Barcelona, Spain, 25
January 2018- 4 Years From Now (4YFN), the leading startup platform in the
entrepreneurship and digital innovation field promoted by Mobile World Capital
and the GSMA, presented the 5th edition of its most international event today.
4YFN Barcelona 2018, which will take place within the framework of the GSMA
Mobile World Congress between 26-28 February, will gather local and
international entrepreneurs, startups and professionals working at large
corporations in order to create and launch new tech-based businesses.
January 2018- 4 Years From Now (4YFN), the leading startup platform in the
entrepreneurship and digital innovation field promoted by Mobile World Capital
and the GSMA, presented the 5th edition of its most international event today.
4YFN Barcelona 2018, which will take place within the framework of the GSMA
Mobile World Congress between 26-28 February, will gather local and
international entrepreneurs, startups and professionals working at large
corporations in order to create and launch new tech-based businesses.
4YFN Barcelona 2018 expects
to attract over 19,000 visitors in an event that will see the participation of
600 investors. Additionally, the exhibition area – the Innovation Market – will
welcome more than 600 startups from 145 countries and 12 international
delegations from Belgium, Colombia, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan,
South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
to attract over 19,000 visitors in an event that will see the participation of
600 investors. Additionally, the exhibition area – the Innovation Market – will
welcome more than 600 startups from 145 countries and 12 international
delegations from Belgium, Colombia, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan,
South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
Future trends for entrepreneurs
The event programme also
includes a total of 110 hours of content on blockchain, IoT, tech transfer,
corporate venturing and artificial intelligence, among other items. These
sessions will be chaired by 275 leading international speakers, including Rob
Glaser, Chairman & CEO of RealNetworks; Kathrin Buvac, Chief Strategy
Officer at Nokia; Andrew Bolwell, Vice President, Chief Disrupter and Global
Head at HP Tech Ventures; David Tennenhouse, Chief Research Officer at VMware;
Howard Love, Founder & CEO of LoveToKnow; and René Obermann, Managing
Director & Partner at Warburg Pincus. The event will host conferences by
Nuria Oliver, Director of Data Science Research at Vodafone and Chief Data Scientist
at DataPop Alliance; Alfonso Ayuso, Deputy Director and Chief Analytics Officer
at Banco Sabadell; Jacinto Roca, Founder & CEO of Rakuten TV. Glòria
Molins, founder and CEO of Trip4Real, will also be on stage to show how she has
build a project with international impact after coming to 4YFN 2014.
includes a total of 110 hours of content on blockchain, IoT, tech transfer,
corporate venturing and artificial intelligence, among other items. These
sessions will be chaired by 275 leading international speakers, including Rob
Glaser, Chairman & CEO of RealNetworks; Kathrin Buvac, Chief Strategy
Officer at Nokia; Andrew Bolwell, Vice President, Chief Disrupter and Global
Head at HP Tech Ventures; David Tennenhouse, Chief Research Officer at VMware;
Howard Love, Founder & CEO of LoveToKnow; and René Obermann, Managing
Director & Partner at Warburg Pincus. The event will host conferences by
Nuria Oliver, Director of Data Science Research at Vodafone and Chief Data Scientist
at DataPop Alliance; Alfonso Ayuso, Deputy Director and Chief Analytics Officer
at Banco Sabadell; Jacinto Roca, Founder & CEO of Rakuten TV. Glòria
Molins, founder and CEO of Trip4Real, will also be on stage to show how she has
build a project with international impact after coming to 4YFN 2014.
Following an initial 4-year
cycle, 4YFN also seeks to bolster local entrepreneurs and startups that have
grown with the event and to give them a voice in this 5th edition. With this in
mind, three daily sessions will be held in which several “local heroes” –
entrepreneurs who have founded and worked on projects linked to the 4YFN
platform in Barcelona – will share their experiences in creating and developing
digital businesses. Among the participants in these sessions are Carlota Pi, Co
-Founder of Holaluz; Javier Suárez, Co-Founder of TravelPerk and Agustín Gómez,
Co-Founder of Wallapop.
cycle, 4YFN also seeks to bolster local entrepreneurs and startups that have
grown with the event and to give them a voice in this 5th edition. With this in
mind, three daily sessions will be held in which several “local heroes” –
entrepreneurs who have founded and worked on projects linked to the 4YFN
platform in Barcelona – will share their experiences in creating and developing
digital businesses. Among the participants in these sessions are Carlota Pi, Co
-Founder of Holaluz; Javier Suárez, Co-Founder of TravelPerk and Agustín Gómez,
Co-Founder of Wallapop.
4YFN Barcelona 2018 will
also have more available meeting space in order to generate greater networking
opportunities between different members of the ecosystem. During the startup
pitches, entrepreneurs will be given the opportunity to present their projects
to investors, corporations, potential business partners and other visitors.
They will also be given the chance to take part in guidance sessions with
mentors from several different fields who will give them advice on raising
funds, business strategy, marketing and international growth, among other
subjects. Participants will also have the chance to achieve the greatest
possible diffusion of their projects thanks to a number of “Pitch the Press”
sessions, a series of brief interviews with national and international
journalists.
also have more available meeting space in order to generate greater networking
opportunities between different members of the ecosystem. During the startup
pitches, entrepreneurs will be given the opportunity to present their projects
to investors, corporations, potential business partners and other visitors.
They will also be given the chance to take part in guidance sessions with
mentors from several different fields who will give them advice on raising
funds, business strategy, marketing and international growth, among other
subjects. Participants will also have the chance to achieve the greatest
possible diffusion of their projects thanks to a number of “Pitch the Press”
sessions, a series of brief interviews with national and international
journalists.
The featured programmes
that will take place in 4YFN are: the GSMA Women4Tech Programme, an initiative
to tackle gender equality and gender diversity in the global tech startup
community; the Digital Health & Wellness Summit, in partnership with ECH
Alliance, where innovators in digital health will meet end users to understand
and discuss the needs and challenges in the health industry; IMPACT
Accelerator, the startup accelerator made by top Accelerators, Global Brands
and VCs; and Ship2B Social Innovation Challenge, the leading Barcelona-based
social innovation accelerator.
that will take place in 4YFN are: the GSMA Women4Tech Programme, an initiative
to tackle gender equality and gender diversity in the global tech startup
community; the Digital Health & Wellness Summit, in partnership with ECH
Alliance, where innovators in digital health will meet end users to understand
and discuss the needs and challenges in the health industry; IMPACT
Accelerator, the startup accelerator made by top Accelerators, Global Brands
and VCs; and Ship2B Social Innovation Challenge, the leading Barcelona-based
social innovation accelerator.
In search of the best
digital startup
digital startup
This year, the 4YFN Awards
will adapt to highlight one overall winner across all industries. Their
original format has been modified to include two semi-finals, to be held in the
morning and afternoon on Tuesday 27 February, whereby 10 projects will compete
for the best startup award. The 5 most favourable startups will be selected to
join the finale on Wednesday 28 February. 4YFN is focused on acknowledging and
rewarding the most disruptive talent in the sector, independently of their
field expertise, and committed to accompanying and supporting their growth by
offering them the chance to take part in 4YFN Barcelona 2019 or a stay at an
entrepreneurial community residence in Palo Alto, USA.
will adapt to highlight one overall winner across all industries. Their
original format has been modified to include two semi-finals, to be held in the
morning and afternoon on Tuesday 27 February, whereby 10 projects will compete
for the best startup award. The 5 most favourable startups will be selected to
join the finale on Wednesday 28 February. 4YFN is focused on acknowledging and
rewarding the most disruptive talent in the sector, independently of their
field expertise, and committed to accompanying and supporting their growth by
offering them the chance to take part in 4YFN Barcelona 2019 or a stay at an
entrepreneurial community residence in Palo Alto, USA.
Growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem
According to the Startup
Ecosystem Overview, an annual report on the entrepreneurial sector published by
Mobile World Capital Barcelona and presented today, shows that Barcelona has
established itself as the 5th most popular European technology hub in terms of
the number of startups – which is in the region of 1,300, or 34% of the total
number in Spain – and, for the first time, in terms of investment, at a total
of €453 million. Spain also followed this trend, with an overall annual
investment increasing from €502 million in 2016 to €779 million in 2017.
Ecosystem Overview, an annual report on the entrepreneurial sector published by
Mobile World Capital Barcelona and presented today, shows that Barcelona has
established itself as the 5th most popular European technology hub in terms of
the number of startups – which is in the region of 1,300, or 34% of the total
number in Spain – and, for the first time, in terms of investment, at a total
of €453 million. Spain also followed this trend, with an overall annual
investment increasing from €502 million in 2016 to €779 million in 2017.
Last year also saw
Barcelona consolidate its position as Spain’s leading hub, followed by Madrid
(31.5%), Valencia (5.5%) and Bilbao (3%). At sector level, the report confirms
the increased importance of e-commerce in Barcelona, which now represents 24%
compared to just 13.2% in 2015. It also highlights the growth of tourism
startups, which have increased from 5.9% to 10% in just one year.
Barcelona consolidate its position as Spain’s leading hub, followed by Madrid
(31.5%), Valencia (5.5%) and Bilbao (3%). At sector level, the report confirms
the increased importance of e-commerce in Barcelona, which now represents 24%
compared to just 13.2% in 2015. It also highlights the growth of tourism
startups, which have increased from 5.9% to 10% in just one year.
The analysis carried out
also identifies the trends that will shape the development of the entrepreneurial
ecosystem in Barcelona over the next 5 years. Artificial intelligence is the
sector with the greatest potential for growth, followed by genomics, virtual
reality, augmented reality and blockchain. More specifically, 34% of the 4YFN
community thinks that Barcelona could become one of the world’s leading centres
for artificial intelligence within the next 5 years.
also identifies the trends that will shape the development of the entrepreneurial
ecosystem in Barcelona over the next 5 years. Artificial intelligence is the
sector with the greatest potential for growth, followed by genomics, virtual
reality, augmented reality and blockchain. More specifically, 34% of the 4YFN
community thinks that Barcelona could become one of the world’s leading centres
for artificial intelligence within the next 5 years.
