As part of our ongoing internationalisation strategy, 22@Network Barcelona recently carried out an institutional visit to Brazil, reinforcing connections with leading innovation ecosystems and fostering new opportunities for collaboration between Europe and Latin America.

The delegation -led by the President of 22@Network Barcelona, Susana Prado, and our Managing Director, Isabel Sabadí- engaged with key stakeholders across different regions, including São Paulo and Santa Catarina. The visit focused on exchanging knowledge, sharing best practices, and exploring synergies between innovation districts and technology-driven ecosystems.

A key milestone of the trip was the participation in Smart City Expo Curitiba 2026 (March 25–27), one of Latin America’s leading events on urban innovation. Isabel Sabadí took part as a speaker in the roundtable session “Smart Hubs Driving Technology and Business Innovation in Cities”, where she shared the 22@ Barcelona model as a European benchmark for innovation-led urban transformation. Her contribution highlighted key elements such as long-term strategic planning, public-private collaboration, talent attraction, and the economic and social impact of innovation districts.

The session emphasised the growing role of “smart hubs” as engines of technological disruption and business innovation, bringing together digital infrastructure, investment, and talent to accelerate the development of solutions in areas such as artificial intelligence, IoT, and data-driven urban services. In this context, 22@ Barcelona was presented as a consolidated example of how integrated ecosystems can foster competitiveness, inclusion, and sustainable growth.

Beyond the congress, the delegation engaged in an extensive agenda of institutional visits and ecosystem immersion. In Florianópolis, 22@Network Barcelona held strategic meetings with key organisations such as INAITEC, represented by its Executive Director Diego Chierighini, and ACATE (Associação Catarinense de Tecnologia). These engagements culminated in the signing of collaboration agreements aimed at fostering joint initiatives in innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent development between both ecosystems.

The programme also included institutional meetings with local authorities and innovation leaders, providing valuable insights into Florianópolis as a model of a highly innovative city combining quality of life, strong technological talent, and international projection. Discussions focused on governance models, ecosystem development, and opportunities for collaboration between European and Brazilian hubs.

In São Paulo, the delegation strengthened institutional ties through a meeting with Josep Maria Buades Juan, Director of Catalonia Trade & Investment (ACCIÓ) in Brazil. This interaction provided an opportunity to exchange insights on the current state of innovation ecosystems in Catalonia and Brazil, as well as to explore potential avenues for collaboration at both institutional and business levels.

In our visit to São Paulo’s Innovation District, we were kindly recieved by Claudia Fonseca, Sylvio Rosa, André Aquino, Isolda Costa, Niklaus Ursus, Levi Pompermayer, Mauro Lima, Nicolle Loureiro and Rafael Moya. In this meeting we observed how São Paulo’s Innovation District and 22@ district are built around very similar operating and governance logics, combining science, place-based development, institutional orchestration, and long-term ecosystem strategy. We discussed how this shared ground can support a meaningful collaboration between the two districts.

Throughout this trip, 22@Network Barcelona also contributed to international dialogue through interviews (here you can read Isabel Sabadí’s interview in The Builders done by Fabricio Umpierres: Entrevista: o que o Distrito 22@ Barcelona ensina sobre cidades, inovação e desenvolvimento econômico - The Builders Santa Catarina), presentations, and knowledge-sharing sessions, reinforcing the relevance of the Barcelona model and its adaptability to different urban contexts. Exchanges with local ecosystem leaders further underlined the importance of collaboration, cross-learning, and global connectivity in accelerating innovation.

For 22@Network Barcelona, this mission represents a significant step in strengthening its international presence and building long-term partnerships across continents. As innovation ecosystems become increasingly interconnected, fostering collaboration between Europe and Latin America remains essential to driving sustainable urban transformation and shaping the cities of the future.