Borbó, BSM La Boqueria, BSM Mercat del Guinardó, BSM Mercat Sagrada Família, BSM Mercat de Sant Antoni, BSM Mitre-Putxet, BSM Passeig Maragall, BSM Pl. Francesc Layret, BSM Plaça Navas, BSM SAT, BSM Plaça Joanic, BSM P.R. Biomèdica and BSM Travessera de Dalt. 

All these car parks have smart cameras at their entrances and exits that can read both car and motorcycle number plates with great speed and accuracy.

SMOU, the leading personal-mobility services app in Barcelona and the metropolitan area

SMOU is used by over 1,150,000 people in Barcelona and its metropolitan area and includes around twenty mobility services. It includes solutions such as Bicing, the Endolla Barcelona network of EV charging points, payment for regulated parking both above ground and in BSM car parks on a per-minute basis and the management of AREA parking spaces for residents.

It also allows users to check information on services such as shared bicycles, cars and motorbikes, plus real-time data on public transport, including a route planner to find the most efficient way to get from one point to another in the city and various other travel options. The latest service to be added to the app is the taxi service, under which users can request and pay for taxi travel around Barcelona and its metropolitan area. SMOU also provides information on the services and location of over 300 car parks.

Last year, almost 20 million transactions were carried out using SMOU. The app is constantly being upgraded, and five years after its launch, the number of services and users is still growing.
 

The work is part of the final phase of construction for the new Port Olímpic food hub

The nine restaurants and three food shops participating in the first phase will open gradually from mid-August

Today, the Port Olímpic hosted a meeting of representatives from most of the food establishments at the Culinary Balcony, which is in its final stage of construction. Business at the port’s new food hub will kick off with nine restaurants and three food shops that will gradually open between late  August and September.

The representatives visited the Port Olímpic to see the start of the work that will adapt the interior of their premises. This work is being carried out at the same time as the final stage of the external development of the Moll de Gregal quay, a space that is being transformed into a large promenade with squares, rest areas and viewpoints that will link the sea with the interior of the port. 

Interior design projects play a key role in the experience that the Culinary Balcony aims to offer, and were one of the deciding factors in the selection of food establishments for this new era at the Port Olímpic. 

“The Culinary Balcony will play a key role in helping the people of Barcelona to rediscover and reclaim the Port Olímpic through a variety of culinary creations in a completely new environment that offers the opportunity to enjoy the sea and the port environment,” said Olga Cerezo, director of the Port Olímpic. 

Cuisine, architecture and sustainability in a one-of-a-kind location

The opening of the Culinary Balcony is one of the cornerstones of the process to reconnect Port Olímpic with the city’s residents, using a model that focuses on food quality and diversity, offering complementary options to reach a wide and diverse audience. 

The list of restaurants that are currently part of the Culinary Balcony is as follows:

• Sagardi (World cuisine - innovation)
• El Tribut (World cuisine)
• Pantea by Hermanos Torres (World cuisine)
• Cangrejo Loco (Blue cuisine)
• Superlocal (Flexitarian cuisine)
• Vraba (Catalan cuisine - fusion)
• Família Nuri (Seafood cuisine)
• Platets (Tapas)
• Casa Carmen (Cafeteria)

Meanwhile, three food shops will complement the restaurants, offering a variety of products with an approach based on design and sustainability. The three shops that are part of the project are as follows:

• Faborit (Healthy food)
• Esferic (Ice cream)
• Les Muns (Empanadas)

In addition to the food, one of the highlights of the Culinary Balcony is its architecture, whose design encourages the creation of an innovative, accessible space in constant dialogue with the sea and the port. 

The progress of the work so far offers a glimpse of the four restaurants on the upper level, which jut out into the sea on an overhang with breathtaking views of the beach of Nova Icària. Nearby, the promenade, squares and viewpoints that will form the large areas for strolling and relaxing are already taking shape. 

Work on the harbour level also offers a glimpse of the structure of the new facilities and the spacious terraces that will allow visitors to experience port life at first hand. The new food hub in the area is about to become a reality, thanks to the new entrance that will connect the Port Olímpic to the Nova Icària beach from July.

The Culinary Balcony is also at the heart of the Port Olímpic’s major sustainability projects. The four restaurants on the upper level already have the four photovoltaic pergolas that will be one of the landmarks of the area. They consist of 1,576 panels covering a surface area of 3,560 m2. This installation makes the Port Olímpic one of the leading local shared consumption initiatives in Barcelona, guaranteeing the port’s own consumption and the ability to supply nearby facilities managed by BSM, such as the Zoo and car parks. 

The Anella Olímpica’s main venue is preparing for a month of landmark events: Bruce Springsteen will become the most played artist at the stadium, while Estopa will be the first national group to sell out the venue

The Anella Olímpica will step up its campaign to encourage concert-goers to use sustainable transport to get to the stadium 

June will see the start of the concert season at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Germany’s Rammstein will be the first to bring their music back to the Montjuïc macro-venue with tomorrow’s concert. Next up is Bruce Springsteen, with two shows on 20 and 22 June, followed by Estopa on 10 July as part of their 25th anniversary tour. That’s four concerts in all, which together are expected to attract more than 200,000 people to the stadium. 

This year’s concert season at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys includes events that will go down in the history of the venue. Bruce Springsteen’s two concerts will make him the most played artist of all time at the Olympic stadium, with a total of eight appearances. For their part, Estopa will be the first national artists to fill the venue.

This year’s programme at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys also confirms the venue’s contribution to making Barcelona a leading city for major international tours. According to Pollstar, four of the top five tours in terms of revenue will have concerts at the stadium between 2023 and 2024 (Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, Coldplay and Harry Styles). 

The stadium’s music programme also has a positive impact on the city’s economy, attracting visitors from all over the world. Currently, 12% of the stadium’s audience is international, while 36% comes from other parts of Spain. 

Promoting sustainable mobility to the Estadi Olímpic

With the start of the stadium’s concert season, the Anella Olímpica is stepping up its efforts to promote sustainable mobility to the venue and make further progress in hosting sustainable events. 

The campaign ‘The Estadi Olímpic is very close. Choose the most sustainable way to get there’ promotes the use of public transport and walking, recommending the use of bus stops, metro stops, the funicular railway and the FGC stops closest to Parc de Montjuïc. The campaign also draws attention to the increased frequency of the 150 bus service between Plaça d’Espanya and Castell de Montjuïc, as well as the special TMB bus service from the stadium to Plaça d’Espanya on concert days. The escalators in Parc de Montjuïc will also be extended on concert days. 

Thanks to these measures, the use of private cars to get to the stadium has been reduced in recent years, helping to improve mobility and reduce emissions. 

A multi-purpose space

With the arrival of these music tours, the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys will have a very busy first half of 2024. In the first six months of the year, the stadium hosted 10 major sporting events and three iterations of the ‘Vine a l’Estadi’ programme, an initiative inviting people to visit the stadium free of charge and discover its history. More than 800 people took part in these visits. 

In addition to maintaining its position as a leading international cultural and sports venue, this year the stadium also launched The Venue Barcelona, a new business ecosystem for companies in the sports, culture and major events sectors, helping to position the Anella Olímpica as an innovation hub for these sectors. 

The event closed out the ‘Tu també pots’ school project, which encourages students to share their ideas to make the world a better place, and was attended by Ona Carbonell, the programme sponsor

At the first gathering of the ‘Gotes pel Món’ (Little Drops of Water around the World) initiative to promote good causes, over 200 primary school children from several schools in Barcelona and the greater metropolitan area filled the Tibidabo amusement park with their ideas to make the world a better place. The event featured swimmer Ona Carbonell as the sponsor of the project and closed out the ‘Tu també pots’ (You Can Too) educational programme. Over the course of the school year, classrooms across Catalonia have been carrying out activities through this programme, empowering students to suggest, and ultimately implement, ways to improve situations in their surrounding environment. 

The project is based on the book Tu també pots, written by Anna Llauradó and illustrated by Maria Girón, which tells the story of how a robin who wanted to put out a fire drop by drop inspired a school to start a project to help neighbourhood residents, contributing their own little drops of water to build a better world. 

At today’s event, students shared their ideas in the form of drops of water that can be used to put out the fires that most worry them. 

The event, organised by ING Edicions and the Parc d'atraccions Tibidabo, highlights children’s proactive role in the world and the importance of listening to their concerns and feelings. 

An amusement park committed to good causes 

Education and good causes are a key part of Tibidabo’s work. Every year, the park holds over twenty events devoted to these principles, such as Connecta’t al Blau (‘Connect to Blue’, for autism awareness), Posa’t la Gorra (‘Put on Your Hat’, to support children with cancer), the Gran Festa del Cor (‘Big Heart Festival’, to raise awareness of childhood heart disease) and the Cançó de Pau (‘Song of Peace’). 

In addition to these events, Tibidabo has collaboration agreements with organisations such as Unicef, working with them on projects to defend and promote children’s rights. These projects include building over a hundred schools in Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, providing an education for over 100,000 children since 2012. 

The agreement makes the Palau Sant Jordi and the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys the first major events venues in Europe to join the European initiative to prevent irregular ticket sales

On Thursday, the Anella Olímpica formally joined the Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT), the European organisation that brings together promoters and operators from the culture sector to combat the resale of tickets at inflated prices. The agreement makes the Palau Sant Jordi and the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys the first major events venues in Europe to join the European initiative. 

Since its creation in 2019, FEAT has promoted a number of Europe-wide initiatives to encourage the introduction of laws that protect fans and promoters. The organisation has also headed information campaigns to encourage members of the public to buy their tickets from secure sales channels and to warn them of the dangers of buying tickets through unauthorised resale channels, where they might be sold at a much higher price and where they might even be sold fake tickets. 

Currently, 69% of tickets that are resold in Spain are sold at inflated prices, according to figures from FEAT.  

The director of the Anella Olímpica, Carme Lanuza, says that “the resale of tickets has a direct impact on the venues and, through our alliance with FEAT, we are reaffirming our commitment to offering unique and secure public experiences. It is essential that all agents in the sector join forces to put an end to this practice”. 

For his part, the founding director of FEAT and CEO of Doctor Music, Neo Sala, says that “the Anella Olímpica venues are a hugely important part of Barcelona's cultural ecosystem and they attract major artists from all over the world to the city. It’s great news that they are getting involved in FEAT’s mission to combat the resale of tickets at inflated prices and that they are working to protect fans from the abusive practices of ticket touts. 

Now that it has joined FEAT, the Anella Olímpica will be working with live events professionals from all over Europe who form part of the alliance to promote the ethical, transparent and fair sale of tickets and to combat the resale of tickets at vastly inflated prices through unauthorised channels. 

Protocols to combat ticket touting

The Anella Olímpica has protocols in place to identify unauthorised tickets at the events it hosts and to support those affected by it. When they identify tickets that are fake or have been bought through unauthorised channels, the professionals at the venue provide the visitors with access to the complaints service and advise them on how to make their complaint. 

With more than 160 events held and 2.1 million visitors in 2023, the Palau Sant Jordi and the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys are leading venues for European cultural and sports events and they play a key role in positioning Barcelona as a major events city.
 

They were released over the past few weeks as one of the actions to recover this critically endangered amphibian endemic to Montseny 

The participants in the reintroduction project include Zoo de Barcelona, the Catalan Ministry of Climate Action, Barcelona Provincial Council, Girona Provincial Council, the Environmental Research and Education Centre of Calafell (CREAC) and Chester Zoo  

This week concluded the reintroduction of more than 600 Montseny brook newt specimens (Calotriton arnoldi), an amphibian endemic to this massif that is critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

This new reintroduction is one of the set of actions that Zoo de Barcelona, along with the Catalan Ministry of Climate Action, Barcelona Provincial Council, Girona Provincial Council, Forestal Catalana and Chester Zoo are undertaking to restore the species in its natural habitat. The actions are also a continuation of the European project called LIFE Tritó Montseny, which between 2017 and 2022 contributed to the conservation of this amphibian, considered the most endangered in western Europe. 

Specifically, over the past few weeks, a total of 354 young specimens and 266 larvae have been released in different streams on Montseny. The specimens come from Zoo de Barcelona, the Generalitat de Catalunya’s Torreferrussa and Pont de Suert Fauna Centres, the Environmental Research and Education Centre of Calafell (CREAC) and Chester Zoo, all of which have their own programmes to breed and/or grow the larvae of this amphibian.    

With these new reintroductions, more than 3,000 Montseny brook newts have been released into their natural habitat since 2010.   

Goal: to expand the species’ area of distribution 

The goals of raising Montseny brook newts in captivity and later reintroducing them are, firstly, to maintain a gene pool that guarantees the species’ future and, secondly, to expand its area of distribution, which is currently limited to just eight streams in Montseny that total 12 kilometres. 

They were released into eight streams, and even though it is too early to find out whether they have been successfully reintroduced, it should be noted that spreading the distribution of the species is one of the most effective measures to guarantee its recovery.

The ongoing efforts by all the institutions involved in the project has also made it possible to report the positive development in the nature environmental of brook newts born in captivity. This confirms the chances of survival for the reintroduced specimens. 

An extremely vulnerable amphibian endemic to Montseny 

The first Montseny brook newt populations were discovered by chance in 1979, and were initially thought to belong to a very similar, nearby species, the Pyrenean brook salamander (Calotriton asper). However, in late 2005, several scientific studies of their morphology and genetics determined that these populations were actually another species that had gone unnoticed by science for decades because it was so rare. Ever since it was identified, the Montseny brook newt has been critically endangered and is, in fact, the most endangered amphibian in western Europe.

Based on this situation, in 2007 a programme to breed the species in captivity was launched at the Torreferrussa Fauna Centre, and in 2015, Zoo de Barcelona, the Generalitat, Barcelona Provincial Council, Girona Provincial Council and Forestal Catalana promoted an action plan to improve the conservation of its habitats and ensure the survival of this species that is endemic to Montseny. 

This plan applied for and obtained funding from the European Union LIFE programme which, between 2017 and 2022, enabled the LIFE Tritó Montseny project to be implemented, coordinated by Barcelona Provincial Council, with the goal of resolving the main threats to the species and guaranteeing its protection. 

Zoo de Barcelona, a leader in the protection of native endangered species 

Zoo de Barcelona's contribution to the recovery of the Montseny brook newt is a clear example of its commitment to preserving biodiversity, especially native species.

In addition to the Montseny brook newt, the Zoo is also participating in projects to reintroduce into their natural environment the Spanish pond turtle (Mauremys leprosa), Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni), the Spanish toothcarp (Aphanius Iberus), the Majorcan midwife toad (Majorcan midwife toad), the European polecat (Mustela putorius) and the northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita), among others. 

Furthermore, since 2018 the Zoo has also had a specific facility for the Montseny brook newt so that visitors can learn about what is being done to recover the species. The facility has information panels, videos and other interactive materials, and holds educational sessions on this and other species in Montseny.

The work will take between 10 and 15 days, with 17,000 m³ of sand to be removed to improve access for boats

The dredged sand will be distributed between the Sant Sebastià, Barceloneta and Nova Icària beaches

Dredging work began this week at the mouth of the Port Olímpic to remove 17,000 m³ of sand from the seabed to provide the depth of water needed to ensure boats can pass through. 

This is the second time this type of maintenance work has been carried out at the Port Olímpic since BSM took over its management. The dredging is needed to redress the occasional build up of sand here due to factors such as wave patterns and storms. 

The work also coincides with the final stage of transforming the Port Olímpic, providing a boost to nautical activity here with traditional regattas and major events such as the upcoming America’s Cup, increasing the volume of boats in the port.

The volume of sand to be dredged up should triple the amount of the previous occasion, in 2022, and allow for the creation of an entrance channel 84 metres wide and deep enough to guarantee access for boats. The work should take between 10 and 15 days, weather permitting, and has a budget of 441,308.85 euros.

Improving lack of sediment on the beaches

Besides introducing safety improvements for boats entering the Port Olímpic, the dredging work will play a key part in recovering some of the city’s beaches, as much of the sand will be redistributed over the Sant Sebastià, Barceloneta and Nova Icària beaches, helping them to regain some of the sand lost during the autumn and winter storms.

Before its transfer, the sand will be analysed and undergo relevant quality checks to ensure its suitability for improving the beaches. The sand will be deposited and spread on the beaches through a pipe, taking it from the dredging zone, and by land transport. 

The Port Olímpic and the National Electric Boat Association (ANBE) are organising the Port Olímpic Electric Boat Experience from 25 to 26 May, the first electric boat fair to be held in Barcelona

The event will bring together around 30 companies leading the transition towards responsible maritime mobility and will combine a professional programme with activities for city residents to learn about and enjoy sustainable boating

Between 25 and 26 May, Barcelona will be the nautical electro-mobility epicentre with the first Port Olímpic Electric Boat Experience, the sustainable boat fair organised by Port Olímpic and the National Electric Boat Association (ANBE), which will bring together around 30 domestic and international companies leading the energy transition in sailing and maritime mobility. 

During the event, the Moll de Mestral esplanade will become an exhibition space measuring more than 2.400 m2, where professionals and city residents can discover and enjoy the latest innovations in electric, hybrid and hydrogen-powered boats, along with sustainable solutions proposed for the sailing and port sectors, such as marine batteries, electric engines, rapid-charging stations and desalination units. 

In addition to this exhibition, on the first day the Espai Mestral, the Port Olímpic’s assembly hall, will host a programme of talks and panel discussions targeted at companies, institutions and the innovation ecosystem in the nautical sector. 

The professional programme will feature prominent stakeholders in the economy and maritime sector, such as the ANBE, Barcelona Activa, Acció, the Barcelona Nautical Capital Foundation and Barcelona Maritime Cluster, in addition to business leaders, to discuss important issues for the sector, including the role of the Next Generation funds in the growth of the sustainable nautical sector, the promotion of port management that is responsible towards marine ecosystems and innovation applied to maritime electro-mobility. 

Sustainable sailing available to the public

Another goal of the first edition of the Electric Boat Experience is to bring sustainable sailing to the public and raise their awareness of the need for responsible marine ecosystem management. 

In addition to learning about the latest news in sustainable models in the exhibition area, visitors will also have the chance to enjoy the electric sailing experience with sea outings on some of the boats in the exhibition. 

The event will also have a programme of activities, exhibitions and family shows aimed at sharing information on our nearby marine ecosystems and raising children’s awareness of the problem of dumping waste into the sea. 

On the second day, visitors can participate in workshops on Posidonia seagrass and sea fans: a fun, educational activity targeted at families that reveals the secrets of the sea and the life of these marine species. At the same time, the exhibition on the Good Karma project, which gives a voice to people struggling to conserve the sea, will be open throughout the entire day. 

Fostering sustainable sailing

With the organisation of the Electric Boat Experience, the Port Olímpic is reaffirming its commitment to becoming a benchmark in environmental management and leading the drive towards sustainable sailing. In its transformation process, the space has placed sustainability at the core of all its actions by promoting projects like the construction of the large photovoltaic pergola on the Restaurant Deck, which will generate the energy needed to supply the consumption of the port and other nearby facilities, and the installation of two ultra-rapid chargers for electric boats. With this initiative, the

Port Olímpic will be the first port facility in Spain with an ultra-rapid charging service using the green energy produced by and stored at the Port itself. 
The Port Olímpic is also promoting sustainable sailing at its blue economy business centre, which has provided 50 sites for companies geared towards nautical services and activities, innovation, technology and the circular economy as applied to the sea. 

The Venue has gathered around 100 companies and organisations at the opening event to define some of the collaborative projects it will be promoting, such as jointly resolving challenges to the sector in areas like sustainability, water management, mobility, incorporating new technologies and marketing

The business centre has officially opened with 10 resident corporations, organisations and start-ups with support from leaders in the sectors involved, who will collaborate in developing the projects that arise at The Venue 

The ecosystem of music, sport and major event companies is now up and running at The Venue Barcelona. The innovation centre, located in the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys and promoted by Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM) in conjunction with Barcelona Activa and the Barcelona Sports Institute (IBE), has opened its doors today by hosting a work day with companies from the three sectors involved and other related ones. The session shared with the entire ecosystem the aim to promote disruptive projects that provide innovative solutions to industry needs by launching different sectoral challenges. 

At the opening event, the 10 resident sectoral companies, start-ups and associations at The Venue were named: A-Champs, AFYDAD (Association of Manufacturers and Distributors of Sporting Goods), BMTH (Barcelona Music Tech Hub), BSH (Barcelona Sports Hub), Sportmas, Talent Passport, Toda & Nel·lo, TPC Matchpoint, TUWA and WeVolv. 

In addition to the resident companies, start-ups and projects, The Venue Barcelona will also enlist collaboration from leading corporations, which will participate in developing and testing the projects promoted by the ecosystem at the Estadi Olímpic. One example is Live Nation, a benchmark in the live music industry, which is joining the project as the first promoter to partner with The Venue Barcelona. The concert-organisation company will work with BSM to facilitate concept and pilot tests of the innovative solutions that come out of The Venue Barcelona in the events held at the Anella Olímpica venues. 

At the project presentation, the Anella Olímpica director Carme Lanuza stated: ‘With the impetus of The Venue Barcelona, we at BSM have boosted the role the Anella Olímpica aims to play as a platform of innovation in the fields of music, sports and events. This new role should be capable of revitalising the local community and attracting talent, coupled with the way venues like the Palau Sant Jordi and the Estadi Olímpic contribute to positioning the city of Barcelona as a site of major events and shows.

The co-founder of The Venue Barcelona, Emilio Risques, went on to highlight the importance of creating an ecosystem capable of getting both the resident corporations and start-ups and major partner firms involved. ‘We’re excited to embark on The Venue Barcelona's journey and host both the first projects and important partners such as AFYDAD, BMTH, BSH, Live Nation and others that will join us. Today we are reaffirming our commitment to creating a vibrant ecosystem that fosters a constant dialogue among companies to generate specific solutions that meet the current and future challenges facing the music, sports and events sectors and adjacent industries. 

Collaboration to meet the sector’s challenges

The opening event brought together around 100 representatives of companies, start-ups and organisations from sectors associated with the activities of the business centre's ecosystem. They all participated in work sessions aimed at coming up with joint solutions to some of the challenges facing the major events, sports and music industries; needs that entail other related activities such as mobility, sustainability and water management, promotion, marketing and catering, and the application of new technologies to create new experiences targeted at fans and consumers.

In these sessions, The Venue Barcelona has advanced some of its projects to foster dialogue among the resident and the partner companies to generate new products and services that will be tested and implemented, in coordination with BSM, at the venues in the Anella Olímpica, including the Palau Sant Jordi and the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. The ultimate goal is to promote high-impact innovations in the sectors involved. 

First resident initiatives, companies and organisations at The Venue Barcelona

The Venue Barcelona is starting its journey with 10 resident companies, start-ups and associations which will work on disruptive projects in the music, sports and major events sectors and their adjacent industries. 

• A-Champs: experts in the design of innovative and interactive sports training solutions with the application of a technology based on multisensory stimulations through light, sound and vibrations. The company's projects are based on the premise that high performance in sport occurs when the body and mind are trained together.

• AFYDAD: the Association of Sporting Goods Manufacturers and Distributors encompasses more than 100 sports companies and 25 sports brands. Founded in 1968, it promotes competitiveness in the sector via specialised services and representation of its common interests.

• BMTH: The Barcelona Music Tech Hub promotes and facilitates a community of more than 80 professionals, start-ups and investors in the music tech industry with the aim of generating synergies and fostering innovation, investment, knowledge and digital transition in the sector.

• BSH: The Barcelona Sports Hub is a joint initiative from the Barcelona Sports Institute and Ajuntament de Barcelona which is part of its strategy to support the sport-tech centre as a key area for innovation and one of the city's emerging economic sectors. Its activities encompass more than 380 organisations, companies and start-ups. As part BSH, The Venue Barcelona is joining the effort to make the city an international benchmark in the exchange of knowledge, talent, resources and business initiatives in the world of technology and sport. 

• Sportmas: This company has developed a platform that connects manufacturers, distributors and retailers in the sports sector to exchange information on products, digitise logistics processes and manage sales activity. 

• Talent Passport: The company aims to create a space for talent development devoted to creating successful business projects in the fields of music, sports, culture and the entertainment industry.

• Toda & Nel·lo: The law firm provides legal services to companies associated with the innovation centre to guarantee a strong legal framework for all initiatives developed at The Venue. Toda & Nel·lo contributes to the legal security and success of companies and start-ups in The Venue Barcelona. 

• TPC Matchpoint: The company has created software designed to comprehensively manage sports centres’ activities.

• TUWA: The TUWA business project connects the sport and tourism sectors to contribute to the development of sustainable sporting events and circular products.

• WeVolv: Founded by the professional basketball player Jori Davis, this company has created an ecosystem of users from the sports world that enables athletes to independently manage their careers and lifestyle with the support of the community. The project helps each athlete gain access to trusted resources validated by other sport professionals in order to reach their maximum potential on and off the playing field.

The Anella Olímpica, a space for innovation

The Venue Barcelona has a space measuring 1,100 m² located on the south façade of the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys and is equipped with 14 work modules, a large coworking area and other spaces to facilitate dialogue among the companies working there. In addition, 400 m2 of outdoor space have been provided to host outdoor activities. BSM has earmarked a budget of €2.8 M for the refurbishment of the spaces. 

The Anella Olímpica is an international benchmark in event organisation. With The Venue Barcelona, it is positioning itself as a platform of innovation and the development of disruptive high-impact projects in the activities it hosts. 

A strategic consortium for the project’s expansion and outreach

In charge of managing The Venue Barcelona is a consortium of companies that have successfully managed projects in recent years, in areas such as the design and promotion of innovation centres, management of start-up acceleration programmes and developing results-oriented marketing solutions to position companies and businesses in their growth phase. 

The companies in charge of managing The Venue Barcelona will support the resident companies and start-ups in developing their projects, from conception to launch and even in business expansion. 

• The MotherTrees: The MotherTrees will lead the application of the concept of collaborative open innovation within The Venue Barcelona ecosystem. Its ‘Innovation Solution Puzzle’ methodology helps to solve complex challenges quickly. This will contribute to creating a collaborative environment between companies, leading to innovations that have a positive impact on the sectors involved.

• B-Bruce: B-Bruce promotes the development of innovative branding and creative concepts for the optimal positioning of solutions and brands. The company works on disruptive proposals with the goal of impacting on the public's experience at events and consumers and customers in related sectors by innovating in the way they interact with the companies and their products and services.

• Ongoing: Ongoing is a touchstone in the use of data to expand the impact of innovations and scale up projects. At the heart of the Anella Olímpica, it will introduce results-based marketing to optimise the concepts and experiences that emerge from the resident companies and start-ups.

• U-Skale: U-Skale is a company specialising in accelerating the business of the start-ups and companies at The Venue Barcelona. It will provide a specialised methodology and the tools, resources and mentoring needed to scale up their solutions and create a sustainable impact in different sectors.

The new agreement furthers the collaboration started in 2021 between the zoo and this start-up from the Faculty of Veterinary Studies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)  

The two institutions will define new initiatives that contribute to the welfare of the animals at the zoo 

Zoo de Barcelona takes a step forward in its commitment to animal health and welfare. In an effort to further improve the care of its animals, the zoo has renewed its collaboration agreement with the Zoo Animal Welfare Education Center (ZAWEC), a start-up from the Faculty of Veterinary Studies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) specialising in research, advice and education in animal behaviour and welfare. 

The idea behind the new three-year agreement is to further the collaboration between the zoo and ZAWEC, which started in 2021, and has made possible an accurate analysis of the welfare of animals at the zoo, the introduction of environmental and cognitive enrichment, improvements to their enclosures and more.

Specifically, over the next three years the zoo and the ZAWEC will be working to define new initiatives that help to improve the welfare of the animals at the facility. They will also be offering new training sessions so that the conservation team at the zoo can broaden their knowledge and methodology relating to animal welfare. 

The ZAWEC veterinary team will also be advising the zoo on the care that the animals should receive in exceptional situations, for instance when work or maintenance tasks are carried out. The animals will also be taken into account when new enclosures are designed, or existing ones adapted. 

Zoo de Barcelona, committed to animal welfare

Animal welfare is of primary importance for Zoo de Barcelona. The zoo works hard every day to keep the animals in optimal condition, in good health and living in comfortable surroundings. Ultimately, the goal is for the animals to express their innate behaviour in ways that are close as possible to nature. 

Besides the support of the ZAWEC, the zoo belongs to the key professional associations in the zoological community, affording it opportunities for ongoing learning and the development of the most advanced and innovative practices in the care of zoo animals. These are the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). 

Thanks to this ongoing learning process, the zoo has been applying quality of life assessment methodology for some years now, with keepers measuring the quality of life of each of the animals and what patterns they follow. Using a range of different parameters, they monitor nutrition, illnesses, emotional states, relationships with other individuals of the same species and more. 

The zoo has also adopted an animal welfare and sustainability protocol for exceptional situations, for instance when work or maintenance tasks are being carried out, and has taken various steps to improve the cognitive conditions of its animals. One example here is the placing of boxes and other objects so that primates have to make an effort to find food.