BBVA reaffirms its commitment to BNEW as a platform for innovation and business transformation

● Francisco Pla, Regional Director of BBVA in Catalonia, and Blanca Sorigué, CEO of the CZFB, have formalized an agreement through which the banking institution renews its commitment to BNEW, an event that continues to strengthen its position as a benchmark in the field of the new economy.

● La Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW) will address eight key sectors shaping the new economy: Energy, Agrofood, Gaming, Aviation & Space, AI, Health, Science, and Talent.

Barcelona, September 16, 2026.- The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB), the public entity organizing Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW), has signed an agreement with BBVA, through which the banking institution renews its commitment to an event that has established itself as a benchmark in the field of the new economy. The seventh edition of BNEW will take place from October 5 to 7, 2026, at DFactory Barcelona, and will feature a program of 50 content sessions, 270 speakers, and more than 40 experiential activities.

Through this agreement, BBVA reaffirms its commitment and continued support for an event that positions Barcelona as the capital of the new economy, with the aim of fostering innovation and enhancing the city’s economic projection. The agreement was signed at DFactory Barcelona and was attended by Francisco Pla, Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking at BBVA in Catalonia, and Blanca Sorigué, CEO of the CZFB and BNEW.

Francisco Pla, Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking at BBVA in Catalonia, highlighted that: “BNEW has become a benchmark meeting point for anticipating the changes that are shaping the new economy. The creation this year of a vertical dedicated to artificial intelligence reflects the growing importance of this technology across all sectors and, for BBVA, supporting this new space is a natural evolution of our commitment to the event. We believe that AI can help companies become more efficient, innovative, and competitive, and we want to support them throughout this process, combining our capabilities and technological expertise with a close understanding of their reality and challenges.”

For her part, Blanca Sorigué, CEO of the CZFB, emphasized the importance of BBVA’s continued commitment to BNEW for another year: “At the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, we always believe in partnerships that enable us to develop high-value projects. The renewal of this agreement with BBVA is a clear example of this, demonstrating the bank’s commitment to a unique and distinctive event such as BNEW, where we succeed in generating a genuine dialogue among companies, institutions, professionals, and entrepreneurs who are driving innovative industries. Moreover, this year we will be offering a unique experience to everyone who visits DFactory Barcelona during the three days of the event.”

Eight key sectors driving the new economy

The seventh edition of BNEW will connect eight key sectors of the new economy: Energy, Agrofood, Gaming, Aviation & Space, AI, Health, Science, and Talent. The event will maintain its hybrid audiovisual format, featuring three TV studios from which the content program will be broadcast live via the digital platform. The program will bring together professionals from various economic sectors, industries, SMEs, large corporations, public administrations, institutions, and startups. Sessions dedicated to AI, Agrofood, and Science will take place on Monday, October 5, while Talent, Aviation & Space, and Health will be featured on Tuesday, October 6. Finally, on Wednesday, October 7, the spotlight will be on Energy, Gaming, and startup pitches.

In addition, the event will offer more than 40 experiential activities, enabling onsite attendees to experience firsthand the latest innovations across different sectors. Visitors will have the opportunity to pilot an F-18 fighter jet simulator, observe a surgical robot in action, interact with humanoid robots, discover autonomous surveillance robots, and take part in experiences related to collaborative robotics and autonomous mobility. The experiential program will also dedicate a prominent space to creativity and cultural industries. Fashion, design, architecture, art, and dance will be showcased through immersive exhibitions, 3D printing demonstrations applied to ceramics, robot-assisted artistic creation, and cobot-assisted painting experiences. All of this will be complemented by gastronomic and leisure activities that will allow visitors to discover Barcelona’s rich cultural heritage.