BNEW unveils a more experiential seventh edition with a broader range of represented sectors

• Organized by the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB), the event will feature 270 speakers, 50 sessions, and more than 50 experiential activities, showcasing disruptive solutions driving the new economy.

• The BNEW Startup Innovation Hub 2026 once again reinforces its position as a leading meeting point for companies, entrepreneurs, and investors, with the participation of more than 100 startups.

Barcelona, September 30, 2026.- The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) presented this morning, during a press conference, the seventh edition of the Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW), which will take place from October 5 to 7 at DFactory Barcelona. This year, the event will bring together 270 speakers, more than 100 startups, 50 sessions, and over 50 experiential activities, connecting eight key sectors under the common theme of the new economy to create business opportunities and foster innovation. The verticals featured in BNEW 2026 are AI, Agrofood, Science, Gaming, Aviation & Space, Talent, Health, and Energy, which will form the core of the event’s programme.

In its unique format, BNEW is incorporating new sectors to analyse the impact of AI on industries such as agrifood, aerospace and science; the importance of data in the energy sector; the latest advances in 3D printing in healthcare; new business models in the gaming industry; and the talent challenge in the new economy. The AI, Agrofood and Science sessions will take place on Monday, 5 October, while the Talent, Aviation & Space and Health sessions will be held on Tuesday, 6 October. Finally, on Wednesday, 7 October, the programme will focus on Energy, Gaming, and startup pitch sessions.

All of this will be brought to life by leading experts and top-tier brands, including: Diego Perino, Director of the AI Factory at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center; Consuelo Rebolledo, Talent Manager at MWC; Laia Parellada, HR Manager for Spain and Portugal at easyJet; Antonio Gamiz, Head of Innovation at Merlin Properties & Loom; Jorge Juan Fernández, Chief Innovation Manager at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; Antoni Gilabert, Director of Innovation at Hospital del Mar; Daniel Marsol, Communication and Marketing Director at bonÀrea; David Martín, Director of Technology and Data at PortAventura World; Gemma Marfany, Professor of Genetics at the University of Barcelona; Mª Carmen Noel, People and Wellbeing Executive at Consum; Joan Francesc Bañó, Executive Director at GameBCN; Óscar Pérez, Scientific Director at Ferrer; Isabel Pérez, Head of IT Europe Region at Novartis; Franc Sanmartí, Sustainability Director at Vueling; Susana Tintoré, Director of Institutional Relations at Grifols; and Anna Carabús, Sector Coordinator of the CiPA at IRTA, among many others.

During the press conference, Pere Navarro, Executive State Delegate of the CZFB, stated that: “BNEW was born in the midst of the pandemic to create an opportunity during one of the most challenging moments in recent history. It became a gateway to a new economy driven by innovation, sustainability, technology, and talent. Today, seven editions later, there is no need to explain what BNEW is: it has become part of our lives and of the global calendar of leading economic events. Yet it remains a unique event, because here the new economy is not only analyzed or discussed, it can be touched, experienced, and brought to life. BNEW is a major innovation lab where companies, entrepreneurs, and institutions can witness firsthand how new technologies are transforming entire industries and creating new opportunities for the future.”

More than 100 startups

Innovation will take centre stage, with more than 100 startups selected to participate in the BNEW Startup Innovation Hub 2026, which once again consolidates its role as a leading meeting point for companies, entrepreneurs, and investors. The startups participating will have the opportunity to showcase their projects and present their latest innovations. Those selected by the expert committee as the top five startups in each vertical will be eligible for the BNEW 2026 Best Startup Award and will have the opportunity to pitch their innovative projects to a specialised audience, international companies, investors, potential clients, and venture capital firms. Each startup will deliver a five-minute pitch on the morning of October 7 at the Talent vertical studio. In addition, throughout the three-day event, all participating startups will have access to a variety of dedicated spaces and networking tools, including B2B meeting opportunities, designed to foster collaboration and business development.

According to Blanca Sorigué, General Director of the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB): “Entrepreneurial talent needs visibility, but above all, it needs opportunities. Our goal is to showcase entrepreneurial talent and connect its solutions with major companies, investors, potential clients, and strategic partners. BNEW Startup Innovation Hub will provide that platform. In addition, as in every edition, the BNEW 2026 Best Startup Award will recognize the most outstanding project in each of the event’s eight verticals.”

The finalist startups in the BNEW Gaming vertical are: Alongside, Dust Games, Tih, MRPlay Tech, and The Breach Studios. In BNEW Energy, the selected startups are: Torch, Roseo, MOAI Analytics, Methanol Reformer, and BIYUD – Sustainability Wealth. Among the startups participating in BNEW Science, notable names include NoctuRNA Therapeutics, Genio Lifespan, Heuristiks Technologies, Additive Spaces, and Comeloia. The finalists in BNEW Health are: Altium Sequencing, Horus ML, Serena Digital, Innova Circular, and Blue Route. In BNEW AI, the selected startups are: Timbal, Naios, Automassist, Fluent Mobility, and Buoh. In the BNEW Agrofood category, the finalists are: POTS, Aiquos, MCSystems, Efizum, and Cyanoterra. The finalist startups in BNEW Talent are: Uvne, Temotiva, The Consulting Solutions, Kampe, and Kincode AI. Finally, in BNEW Aviation & Space, the standout startups are: H2 Dron Energy, Avialeader – Situational Awareness & Performance, Certidron by Net2fly, DG Anywhere, and Systellar.

When Innovation Becomes Tangible

Another of this year’s key developments is its strong commitment to in-person participation, with a programme of more than 50 experiential activities that will complement the content agenda and create new networking opportunities in a closer, more engaging environment, transforming DFactory Barcelona into a true “living lab” of the new economy. BNEW Experience will offer visitors the opportunity to take control of an F-18 fighter jet simulator, observe a surgical robot in operation, interact with humanoid robots, challenge a robot to a game of tic-tac-toe, discover autonomous surveillance robots, and participate in experiences related to collaborative robotics and autonomous mobility through driving simulators.

The experiential programme will also dedicate significant space to creativity and cultural industries. Fashion, design, architecture, art, and dance will be featured through immersive exhibitions, demonstrations of 3D printing applied to ceramics, robot-assisted artistic creation, and painting experiences supported by collaborative robots (cobots). All of this will be complemented by gastronomic and leisure activities, enabling participants to discover Barcelona’s rich cultural heritage while building professional connections in an environment that differs from traditional congresses and trade fairs.

Hybrid event

Since its inception, BNEW has championed a hybrid format that combines the power of in-person networking with the global reach of digital engagement. In this seventh edition, all content will once again be streamed live through the BNEW Platform, enabling participants from around the world to join the event remotely. In addition, registered users will have access to a range of networking tools, including contact exchange features, meeting scheduling, and the virtual assistant BBot, designed to facilitate interaction among participants and maximise collaboration opportunities. The registration link to access the digital platform is available on the event website: www.bnewbarcelona.com.

The seventh edition of the Barcelona New Economy Week is supported by more than 50 partners and media partners, as well as by the backing and sponsorship of various institutions and organizations, including the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya), Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Provincial Council (Diputació de Barcelona), Merlin Properties, Loom, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), BBVA, CaixaBank, Ibercaja, Aena, the Port of Barcelona, Veolia, and La Vanguardia.