Barcelona attracts technology lovers. The Catalan capital has managed to consolidate itself as an international technology hub, placing it among the top 12 cities in the world that are most in line with the "tech" lifestyle, as identified by the real estate consultancy Savills in its 'Tech Lifestyle Cites' index. This category, which forms part of the 'Tech Cities 2021' report, recognises those metropolises that are characterised by being outstanding innovation hubs in their region, centres of attraction for venture capital and having elements that guarantee high standards of wellbeing, a parameter that is now taking on greater importance in a post-pandemic world. As well as being one of the best cities in the world for foreigners, Barcelona therefore concretes its position as one of the best tech cities in the world, meaning it is one of the best cities for tech jobs in 2021.
Barcelona, which is also the fifth most attractive city on an international level for attracting young technological talent, is, together with Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin and Stockholm, one of the European representatives in the Savills Tech Lifestyle Cities index. The selected cities in the United States are Austin, Boston, Denver and Seattle. Melbourne is the representative city for the Asia-Pacific area, while Tel-Aviv is the leading city in the Middle East and North Africa.
Another of the characteristics that identify these ideal tech cities in report is that they have a population of less than 5 million inhabitants, as well as large or medium sized technological industries in full development and the presence of other complementary sectors. They also offer good connectivity at a global and regional level and have at least one high level higher education centre. These cities are also a magnet for attracting talent by offering a wide range of cultural and nightlife options and by providing a good balance between sustainable urban life and options for out-of-town activities.
Barcelona, like the other selected cities, has high standards of air quality, access to green spaces and offers the services and products that technological talent is looking for today. 8 of these cities offer more than 100 square metres of green space per capita (in the case of Berlin, Copenhagen and Amsterdam this rises to more than 500 square metres). In addition, Melbourne, Barcelona and Denver also have direct access to beaches or mountains.
In these cities, technology companies can offer their staff healthier and more affordable environments, although they are also experiencing an increase in cost due to the success they are achieving. Barcelona also stands out as a city which is growing in tech startups, another attractive feature for young entrepreneurs.
Attracting international talent
As mentioned, in addition to being recognised as one of the main cities in the world for its tech lifestyle, Barcelona is the fifth most attractive city for young professionals who work in the technology sector, according to Savills' Digital Nomad Essential Index. In this category, it has identified a combination of different attributes and products that a young tech worker can find in these cities whose availability and price influence make them attractive for attracting international talent. The parameters analysed range from the cost of a coffee and a veggie burger, to fast broadband access, flexible office space and air quality. The ranking is led by Melbourne, Eindhoven and Seattle.