Catalonia is Spain’s leading region in the development of green and digital technologies. Catalonia and Madrid together account for 60% of the country’s recently developed patents in future technologies like 3-D printing, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and advanced materials. However, there is also substantial untapped potential to develop new green and digital technologies in other Spanish and European regions. For example, the regions of Valencia and Andalusia exhibit capabilities needed to develop green and digital technologies despite being economically weaker. 

For Spain to excel in the twin transition, it will be important to leverage the untapped potential in all regions. Bridging complementary capabilities by establishing collaborations between leading regions such as Catalonia and Madrid with other regions is crucial to accelerate the development of new technologies. When establishing collaborations between regions, economically lagging regions should be included to not only unleash the untapped potential of technological capabilities in these regions, but also to provide them opportunities to catch up economically. 

This is one conclusion from the study Technological capabilities and the twin transition in Europe produced by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and written by Thomas Schwab (Bertelsmann Stiftung), Ron Boschma (Utrecht University & Stavanger University), Julia Bachtrögler-Unger (WIFO) and Pierre-Alexandre Balland (University of Utrecht). The study profiles the capabilities of 288 European NUTS-2 regions to develop 42 technologies necessary to master the twin transition. It also highlights the importance of inter-regional collaboration in the development of new technologies and illustrates where there is untapped potential for collaboration across the EU. 

The event will take place in Barcelona on 17 October 2023 at 17:30 CET, at UPF- Campus de la Ciutadella Auditorium.  

Renowned international experts in the digital and green transition and regional economic development will discuss questions such as: 

• How has Catalonia become a leading region in twin transition technologies (as reflected in our study and in other sources)?  
• What cooperation strategies are in place to connect it with other Spanish and European regions?  
• What can be done to close the innovation gap between Spain’s top technology regions and the rest? 
• Why is it important to foster regional collaboration across the EU?  
• Why is it important to also support less developed regions in Spain in developing green and digital technologies? 

This event is organized by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, the Fundación Bertelsmann and the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI).