Suara Cooperativa and the Eurecat technology centre will lead the innovation and entrepreneurship efforts at Barcelona's municipal care economy hub, accelerating the full launch of the facility at Carrer dels Almogàvers 165. This new partnership combines social and technological expertise to boost a critical sector for the city's residents.
The Ajuntament of Barcelona, through Barcelona Activa, promotes this significant hub. The joint venture between Suara Cooperativa and Eurecat adds to the Institut Hospital del Mar FP Sanitària, which already drives the hub's training line. This collaboration creates a unique blend of social and technological knowledge for care innovation, according to the city council.
Raquel Gil, Fifth Deputy Mayor of the Ajuntament de Barcelona and President of Barcelona Activa, highlighted the project's importance. She stated, "This accelerates the full launch of a much-anticipated and necessary project due to its potential value contribution to the care sector, a key sector for the well-being of citizens and professionals, and also a traditionally precarious sector."
Driving Social and Technological Innovation
Suara Cooperativa brings a multidisciplinary team with expertise in social education, family and home care, employment integration, nursing, medicine, psychology, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physiotherapy. With over 5,800 professionals, Suara Cooperativa manages more than 300 services and facilities. They adapt these services to individual needs, turning challenges into opportunities for those they assist.
Bàrbara Outeiro, Head of Open Innovation at Suara Cooperativa, emphasised the project's potential. She noted, "This project allows us to advance in the transformation of the care sector through social innovation, technology, and shared knowledge." This focus on shared expertise aims to create lasting positive change.
Eurecat is a leading European technology centre, accelerating innovation for businesses with distinct technological solutions. These solutions create economic, social, and environmental impact. Eurecat employs 850 professionals and leads transformative technologies. Their work impacts industrial autonomy, digital transformation, health and well-being, environmental quality, and climate resilience.
Felip Miralles, Director of Health Technologies at Eurecat, explained the role of technology. He pointed out, "Technological innovation is key to responding to the present and future challenges of the care economy and attention. This new hub represents an opportunity to co-create, test, and validate solutions with real impact, connecting technological knowledge with the needs of the sector and citizens."
The Care Economy Hub and Barcelona's Strategy
The care economy hub, located at Carrer dels Almogàvers 165 in the Sant Martí district, spans 5,417 square metres across six floors. It will feature three main activity lines: talent and training, innovation, and ecosystem dynamisation. The facility began partial operations in September 2025, marking a significant step for the city's strategic development.
Economic activity hubs are physical facilities designed to accelerate growth and position strategic sectors within Barcelona. They also serve as centres for attracting talent, entrepreneurial initiatives, investment, and new economic activity. Barcelona currently operates five active hubs, with another in the conceptualisation phase.
These active hubs include the Barcelona XRLAB, which focuses on creative industries, and Barcelona Circular (BAC), dedicated to the circular economy and industrial transformation. Other hubs are the Digital Talent Hub and the Lidera Hub, which promotes women's roles in the city's business fabric. The Barcelona Urban Tech Hub (BUTH), driven by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), is also being conceptualised.
During 2025, over 15,000 people used one of the city's hubs. Nearly 5,000 individuals received training, and the hubs supported 360 companies. The Economic Activity Hubs Strategy plans to incorporate new facilities in the coming years, expanding its potential impact on Barcelona's strategic sectors and residents' opportunities.
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Originally published by betevé. Read original article.
