The third Barcelona Innovation Awards, organised by 22@Network Barcelona, KimBcn, and Barcelona City Council, took place on 5 May in Barcelona. The awards recognised startups redefining the future of innovation across four categories: Disruptive Innovation, 22@ District Innovation, Social Innovation and Impact, and Sustainability.
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni and Fourth Deputy Mayor Jordi Valls attended the ceremony, alongside other key figures from the public and private sectors. The event is now a critical date for talent in Barcelona, aiming to position the city as a European innovation capital.
Susana Prado, president of 22@Network Barcelona, highlighted the broader ecosystem. "Today we not only celebrate the winners, but an entire ecosystem that makes it possible for Barcelona to be the capital of Europe in terms of innovation and transformation," she said. Prado emphasised that innovation extends beyond technology, encompassing talent, ideas, and the ability to turn concepts into realities that improve lives.
Advancing Urban Development and Social Good
Mayor Collboni spoke about the 22@ district, describing it as "the urban transformation of a neighbourhood that ensures city residents can continue to work in the city." He added that this "right to stay" involves offering affordable housing and future economic opportunities. Collboni congratulated the award winners for their contributions to sustainability, social impact, and the future development of the 22@ project.
The awards aimed to recognise solutions addressing key challenges facing society today.
Pioneering Solutions in Health and Environment
The Disruptive Innovation award went to fetaLife. The company has developed a liquid fetal incubator designed to revolutionise neonatology, offering extreme premature babies a chance to continue development under physiological conditions, increasing their survival potential. Elisenda Bonet, CEO and co-founder, accepted the award, stating, "After many years of work and research, we are starting to see very hopeful results. Our team works with the sole objective of improving the lives of newborns and their families."
Elohawk received the Sustainability award for its technology that uses artificial intelligence and geospatial analysis to detect and monitor illegal waste dumps with high precision. This helps administrations respond to these infringements more efficiently and with data-driven insights. Founder Eduardo López, who collected the award, noted, "Illegal dumping has become one of the main problems in cities, and thanks to the deployment of our app, it is possible to detect it with 93% efficiency."
Improving Accessibility and Local Commerce
Spot4Dis was honoured with the Social Innovation and Impact award. This technological solution helps people with reduced mobility find available parking spaces, according to Carlo Castellano, president of Spot4Dis. The application integrates data, IoT, and citizen participation to reduce fraud, improve urban management, and move towards more accessible, efficient, and inclusive cities. It has already been implemented in five European cities, including Valencia and Genoa.
Finally, the 22@ District Innovation award was presented to Vaib. This company has promoted a new model of conscious consumption by connecting technology companies with local businesses in the neighbourhood through an app. The app integrates economic, social, and technological impact, optimising users' daily lives and supporting the local economy. Flor González, Vaib's director, explained, "We were born to make everyday life easy again, to find simple solutions for daily challenges. But also solutions that are sustainable and connect us with our immediate surroundings. The change in consumption can only depend on the user, it needs solutions that make it easier."
Through this initiative, 22@Network Barcelona, Barcelona City Council, and KimBcn show their commitment to promoting innovation, supporting the business community, and strengthening the 22@ district as a strategic hub for economic and technological development.
