Foreign investment in Barcelona doubles in 2023, reaching €811 million 

In 2023, Barcelona attracted more than €811 million in foreign investments, doubling the figure since 2022, according to the latest data from the Barcelona city council.

These investments led to the creation of 1,235 new jobs in 2023, tripling the number of jobs created pre-pandemic, in 2019.

In total, 109 projects have been managed in the city, which resulted in 23 investments. 78% of these investments are greenfield investments, meaning they come from new ventures, while the rest are reinvestments made by companies, already present in the city and counting on growing their business in the Catalan capital.

Receiving new investments is a “central” component in “diversifying the economy”, according to Jordi Valls, one of Barcelona’s deputy mayors, who added that it would help the city become a leading capital in innovation and research.”

The United States, China, and France are the countries with the most projects established in 2023, and companies outside of the European Union account for 65% of the companies present.

74% of the projects are concentrated within three sectors: 39.13% are related to technology, followed by 21.74% focused on the business sector while 13.04% of the projects are related to the health and life sciences sector. The latter also accounts for 98.6% of the total amount invested.

Currently, 57 projects are under negotiation, seven of which are in the process of being established in the city.

The Catalan Directorate for International Economic Promotion and the Business Landing Service at Barcelona Activa’s Business Support Office is responsible for attracting and supporting the new projects coming to Barcelona.  

In Catalonia, foreign investments also increased in 2023, reaching €1.22 billion in the third quarter of the year, up 27% from the same period in 2022 when the figure was €954 million.