Catalunya

Presentation of the Region

Catalonia is a nation with over a thousand years of history with a dynamic and internationalised economy. Without a rich endowment of natural resources, Catalonia’s economic activity has always depended on its ability to connect to the rest of the world. Motivated by necessity, Catalonia has developed a skill for reaching out and connecting over the years that has become the area’s major talents and today makes Catalonia an unbeatable meeting point for international business.

Catalonia has an active and innovative business community and a strong research and innovation system, including internationally recognised universities, research and technology centres. Catalonia is one of the main poles of attraction for foreign direct investment in Europe, it concentrates more than 25% of Spanish exports and 1% of the world’s total scientific production per inhabitant. Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, it is also the World’s mobile capital and iCapital of Europe.

Catalonia has adopted Europe 2020 priorities through the Catalonia 2020 Strategy, which is the Catalan Government’s roadmap for relaunching the economy and consolidating Catalonia as an industrially-based country, with an open, competitive and sustainable economy combining talent, creativity, a diversified business ecosystem and its own research system of excellence, all within a dynamic, entrepreneurial and inclusive society.

RIS3 Priorities

The Catalan Smart Specialisation Strategy for Innovation (RIS3CAT) is focus on enhancing the competitiveness of the business fabric by improving the efficiency of production processes; promoting new emerging economic activities through research, creativity and innovation; consolidating Catalonia as a European knowledge hub and making global improvements to the Catalan system of innovation.