FC Barcelona unveils FCB APPS, a programme aimed at empowering the Catalan mobile sector

Barcelona (FCB).- The programme is aimed at developers and businesses that create mobile applications. The goal is to leverage FC Barcelona during the creation of a world-wide leading industry, as well as offering up new business opportunities for developers and ITC entrepreneurs. Any mobile application that transmits the values and the spirit of FC Barcelona are eligible for submission, and the developers, if accepted, will have access to the benefits outlined in the programme.

Strategic landscape

The Catalan ITC sector is made up of 3,479 businesses. Those businesses employ 70,632 workers and have created 10,000 jobs in 2 years. The Catalan ITC businesses are some of the most innovative businesses in Catalonia and Spain; in fact, the sector makes up 3.4% of the Catalan GDP.

To these we must add the growth of private, public, and private/public initiatives that promote the mobile sector, as well as the opportunity that comes from Barcelona being the mobile capital of the world until 2018, in conjunction with the annual Mobile World Congress.

Barcelona digital, technological program partner, and FC Barcelona will evaluate the best proposals

“The future, and in fact, the present is mobile. If we want to be closer to the members and fans of Barça we have to bet on mobile [technology],” said Dídac Lee, FC Barcelona Director for New Technologies. Last Friday the new FCB APPS programme was unveiled by FC Barcelona. The program is designed to empower, with FC Barcelona’s brand, the Catalan mobile sector and to elevate the industry on a national and international scale. The initiative builds on the advantage of the experience and wealth of knowledge provided by Barcelona Digital in the I+D+i in Movilidad as well as Barcelona's newly acquired status as the world mobile capital.

This programme, which was presented by Lee and the Director General of BDigital, Carles Fradera, is aimed at developers and businesses that specialise in mobile app creation. The goal is to take advantage of the current strategic positioning of the mobile communications sector, to elevate the digital industry in Catalonia and to help leading ITC businesses focused on the world of sports. Barça wants to leverage its leadership to promote and create an industry with international reach, as well as offer up opportunities to developers and ITC entrepreneurs.

FCB APPS wants to answer the important challenges that start-ups often face when it comes to product commercialisation, financing or the lack of brand in a crowded marketplace. Therefore, any mobile application that transmits the values and spirit of Barça may be submitted to FC Barcelona for approval and businesses and/or entrepreneurs may apply to be part of the programme.

According to Carles Fradera, “it’s very important that FC Barcelona is the company behind this programme, it will empower the mobile sector of this country.” Fradera, equally, considers that FCB APPS “has an open ecosystem” with different represented entities in the business world.

How does it work

Barcelona Digital, technological program partner, and FC Barcelona will evaluate the best proposals. Once selected, developers will receive guidance and feedback and business mentoring from the Catalan Government, through its Directorate General of Telecommunications and Information Society and ACC1Ó –Catalonia’s business internationalisation agency-, Barcelona City Council, through Barcelona Activa, and Telefónica I + D, as well as preferential access to Caixa Capital Risc investment tools, La Caixa’s venture capital department.

Barça applications

FC Barcelona is betting on and supporting the mobile sector with initiatives that directly benefit the industry, for example, supporting the Catalan Government’s and Barcelona City Council’s successful bid of establishing Barcelona as the world-wide mobile capital. Furthermore, FC Barcelona has made a firm commitment to develop mobile applications. Evidence of this if the application FCB Watch, with more than 100,000 downloads in two months and one of the current leading sports applications; the Fantasy Manager, 'Top Grossing' application in the Apple Store in October 2011; the recently released FCB Live, which offers up a new way to experience Barça matches. With FCB APPS, FC Barcelona wants to take the next step and share the challenge of creating leading ITC development businesses that focus on the world of sport, be an ambassador for Catalonia and a leading business incubator.