MWC25 Contributed €561 Million to the Barcelona Economy

MWC25 Barcelona contributed an estimated €561 million to the Barcelona economy, according to an economic impact report commissioned by the GSMA. MWC25 created over 13,000 part-time jobs, marking another year of growth in local employment and reinforcing the event’s status as a major contributor to Catalonia’s economy.

This is an increase in the economic impact of MWC24 which contributed €502 million. Since MWC first came to the city in 2006, it has generated a total economic contribution of €6.9billion and 173,000 part-time jobs. This year’s edition once again confirmed MWC’s position as the world’s leading connectivity event, attracting policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and innovators. Across four packed days in March, over 109,000 attendees from 205 countries and territories came together to shape the future of connectivity.

“MWC and Barcelona are perfect partners – united by innovation, collaboration, and shared ambition. The strength of our partnership with Barcelona continues to deliver mutual success, and we are proud to contribute to the city’s prosperity and opportunities. We thank the Host City Parties for their unwavering support, and we are so grateful to the people of Barcelona for sharing their extraordinary city with us,” said GSMA’s CEO, John Hoffman.

Beyond the event’s annual week in Spring, the impact of MWC continues to deliver year-round and is helping to establish Barcelona as a global tech hub. Programs enabled by the success of MWC have contributed to Barcelona’s evolution toward its position as one of Europe’s leading technology centers. These include Mobile World Capital and its recently launched event, Talent Arena, which is designed to shape the future of digital talent, as well as 4YFN, which has empowered startups in the global mobile industry for over 10 years.

The mSchools program, a public-private partnership with the GSMA, Mobile World Capital, the Catalan Department of Education, and the City Council of Barcelona, is a global community of teachers, researchers, and policymakers committed to driving change in education. Since its establishment, 390,000 students, 14,000 teachers, and 2,700 schools have taken part. The MWC Donation Room this year contributed 9.3 million tons of different materials, such as carpet and wood, as well as 17 tons of furniture to cultural projects and social schemes in Barcelona. These items were repurposed from MWC25 to have a second life through their use by 23 community not-for-profit organizations and social entities in the cities of Barcelona and Hospitalet de Llobregat.