Activity report 2014 BARCELONA ACTIVA Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   2 Index 01 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 3 02 MISSION AND VALUES ................................................................................................. 9 03 SPHERES OF ACTIONS AND NETWORK OF FACILITIES ............................................... 11 04 MAIN RESULTS OF 2014 ............................................................................................ 13 04.1 Enterprise and employment services ............................................................... 13 04.1.1 Enterprise ........................................................................................... 14 04.1.2 Entrepreneurship ................................................................................ 22 04.1.3 Professional skills acquisition and employment ................................. 28 04.1.4 Training ............................................................................................... 36 04.2 Promotion ........................................................................................................ 40 04.2.1 City promotion .................................................................................... 40 04.2.2 Strategic sectors ................................................................................ 42 04.2.3 Tourism and envents ........................................................................... 44 04.2.4 Territory and commerce promotion ..................................................... 44 05 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................ 50 06 BOARD OF DIRECTORS .............................................................................................. 52 07 ORGANISATION CHART .............................................................................................. 53 Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   3 01 Introduction In the economic field of 2014, the economies of Barcelona city and Catalonia have shown that business and employment are experiencing a recovery. Catalan GDP growth in the third quarter of 2014 reached 1.5% compared with the previous year and had increased for the fourth consecutive quarter. Internal demand showed a positive evolution, the housing market was recovering and business investment increased, after years of decline during the crisis. In the job market, net employment increased in 2014 for the first time since 2008, with a significant rise in Social Security registrations and a drop in unemployment figures. Even so, the job positions being created are mostly temporary and are in many cases part-time positions, a trend which seems set to continue in 2015 in both Catalonia and the rest of Spain. In this context, Barcelona is confirmed as an environment which generates confidence, encouraging economic and business activity, and the city is the driving force behind the recovery. The number of people registered with the various Social Security options surpassed the one million mark for the first time since 2011, with 1,000,094 registered at the end of November 2014. This represents an annual increase of 2.3% and confirms the process of net employment creation, which began in the last quarter of 2013. Furthermore, in December there were 99,056 people registered as unemployed in Barcelona, the lowest figure since October 2009 and the first time unemployment has fallen below 100,000 since July 2010. According to the Active Population Survey (APS), the unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2014 had fallen to 16.2% in Barcelona, 19.2% in Catalonia and 23.8% in Spain. In 2014 the Barcelona area continues at the top of the export ranking for Spain, with nearly a fifth of all foreign sales and a year-on-year increase of 2.1% between January and October. From January to November, container transit in the port increased by 9.9% compared with the previous year, while passenger transit at the airport grew by 6.8%, with a year-end forecast of an historic peak (with more than 37 million passengers). The tourism business in Barcelona reached new heights in terms of the number of visitors (+3.9%) and overnight stays (+3.6%) from January to November. The creation of new companies remained stable compared with 2013, following three consecutive years of growth. The city has a total of 167,439 companies of a diverse nature, 95% of which have fewer than 10 workers or do not have any paid employees. In this context, Barcelona Activa, the organisation which implements the economic promotion of Barcelona City Council, integrated in the Area of Economy, Enterprise and Employment, has worked hard on the number 1 priority of Barcelona City Council, which is job creation and economic reactivation. For more than 28 years, Barcelona Activa has been driving the economic growth of Barcelona and its area of influence by providing support for companies, entrepreneurship and employment as well as promoting the city and its strategic sectors internationally, whilst maintaining proximity to the territory.   Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   4 As a result, 2014 has been characterised, on the one hand, by the consolidation of the organisational model of Barcelona Activa and the provision of permanent, universal services with municipal resources, a model initiated in 2012, and, on the other, by the implementation of innovative initiatives to boost employment, to encourage business growth and to promote the Barcelona brand. In this respect, as we will see in this report, the first municipal Business Support Office (OAE) has been set up, with a range of integral business support services in the Barcelona Growth Centre building, a symbol of Barcelona’s economic growth which also houses the Espai Barcelona, a venue for economic promotion available to the city’s companies, professionals and institutions to help them to do business. It is also open to foreign companies, professionals and institutions that wish to learn about the economic potential of Barcelona in order to settle their business here. In the same building, which is also home to the Barcelona Mobile World Capital Foundation and the technology training centre Cibernàrium, 2014 also saw the birth of the new incubator mStartupBarcelona, which aims to promote the mobile ecosystem in Barcelona in collaboration with international start-up accelerators from this sector. Also implemented this year, within the framework of the Employment Commitment Plan, is the ambitious Barcelona Commits programme for financial aid to businesses which commit to providing steady jobs for unemployed people who have greater difficulties in accessing employment. This is an unprecedented municipal commitment, with a financial package of 22 million euros to encourage the creation of jobs for 1,340 unemployed people over 40 and who have been registered unemployed for over 12 months, as well as for unemployed people at risk of exclusion. In the field of employment another notable initiative comes from an agreement with the Catalan Government for the roll-out of active employment policies in Barcelona: the first Employment Plans are being implemented, financed and managed with municipal resources. This programme of Employment Plans will provide 6-month contracts between 2014 and 2015 for 200 registered unemployed people with difficulties in accessing work. These are some of the innovative actions taken in 2014 which complement the catalogue of services and programmes driven by Barcelona Activa in line with the objectives of Barcelona City Council’s 2012-2015 Strategic Framework, the Barcelona Growth measures designed to boost Barcelona’s economic growth. At the same time, it has contributed to driving actions within the framework of other municipal plans, such as the Fight Against Youth Unemployment Plan, the district economic development plans, the Municipal Plan for Equal Opportunities, and the Chinese Plan, among others. With its own resources and through Barcelona Activa, Barcelona City Council has secured ongoing universal services for job seekers and businesses to economically promote the region and the Barcelona brand. These are effective, appropriately sized, quality services which can be tailored to meet current needs but also to move towards a competitive and sustainable economic model delivering quality of life for people. These services have been supplemented by other programmes run by other levels of government and have made it possible to drive the Council’s commitment to creating jobs and making Barcelona into the city of culture, knowledge, creativity, innovation and wellbeing. Below is an executive summary with the most notable actions implemented by Barcelona Activa during 2014 in its different spheres of influence:  Barcelona Activa has attended 47,799 individuals and 5,120 businesses. In addition, it has given academic and professional guidance to 16,788 students.  It has opened the Business Support Office (OAE), the first municipal office to provide an integral service to businesses, and the Espai Barcelona, a venue for economic promotion at the service of businesses and institutions. Through the Business Support Office and its integrated business support services and programmes, Barcelona Activa has attended 5,120 businesses in 2014, nearly 20% more than the number of businesses assisted by the agency in the previous year. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   5  The Business Support Office includes the following services: incorporation of companies, municipal information and processing, business funding, searches for employees, business transfers, localisation and landing, internationalisation, business innovation and growth, with personalised evaluation which is complemented with growth programmes and short, highly practical training activities.  The Business Incorporation Service has facilitated the setting up of 435 new companies in the city through a unique process which saves both time and money. Meanwhile, the funding service has provided support to 183 companies for them to receive a total of 29.63 million euros.  The business recruitment service, which connects up businesses that need to hire workers or students doing internships with job seekers, has handled a total of 1,300 job vacancies and internships which have helped over 500 people to obtain work. 31 companies have been successfully transferred with the assistance of the business transfer service.  84 companies and 18 businesspeople from other countries interested in settling in Barcelona have been attended. 18 of these have set up their business here in 2014, creating 109 new jobs. The business location service has also supported 116 companies and projects in their search for facilities that meet their needs in the city.  Two new incubators have been established: mstartupBarcelona, with public and private cooperation to boost the mobile sector ecosystem in the city through international accelerators, and the ESA BIC Barcelona, the first ESA incubator in Spain, located in the UPC (Polytechnic University of Catalonia) Park in Castelldefells, promoted by different institutions and aimed at encouraging the creation of companies related to aerospace technologies and their applications in other sectors of the economy. Together with the Barcelona Advanced Industry Park (BAIP), the Glòries Incubator and the Almogàvers Business Factory, in December 2014 the combined spaces for the establishment and growth of businesses in Barcelona held a total of 166 companies and entrepreneurial projects which generate more than 1,000 jobs.  Record support has been provided to entrepreneurs, for the first time exceeding 15,000 people attended to (15,384) and 2,711 new business projects mentored by Barcelona Activa entrepreneurship services and programmes. From these projects, it is estimated that nearly 1,900 new companies will be created, in turn generating over 3,300 jobs  New heights have also been reached in the support given to business projects through bespoke business creation programmes. 819 people have participated in intensive programmes, with specific public-private partners from emerging sectors (creative industries, biotechnology, clean energy and e-commerce), traditional sectors (arts and crafts, construction and commerce), and for specific groups (women, young adults and people over the age of 45). The first Social Enterprise programme was devised and is due to begin at the beginning of 2015.  22,905 people have been attended through the professional and employment skills acquisition services and programmes.  With extensive opening hours and available to the general public, Barcelona Activa’s permanent services have attended 18,023 people, providing personalised attention and group guidance activities, job searches and professional development which transform the unemployed person into a job candidate. The municipal guidance and job search services result in a 2014 figure of 52% of attendees finding work within 6 months of participation.  Notable among the different activities on offer are the Talent Marketplaces, recruitment and networking activities where over 500 people have applied for jobs offered by 35 companies, and the new coaching service for unemployed people over the age of 45, together with new guidance and job search activities in the mobile sector.  These services have been complemented by the strengthening of programmes aimed at vulnerable groups or those at risk of exclusion, increasing the service’s proximity through numerous information points distributed across Catalonia. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   6  New editions of inclusion programmes for people at risk of exclusion have been introduced (PISL and PROPER) in collaboration with the City Council’s Quality of Life Area, through which 2,011 people in a vulnerable situation have been assisted. Over 30% of attendees have found work within 6 months of their participation in the programmes.  More than 700 people have been employed through the Barcelona Creates Jobs programme to encourage the employment of young adults and the long-term unemployed through financial incentives to businesses.  The ambitious Barcelona Commits programme has been designed within the framework of the Employment Commitment Plan. The programme provides financial aid to companies that commit to providing a steady job and training for people over the age of 40 who have been unemployed for more than a year and for people at risk of exclusion. Implemented at the end of 2014, the programme predicts the creation of jobs for 1,340 people from the aforementioned groups, with a budget of 22 million euros.  Multiple support initiatives have been rolled out to provide guidance and employment for young adults within the framework of the Fight Against Youth Unemployment Plan. Notable among these are: the Guidance Service for Schools, which has provided academic and professional guidance to 16,788 students; the BCN Young Adults Work Service, which has provided job search guidance and training to 2,777 young unemployed adults; and the Get Mobile guidance and training programme, to insert young adults into jobs related to the growing mobile sector.  The first municipal Employment Plans with local funding have been implemented, made possible by a collaborative agreement between the City Council and the Catalan Government, signed in 2014, which enables Barcelona Activa to design and implement their own Active Employment Policies. In 2014 a total of 25 people found employment through the municipal Employment Plan programme. The same programme will mean that 200 unemployed people at risk of exclusion or with difficulties in accessing the labour market will be taken on as employees between 2014 and 2015. Within the framework of the SOC (Employment Service of Catalonia) Employment Plans, Barcelona Activa has employed 766 unemployed people in 2014 to work for 6 months in services in the public interest.  The Work in the Neighbourhoods programme featuring job-related and regional stimulus activities that add to the Neighbourhoods Act has helped 2,534 people living in the neighbourhoods eligible for special attention and with the highest rates of unemployment.  New professionalising training programmes to meet actual demand. On the one hand, the Upgrade Your Skills programme has trained 299 people in professional reorientation through 32 courses in the areas of design, ICT, international commerce and marketing, and—for the first time and in a pioneering project for the city—in electric vehicles. On the other hand, the Barcelona in Motion programme has provided guidance to over 1,000 people and has trained 215 people for jobs related to the mobile sector. In addition, the vocational training in priority areas programme, run in conjunction with the Employment Service of Catalonia (SOC), has trained 163 people for jobs in social healthcare, logistics and international trade and marketing.  23,453 people trained in 5,889 training activities in the areas of business management, entrepreneurship and employment and job searches.  10,457 people have been trained in advanced technology skills for job searches, professionals and/or employees in small and medium enterprises in the city to increase the competitiveness of employees and businesses, and initial digital literacy training has been offered to 2,887 people through the Cibernàrium satellites network in public libraries. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   7  33 economic promotional activities have been run abroad (international workshops, seminars, overseas missions and conferences) to present the Barcelona brand and the opportunities it generates to over 9,000 people. Notable among these is the presence at MIPIM, Exporeal, Shenzhen Hi-Tech Fair and the coordination of Barcelona’s participation as guest city at Beijing Design Week.  As a result of the work done by the Airways Committee-CDRA, 7 new intercontinental routes have been established at Barcelona Airport (Montreal, Charlotte, Dakar, Yerevan, Beijing, Seoul and Almaty) during 2014.  To stimulate the foreign economic and business community in the city, 280 foreign economic development delegations have been hosted and 9 Barcelona Updates with consulates, chambers of commerce and business associations and 11 large-scale networking events with an impact on over 1,062 professionals have been held.  The first I’m Barcelonian/Expat Day was organised with the aim of encouraging loyalty and retaining the foreign economic community. 24 activities took place (conferences, workshops, information capsules, animations), as well as a fair with 53 exhibitors and 2,600 attendees from 70 different countries.  The Mobile World Congress was held, attracting over 85,000 visitors and having an estimated economic impact of more than 356 million euros in Barcelona and the surrounding area. Likewise, over 750 people have attended conference days to promote the incorporation of technology into strategic sectors such as the m4all, education, tourism, logistics, retail and mobility.  The LIVE platform has been consolidated to promote electric, sustainable mobility, increasing the number and types of its members as well as reaching new territories and broadening its actions to include propulsion technologies. Also in 2014, the LIVE platform has become part of the European Platform for the Promotion of Electric and Hydrogen Vehicles.  119 innovative ideas have been received in response to the innovative public project BCN Open Challenge, through which Barcelona City Council will pay 1 million euros for the innovative solutions to 6 problems existing in the city. With this project, Barcelona has positioned itself as a pioneer and leader in public innovation, linking for the first time a process of innovation with real opportunities for contracts in municipal services.  Three-year renewal of the Biosphere World Class Destination certification, which upholds the recognition of the city as a responsible, sustainable tourist destination and the Biosphere Awards for Responsible Tourism in the Destinations category from the Institute for Responsible Tourism (ITR).  A series of projects have been initiated to boost territorialism and the dispersal of tourism, including the creation of new tourism products in different districts, tourist signs for pedestrians and the use of new technologies to improve the touristic experience. These projects were financed with tax returns from the stays in tourist establishments tax.  Development of the District Tourism Plans to attract visitors to the whole territory and to disperse and distribute tourist activity across the ten districts: roll-out of tourist signs at 703 sites in five of the ten districts; the creation of city and district tourist maps; the media campaign “Barcelona. Live one city, enjoy 10”; actions relating to tourist attractions such as the Castle of Torre Baró; works to improve accessibility to the Turó de la Rovira and the remodelling of Plaça de les Glòries; and publicity for tourist attractions in the city’s various districts at the Catalonia International Tourism Show.  Assistance for 100 events of economic interest held in the city, including the Mobile World Congress (over 85,000 attendees) and the European Society of Cardiology (30,000 attendees).  The second edition of the Open to the Future programme was held, enabling 1,091 retailers from all the city’s districts to improve their professional and digital skills. A new addition to this year’s Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   8 programme was the specially designed training tailored to market stallholders, attended by stallholders from Ciutat Vella, Eixample, Gràcia, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi and Horta-Guinardó. Initiation of the e-commerce Trade on the Internet programme.  Barcelona Activa has coordinated activities in the Christmas campaign, one of the key events for commerce in the city. This year the first Christmas lights contest, Light Up Christmas, was held in two of the city’s streets (Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and Aragó), with participation by professionals and young creators of Barcelona. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   9 02 Mission and values Barcelona Activa’s mission, as the agency responsible for executing Barcelona City Council’s economic development policies, is to be the benchmark organisation for policies on business support, job creation and projecting Barcelona internationally as an excellent setting for economic activity and social progress. The organisation works in line with the values that guide all municipal activity and which are set out in the Barcelona City Council Strategic Framework 2012-2015. These values are included in the following three principles: 1. Leadership. A city with strong leadership and future-oriented:  Capital status: acting as a true national capital, at the forefront of the promotion of Catalan identity as an economic, social and national driving force.  Regeneration: renovating the city, prioritising the adaptation and smooth running of current public amenities.  Enterprise: being proactive and entrepreneurial, anticipating the needs of citizens.  Enhancing the Barcelona brand: making the aspects of the Barcelona brand a reality and adding value to them. 2. Proximity. A fairer, closer and friendlier city:  Proximity: addressing the needs and problems of citizens in a more localised way in which the neighbourhood is the unit of action.  Listen and react: Listening and acting, promoting the collaboration and participation of citizens and dialogue.  Fairness: Ensuring equality for fair access to services in accordance with the needs of the target public.  Firmness: Applying established rules firmly to ensure peaceful coexistence, safety and security in the city. 3. Efficiency. A city with more efficient, coordinated management:  Strategy: strengthening an organisation that works with a strategic vision, with its sights set on the long-term future, paying special attention to the quality of daily activity and guaranteeing medium-term projects.  An enabling city council: reducing bureaucracy in procedures and facilitating the activity of people and companies, making things easier for those who want to embark on new business initiatives.  Interdepartmental action and teamwork: promoting teamwork between areas with common directives and objectives and reinforcing employees’ sense of belonging. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   10  Excellence and ambition with prioritisation: Fostering a culture of commitment to doing a good job and prioritising the allocation of resources to guarantee more effective and efficient management.  Public-private: establishing alliances with the third sector and private initiatives to deliver competitive, high quality services.  Hope and enthusiasm: to create a better future through a job well done.     Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   11 03 Spheres of action and network of facilities Barcelona Activa is a municipal capital corporation with a Board of Directors formed of representatives from all municipal party groups. It is organised into two executive directorates for service delivery and five interdepartmental corporate directorates to undertake the following lines of work: Enterprise and Employment Services Executive Directorate: 1) Enterprise: Providing support in the improvement of the competitiveness of Barcelona’s businesses, promoting a range of permanent services that encourage the creation of wealth and employment in the city as well as boosting the strength of the relationships between the driving companies. 2) Entrepreneurship: Promote entrepreneurship and support entrepreneurs throughout the process from the business idea to starting up the company. 3) Professional skills acquisition and employment: Increasing people’s employability to foster their professional improvement and chances in the labour market. 4) Training: improve the skills of citizens, professionals and companies to make Barcelona a more competitive city. Promotion Executive Directorate: 5) City promotion: promote Barcelona’s external economic flows, exchanges and relations in order to position the Barcelona brand and drive the economy and business leadership of Barcelona and its Metropolitan Area. 6) Strategic sectors promotion: improve the competitiveness of companies and the city and maximise their leadership and positioning at both a local and international level in all sectors considered to be strategic, with a particular focus on the ICT and mobile, logistics, agro-food, sustainable energy- mobility, biotechnology, aerospace and higher education sectors. 7) Tourism and events promotion: manage tourist activity in Barcelona and facilitate its compatibility with the city. Attract economically advantageous events to the city, support them and build long- term loyalty. 8) Territory and commerce promotion: implement local economic development by working with the districts to identify and promote new economic potential while driving the role of small companies and helping them to modernise. And the following Corporate Directorates: 9) Financial Resources: optimise the management of the areas of Economy and Finance, General Services, Strategic Analysis and Attraction of Resources, and Maintenance, establishing the policies and criteria required to achieve the organisation’s objectives. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   12 10) Human Resources: define the policies and strategies related to this area, such as selecting candidates, training, labour relations and health and safety, to optimise human resources management. 11) IT Systems and Organisation: co-ordinate telecommunication infrastructure projects carried out to ensure the security and quality of Barcelona Activa's IT systems. Improve organisation by designing processes and systems that guarantee quality and efficiency in service delivery. 12) Legal Services: provide legal advice to all Barcelona Activa departments in accordance with current legislation to ensure the legality of all actions. 13) Marketing and Communication: take part in drawing up and implementing Barcelona Activa's communication and marketing policy. Barcelona Activa has the following cutting-edge facilities for driving its economic development measures:  Headquarters, which are home to the company’s management, central management and strategy services, and the team running promotion initiatives.  Barcelona Growth Centre, an iconic Barcelona building aimed at economic growth and attracting talent and investment. It houses the Business Support Service, the mobile sector incubator mStartupBarcelona and Cibernàrium, the Technology Training Centre for professionals and SMEs.  Glòries Entrepreneurship Centre, the city's leading facility for business creation.  Glòries Business Incubator, incubation spaces and services for innovative new companies.  Almogàvers Business Incubator, an incubating environment for growing innovative new companies in the city managed by a public-private partnership.  Barcelona Advanced Industry Park (BAIP), an incubation environment for innovative technology companies in the growth phase.  Centre for Professional Development (Porta22), the leading centre for professional guidance and training and employment programmes.  The Convent de Sant Agustí is another venue specialising in employment activities and a benchmark for entrepreneurial programmes for specific groups and traditional sectors.  Ca n'Andalet, a facility specialising in training activities. These facilities are supplemented by a local network that includes: 11 basic technology training satellites in public libraries, 10 “Barcelona Jobs” (Barcelona Treball) employment service points distributed across the city, 9 service points for the “Work in the Neighbourhoods” programme, 5 employment service points for groups in employment programmes at risk of exclusion, 15 service points for the young persons’ job seeker programme “Barcelona Youth Employment” (Youth Information Points and Youth Centres) and 27 facilities in the city where the city’s traders have been trained under the “Open to the Future” programme. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   13 04 Main results of 2014 Below are details of the main activities carried out by Barcelona City Council through Barcelona Activa in 2014 in each of its spheres of action. 04.1 ENTERPRISE AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES Enterprise and job creation support activities have been structured by services, programmes, activities or products. The services are continuous, free and open to all citizens. Most are onsite services, although there are also online services. Programmes, however, are complementary to the permanent services and unlike them have a limited duration and are designed to bolster support for a specific audience, which might be a particular group or sector. Activities have a relatively short timeframe and are of two types: firstly, those training activities that are open to everyone, which are run on a continuous basis and which supplement the services, and secondly those generally carried out in public- private partnerships with a very specific goal and target group. In 2014 more than 50,000 people (around 25,000 participations in activities) have used the various services and programmes offered by Barcelona Activa relating to support for enterprises and entrepreneurship and promoting employment and professional skills acquisition in the city. Below are details of the municipal agency in relation to enterprise and employment services in 2014. Summary of Barcelona Activa Activities 2014 Total people attended to 47,799 Enterprise Companies attended to 5,120 Funding Service – amount raised 29.63M € Business Incorporation Service – companies set up 435 Entrepreneurship People attended to 15,384 Projects mentored at start-up 2,711 Businesses and business projects established (as of December 2014) 166 Professional skills acquisition and employment People attended to 22,905 People attended to by programmes for groups at risk of exclusion 2,011 Students offered academic and careers guidance 16,788 Training Total number of people in training activities 23,453 Number of training activities 5,889 People in technology training 13,132 Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   14 04.1.1 ENTERPRISE Business is the driving force for employment, innovation and economic growth. That is why in 2012, through Barcelona Activa, the City Council initiated a solid strategy to offer permanent services and support programmes to meet the various needs of Barcelona businesses, with the aim of helping them to grow, creating employment and wealth in the territory. The commitment, which began in 2012, has translated into the progressive initiation of new business services and programmes, which have been consolidated to give rise to the first municipal Business Support Service, implemented in October 2014 at the Barcelona Growth Centre, an iconic Barcelona building aimed at economic growth and attracting talent and investment. This completes Barcelona Activa’s provision of services to foster employment, entrepreneurial initiative and business growth. Business Management Summary 2014 Companies attended to 5,120 Business Incorporation Service 435 businesses established Municipal Information and Bureaucratic Processes Services (since October 2014) 352 businesses and projects Funding Service 29.63 M euros raised for 183 businesses Business Recruitment Service 1,300 vacancies managed, >500 placements, 750 BCN Creates Employment contracts Business Transfer Service 31 transfers, > 70 jobs, 1.9 million of induced investment Internationalisation Service 45 businesses Business Landing Service 18 businesses settled 109 jobs Business Localisation Service 116 businesses and projects Business Growth Service 231 businesses Strategy and competitiveness improvement programmes 284 businesses Business training 2,263 businesses Businesses installed at Barcelona Advanced Industry Park (as of December 2014) 48 businesses Sectors of companies attended to Commerce 25.5% Services for companies 12.9% Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 12.5% Culture, tourism and leisure 9.2% Creative production 7.4% Industry/manufacturing 6.2% Construction 4.9% Services for people 4.8% Health and social assistance 2.4% Life sciences 2.3% Transport, logistics and distribution 1.6% Environment 1.3% Other 8.4% The following business support programmes and activities have taken place in 2014, attended by 5,120 businesses, almost 20% more than in 2013. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   15 — SERVICES Business Support Office (OAE) The Business Support Office is a pioneering municipal initiative which integrates a group of business strategy services, into a single space, a set of services in strategic business areas that complement a demonstration space of the city (Espai Barcelona). Moreover, the building is a key emblem for economic growth in the city. With 900 m2 and located on the ground floor of the Barcelona Growth Centre, the Business Support Office is a new reference point in the city, offering a menu of services to support business growth and competitiveness. This is complemented by a service to complete and manage the municipal paperwork related to the development of an economic activity. The Business Support Office therefore offers integrated assistance to businesses based on personalised assessment, support in business bureaucracy (whether municipal or linked to other services), and short, specific training programmes aimed at growth and expansion. Within the framework of the different services presented by the Business Support Office, various events are also organised with the aim of creating a dynamic and interconnected business ecosystem in the city. These include investment forums, networking days, market places and sector-specific meetings. There is also the Espai Barcelona, an area offered to both local and foreign businesses so they can attend to visitors or organise meetings in an innovative environment which shows Barcelona’s potential. In summary, the Business Support Office is a new environment for direct interaction aimed at business in Barcelona; for entrepreneurs who have a budding business project and for all the foreign talent interested in generating and establishing an economic activity in the city. At the Business Support Office, businesses can find all the resources they need to grow and generate employment in a single physical space. To this end, a series of services has been designed which cover the following strategic areas for management and competitiveness:  Business Incorporation Service This is an information, advice and electronic processing service to facilitate the formation of limited companies (SL) or to register individual freelancers (autonomous workers). Online processing allows businesspeople to create a company much more quickly, reducing the time it takes to set up an SL by 4 to 10 days and enabling freelancers to register immediately as autonomous workers. Moreover, this method also reduces management and bureaucratic costs significantly. This service is complemented with expert advice on legal matters relevant to each case, depending on the type of business and company project, as well as on the documentation required prior to forming the company, and how to obtain it. In 2014, 435 new businesses have been created in the city through this service: 257 limited companies (SL) and 158 registrations of individuals. In addition, 56 preparatory sessions have been delivered to 784 attendees. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   16  Municipal Information and Bureaucratic Processes Services The Business Support Office provides businesses with information and advice on how to process municipal paperwork to develop an economic activity in the city, including: business plans, technical consultations, awareness and communication processing, consultations on open records and information on licence transfers, among others. This service, available at the Business Support Office since it opened in October, has assisted 352 companies and business projects in just 2 months.  Business Funding Service An expert team works alongside the company to assess and define its funding needs before offering advice on the best options based on existing public and private financing products, whether from banks or alternative sources. Similarly, the expert team provides support during the entire process of applying for and obtaining resources. To this end, as a complementary service, Barcelona Activa holds training courses and preparation for investment, organises sector-specific investment forums, drives networking activities and offers personalised advice and matching. In 2014 the business funding service has assisted 517 companies and business projects, 183 of which have already raised 29.63 million euros (14.9 million in bank loans for 103 companies; 11.3 million in private investment for 23 companies; and 3.43 million in public ENISA funding for 57 companies, not including 1.9 million pending approval for 21 businesses in the middle of the approval process). At the same time a programme of investment readiness has taken place, enabling 16 businesses from the healthcare sector to prepare themselves to enter the investment process and 7 investment forums have been held specifically for the healthcare, smart cities and cleantech sectors, along with social companies, and 2 international forums within the framework of the European cooperative project to accelerate business: Accelmed. 27 businesses participated in these investment forums driven by Barcelona Activa with contributions from leading organisations in the sectors and from the world of private finance. These include: BioCat, Barcelona’s Official Medical Association, Catalonia’s Official Association of Architects, Repsol Foundation, KIC InnoEnergy, ESADE, Ship2Be Foundation, ESADE BAN and Keiretsu Forum, IESE, among others.  Business Recruitment Service This is aimed at businesses in the territory that need to incorporate new workers into their teams and it offers support in identifying the vacancies, personnel recruitment and the shortlisting of candidates who fit the requested professional profile. The staffing needs can be covered either through employment contracts, by work experience agreements or with agreements within the Dual Professional Training framework. To this end, the Business-Employment Platform is available, a database with 10,000 candidates who have used the Barcelona Activa services and which can be used to recruit personnel for job vacancies announced by businesses. This represents an integral service for job seekers, who, as well as receiving personalised advice and being able to improve their professional profile, can become candidates and connect with the businesses searching for employees. This service also offers access to financial aid to encourage job creation, including those promoted with municipal resources such as the “Barcelona Creates Employment” programme to foster the creation of steady jobs and the new “Barcelona Commits” programme. This is part of the municipal initiative the “Employment Commitment Plan in Barcelona” and promotes the employment of long-term unemployed Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   17 people over the age of 40 and people with particular difficulties in finding work. Financial aid is also available through the SOC's integrated training-employment programmes and specific programmes to incorporate talent into companies. In 2014 more than 1,300 job vacancies have been managed and more than 500 people have been incorporated into the labour market (nearly 350 through an employment contract and over 160 through work experience agreements.) Likewise, job vacancies have been identified so that 210 students on Occupational Training courses can complete their process of improving their professional qualifications, developing their acquired knowledge in a real, productive context. Meanwhile, since the beginning of 2013 the Barcelona Creates Jobs subsidies programme has approved 750 subsidies for permanent contracts at over 400 companies for young adults and the long-term unemployed.  Business Transfer Service The aim of this service is to drive the transfer of businesses as a route for the maintenance and growth of economic activity, thereby preventing the closure of viable businesses as well as the consequent loss of jobs. It is aimed at both business owners who wish to transfer their business and new entrepreneurs who want to take them over and to them provide continuity. The Business Support Office offers personalised advice to the original business owners throughout the different stages of the transfer process: creation of a feasibility study, drafting of the transfer plan, negotiation and process closure. Similarly, the incoming businesspeople have expert support available to identify the business opportunities and they receive guidance on the different phases of the transfer plan. Through this service, in 2014 117 ceding businesses and 290 incoming entrepreneurs have received support, with 31 successful business transfers, saving or generating more than 70 jobs and with an induced investment totalling 1.9 million euros. In addition, within the framework of the Specific Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Emblematic Establishments of Barcelona driven by the City Council, Barcelona Activa, in collaboration with the Trade Department, has assisted, informed and advised 103 iconic retailers in the city on matters related to protection measures, legal issues and property rental contracts, urban planning matters and business viability issues.  Internationalisation Service and Foreign Trade Processes This service is provided in collaboration with Barcelona’s Chamber of Commerce and is aimed at businesses which are in the process of becoming international. To this end, an initial personalised assessment is offered to analyse the best strategy for accessing new markets, to answer queries related to foreign trade and to provide guidance on international business. In 2014, 45 businesses have used this service, which began in October 2014. Through this service export companies can also process some of the documentation required to sell abroad: European Union certificates, which accredit the origin of the exported products, and the legalisation of trading documents as required in certain transactions with international markets. Since the inauguration of the Business Support Office, a total of 193 transactions have been completed for around 20 export companies. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   18 In addition, the service is complemented with a specific programme of training activities on internationalisation and accessing new markets. These include “Key Strategies for Internationalising a Small Company”, “International Trade I: The Trade Agreement and Incoterms” and “International Trade II: Secure Payment for Exports”.  Localisation and Business Landing Service Choosing a good location for a company is key. To this end, the Business Support Office performs searches for appropriate spaces, whether in facilities belonging to Barcelona Activa (the Glòries Incubator, Almogàvers Business Factory and Barcelona Avanced Industry Park) or in other singular spaces (industrial warehouses, buildings and large office blocks). Within the framework of this service, support has been provided to 116 companies and business projects in the localisation of their businesses in the city, 13 of which have completed deals in the same year. Moreover, the companies which land in Barcelona and the international businesspeople living abroad have personalised advice on key issues, such as: legal requirements for establishing a company in the city, processes to form a company, search for professionals and the localisation of premises. The service also facilitates contact with other stakeholders in the city. Through this service, in 2014 84 international companies and 18 international businesspeople have been advised on and accompanied through the process of their business landing in Barcelona. 18 of these companies have already landed in the city, generating over 100 jobs in 2014. 3 of these are in the process of landing while there are 32 live projects in the study phase.  Business Growth Service This service is aimed at SMEs and freelancers who need support in defining a competitiveness improvement plan to grow their businesses. It is complemented with training activities on “How to Create a Strategic Growth Plan”, “How to Improve Your Company: Incorporate an External Vision” and “Price Strategies (from a More Commercial Viewpoint)”. There is also a catalogue of programmes related to growth which are adapted to the companies’ needs, including: accelerating growth, increasing sales, mentoring and innovation, among others. These programmes are detailed in the Programmes section. In 2014 this service has assisted 231 different businesses through a team of experts comprising professionals from Barcelona Activa in collaboration with senior volunteers from the VAE and Secot organisations.  Innovation Service In this case, programmes, resources and training activities are offered to encourage innovation and to facilitate access to funding within the framework of European programmes. The Business Support Office helps companies to find new business opportunities and to incorporate creativity mechanisms in their business strategies in collaboration with ACCIÓ. There are also sessions on “2.0 Tools for Innovation Management and Systemisation”, “Secrets and Lies About Satisfied Clients. Be the Best Because You Are Different” and “How to Incorporate Innovation into the SME that Wants to Grow”. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   19  Espai Barcelona The Business Support Office also has an innovative venue, the Espai Barcelona, specifically designed to explain the economy of the city of Barcelona with the aim of highlighting the main assets which position it as a favourable environment for business, investment and attracting talent. Through a series of audio- visual resources, businesses will have access to economic data and relevant information on the city’s strategic sectors. In addition, the venue can be used for presentations, networking events and corporate meetings. It is expected that this service will be up and running in the first quarter of 2015. However, since the inauguration of the Business Support Office, a pilot phase has taken place with some meetings between businesses and business delegations were assisted for the Smart City Expo, in which over 100 companies participated. — PROGRAMMES Axelera This programme aims to identify companies with the greatest growth potential in the Barcelona metropolitan area in order to support them in their expansion process. The programme is a public- private partnership with PwC and has offered a package of individualised actions, a global promotion plan, meetings with investors and business sponsors to help speed up the growth of the selected companies. In 2014 the last stages of the two editions of the programme initiated in 2013 were completed: one for family businesses and the second of a multi-sector nature. In total, 30 companies have benefited from this growth acceleration programme, thanks to which it is estimated that these companies will increase their workforce by 170 recruitments and their revenues by 55% by 2016. Learning to Grow   Programme in collaboration with IESE aimed at company owners and/or managers who are looking to grow their business. The programme is based on case studies, specific training and a forum for work and discussion that promotes learning through the experience of other businesspeople. It is divided into three training modules: growth strategy and stages, business management, and access to various sources of funding. In 2014, two editions have been held: one for industrial companies and the other for multiple sectors, with a total participation of 58 companies. Sales Management Seminar-based programme to improve the commercial skills and abilities of companies, accompanying and advising them on the process of sales management and direction through two routes: the sales process and the sales pitch, with the aim of increasing sales in the company. Organised by Barcelona Activa in collaboration with Dale Carnegie Training, in 2014 there have been three editions of this programme, with a total of 64 companies participating. There has also been a Sales Bootcamp 2014 programme in collaboration with MIT, with 3 workshops designed for different types of companies: entrepreneurs and start-ups, bio and ICT, and SMEs. There were a total of 167 attendees at these activities. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   20 Barcelona Mentoring Program This is a programme that offers support and mentoring to small and medium-sized businesses through the voluntary contribution of executives with a recognised track record who provide advice and know- how to meet the needs of participating companies. In this way, 48 companies have benefited from a critical view of their business strategy, guidance in decision-making and help in identifying goals to be achieved and seeing the strengths of their project. The second edition is still underway, while the 28 companies from the first edition intend to increase their workforce with the creation of 70 jobs and their revenues by 52%. Reinvest in the future With the aim of promoting private investment in innovative, viable projects in the city, Barcelona Activa has organised, in collaboration with the Inlea Foundation and BCN Business Angels, a new edition of the Reinvest in the Future programme, a training programme for ex-directors or business owners with their own capital who are interested in becoming investors so they can reinvest their assets and knowledge in existing or newly created projects. 10 former executives or businesspeople have acquired the core knowledge they need to be investors, improved their communication and leadership skills and also worked on the legal aspects of an investment. SynergyS and Innovation Zone Activities aimed at SMEs and start-ups to attend the most important sector-specific trade fairs in Barcelona with a stand in the Innovation Zone, a space promoted by Barcelona City Council-Barcelona Activa, and with the SynergyS networking activity to learn about the real needs of large companies and to provide opportunities to do business. 252 businesses participated in these networking events, encouraging the appearance of new business opportunities. Notable among these are those which took place at the Catalonia International Tourism Show, the e-Show, the Smart City World Congress and the BizBarcelona Show. Company visits programme The aim is to bring existing services and programmes closer to companies in Barcelona to promote better management, competitiveness and innovation and foster business growth while at the same time looking into any needs these companies may have. In 2014 there were 406 visits of this nature to 328 companies. Training activities for business management In addition to the Business Support Office, this short programme of seminars and capsules or courses with an eminently practical approach aims to help companies improve their daily management and encourage their growth and competitiveness. It features specific training activities designed to enable them to get ready and access new sources of funding, to internationalise, boost sales, grow through business cooperation, to innovate and to update and expand the knowledge needed to streamline the company’s internal management and strategy. A total of 2,263 companies have taken part in 549 short training activities during 2014. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   21 Networking and business ecosystem promotion activities Similarly, Barcelona Activa has collaborated on various support and promotion activities for the business support ecosystem promoted in the city by both public and private entities, including conferences (for example, BizBarcelona, organised by Fira de Barcelona and promoted by Barcelona City Council, the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona Provincial Council, the Chamber of Commerce and La Caixa, the Business With Social Value Salon with Icaria Iniciatives and Wood Week with Barcelona’s Carpenters and Cabinetmakers’ Association), start-up awards and competitions, investment forums (including one held at Primavera Sound) and other networking activities (for instance, This Way Up with CEOs from fast-growing international companies) with various formats, promoted by diverse institutions. The consistent aim is to contribute to strengthening the business support ecosystem, joining forces to improve competitiveness and business growth in Barcelona. Also with the aim of promoting the ecosystem supporting enterprises through cooperation and transfer of knowledge and best practices between regions, Barcelona Activa has participated in various European programmes with other countries such as Italy, Slovenia, France and Greece. To this end, Barcelona Activa has participated in the ACCELMED project (to encourage growth for SMEs in the Mediterranean by facilitating access to funding, the internationalisation strategy and business acceleration) and the SPEA project, aimed at improving the public purchase of innovative solutions in the field of energy efficiency. Barcelona Advanced Industry Park (BAIP) As of December 2014, 48 companies with over 400 employees are installed in BAIP, the municipal innovation environment aimed at innovative technology-based companies, particularly within the field of engineering. The aim is to contribute to the development of the companies based there through some advanced infrastructures and a series of common administrative and logistical services, as well as advanced, personalised and permanent support services for innovation and business growth. A novelty for BAIP in 2014 is the implementation of new shared-use spaces, including the Makerspace: prototype spaces that are the embryo of what in 2015 will become one of Barcelona City Council’s Manufacturing Centres, aimed specifically at innovative industrial companies. In the same spirit of opening BAIP to the territory’s innovative industrial companies, two conferences were held on trends in 3D printing and innovations in the field of Fintech. In 2014 BAIP has also hosted activities to promote the internationalisation of innovative companies. For example, conferences with the ICEX and awareness-raising workshops to present new markets (London Tech City Experience, Miami, etc.). In 2015 BAIP will reopen its doors to the territory through the support of the partners network at the facilities, including: Ascamm, Secartys, Arboribus, Xpcat, CIM Foundation and the Smart Motorcycle Challenge Association, which will bring the first Master’s in Motorsport to the city, recognised by British universities. Likewise, in its more pedagogical aspect, it has welcomed the first Science Congress aimed at school pupils from Nou Barris and Sant Andreu, simultaneously organising guided tours for students from the districts’ schools to stimulate and encourage the culture of science and technology.     Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   22 04.1.2 ETREPRENEURSHIP The process of transforming a business idea into a company has a greater chance of success if the necessary knowledge base exists and there is support from an expert team. Barcelona Activa has spent 28 years helping people to create companies, committing to a service model for businesspeople with an extensive professional trajectory which has proven its quality and ability to adapt to business and market needs. In this respect, 2014 was marked by the expansion and diversification of the Barcelona Activa incubation models. Two new incubation spaces have been added to the two existing incubators, focusing on two of the city’s strategic sectors with great growth potential: the mobile phone industry and space technologies. The public-private partnerships are managed by specialists, which, together with Barcelona Activa’s extensive technical experience, ensure quality assistance in the business consolidation of the incubated companies. The incorporation of these two incubators both expands and adds value to Barcelona Activa’s experience in the assistance provided to start-ups in their initial years of existence. Furthermore, in the past year a record number of businesspeople have been attended to, passing the milestone of 15,000 (in total 15,384 people have been assisted), a fact which once again demonstrates the consolidation of services provided to businesspeople. In parallel, records for 2014 show the highest number of people assisted in intensive company creation programmes, whether in the specifics of strategic or traditional sectors or in those aimed at specific groups. A total of 819 people have participated in one of these programmes. Thus, in 2014 services and programmes to support entrepreneurship have attended to 15,384 people and intensively mentored 2,711 business projects. Enterprise Directorate Activity Summary 2014 People attended to 15,384 Projects mentored 2,711 People attending information sessions 11,120 People in company creation training activities 4,550 People attending tailor-made programmes 819 Companies installed at the Glòries Incubator (as of December 2014) 52 Companies and projects pre-incubated at the ABF (as of December 2014) 42 — SERVICES Publicity and guidance on entrepreneurship Throughout the year, daily information sessions have been organised on the creation of companies. These sessions deliver basic considerations to bear in mind when undertaking a business initiative in Barcelona and provide information on the entrepreneurial support services and programmes that Barcelona Activa offers to people who want to turn their business idea into a reality. Information sessions are held in the Glòries Entrepreneurs' Resource Centre and are also available in English for foreign entrepreneurs who want to start operating in the city. They can be done in person or alternatively online for foreigners who live elsewhere. In total 11,120 entrepreneurs have attended one of the 260 information sessions scheduled throughout 2014. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   23 Advice and mentoring for business creation The Entrepreneurs' Resource Centre also provides entrepreneurs with a team of 17 technical experts specialising in starting up new companies who offer walk-in advice sessions on the different stages of the business creation process, including support with drawing up a business plan, securing financing and carrying out a feasibility study for the project. As a result, in 2014 2,711 new business projects have been assisted: the most representative economic sectors were commerce with 24% of the total projects, culture, tourism and leisure with 19%, personal services and creative production with 12% each, as well as business services with 10%. Sectors of the business projects mentored Commerce 24.4% Culture, tourism and leisure 19.4% Services for people 12.4% Creative production 11.9% Services for companies 9.7% Technology Information and Communication (ICT) 6.1% Industry/Manufacturing 5.4% Construction 3.7% Health and social assistance 3.1% Environment 2.1% Life sciences 1.1% Transport, logistics and distribution 0.6% Profile of business project promoters mentored Sex Men 52.3% Women 47.7% Age <25 3.9% 25-40 54.9% >40 41.2% Employment situation Unemployed 50.0,% Active 42.3% Other 7.7% Educational level Primary 2.9% Secondary 28.6% University 68.5% Origin Foreigners 19.3% European Union 10.7% Outside EU 8.6% Spain 80.7% Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   24 Training activities for company creation A range of short training capsules which seek to inform businesspeople of the knowledge and skills needed to deal with the process of creating a company satisfactorily and to ensure the highest chance of success. The workshops and seminars have covered essential subjects for the implementation of a business idea: legal matters, tax issues, documentation and licences, how to conduct market research, finances, marketing and sales techniques, searching for funding, drafting a business plan to analyse business feasibility, business skills, and specific workshops for autonomous workers. 4,550 people with a business idea have participated in the range of 1,117 seminars programmed throughout 2014. Online services The entrepreneur support service and programmes offered by Barcelona Activa are complemented with the set of tools and resources related to the process of setting up a company on the www.bcn.cat/emprenedoria website. This set of resources allows businesspeople to analyse, specify and evaluate their business idea independently. Some of the resources available to businesspeople in 2014 are: Test Idea, which evaluates the business idea; the Online Business Plan, providing guidance on how to draft this type of business outline; Keys for Entrepreneurship, to improve business skills; and the Locate Yourself service, the first geo-referencing database which permits an analysis of the market, economic activity and demography by territory in the city of Barcelona. In addition, in 2014 the portal has gathered a set of reports and dossiers on the current situation for starting a new company. Similarly, a noteworthy novelty of 2014 is the initiation of the Barcelona Startup Map, an online tool which can be used to identify and geo-locate the resources and agents comprising Barcelona’s entrepreneurial community, including start-ups, investors, accelerators, incubators and professional talent. The purpose of the tool is to give start-ups visibility, to connect them to other players in the ecosystem and to promote the city as a competitive environment for attracting investment and talent. — PROGRAMMES Company creation in strategic sectors In 2014 new editions of integrated assistance programmes to create businesses in economic sectors of strategic importance to the city have been developed. Specifically, those related to the fields of creative industries, biotechnology and healthcare sciences, clean energies and the environment, and e- commerce. They have consistently been created in close public-private collaborations and with input from specialist partners. A new intensive programme for social enterprises has been developed over the past year and is due to begin in 2015. In total, 131 people have taken part in these programmes. Company creation in traditional sectors The city of Barcelona is characterised by having a very diverse economic fabric, where, in addition to emerging sectors, there are sectors with deep roots in the city’s economy, such as trade, arts and crafts, and construction. To encourage these economic activities, which are important for Barcelona’s diverse economic structure, Barcelona Activa drives integrated programmes to assist in the creation of companies in these sectors, with collaborations from leading public and private partners in each sector. In 2014, 193 people have participated in these types of programmes. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   25 Company creation for groups There have been new editions of comprehensive programmes structured to meet the particular needs of specific groups, such as young people, the over 45s and women entrepreneurs, by organising tailored training programmes, networking and tutoring programmes to expand the opportunities for success in the process of setting up their companies. 506 entrepreneurs have taken part in entrepreneurship programmes specifically for these groups. Rising Stars Programme Driven in collaboration with the Pedralbes shopping centre, the programme (initiated at the end of 2013 and consolidated in 2014) has enabled the city’s artisan businesspeople to have a space in this shopping centre from which they can showcase their creations and boost their business, contributing to greater dynamism for the arts and crafts sector in the city. Hence, following the model of temporary shops or “pop ups”, in 2014 16 companies and professionals from the arts and crafts sector were selected to have an exhibition and sales space for one month in a privileged environment with advantageous conditions. — INCUBATION In 2014 a further step has been taken to broaden and diversify Barcelona Activa’s incubation model, based on the agency’s 28 years of experience in the field of business incubation, where it is an internationally consolidated point of reference. Two new incubation spaces have been added to the existing spaces dedicated to newly created innovative companies (Glòries Incubator) and to organisations which bring together innovation and their spin-offs (Almogàvers Business Factory). The two new spaces are specialised incubators for sectors with high economic growth potential for the city. On the one hand, the ESA BIC Barcelona incubator, located at the UPC Park in Castelldefels, aims to boost companies which use space technologies to develop their products or services. On the other hand, mStartupBarcelona gathers a group of local and international accelerators focused on assistance, consolidation and growth for recently created businesses connected to the mobile sector. These two new innovative spaces are managed in close public-private collaborations with specialist partners in their respective fields, including the European Space Agency, UPC and the Mobile Foundation, among others. The Barcelona Activa incubation space, in addition to providing highly equipped facilities for enterprises and business projects based there, also offers first-rate logistical and administrative services and a specialised advice service together with Barcelona Activa’s enterprise support services and programmes and a package of activities specific to this type of newly established innovative enterprises such as networking, access to financing and specialist mentoring workshops. The incubation spaces for new companies and business projects managed by Barcelona Activa in 2014 with expert services to drive the creation and growth of innovative companies in the city are described in detail below. As of December 2014, a total of 149 companies and 17 projects are installed in these spaces and the Barcelona Advanced Industry Park. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   26 mStartupBarcelona Located in the Barcelona Growth Centre, a building emblematic of the city’s economic growth, and promoted by Barcelona Activa and the Mobile World Capital Foundation, the incubator mStartupBarcelona has been founded as a hub for start-up accelerators in the mobile sector. Within the framework of the initiatives driven by the City Council under the title of Mobile World Capital, which Barcelona holds until 2018, the new mStartupBarcelona incubator is configured as an ideal environment for local and international company accelerators to set up their business projects related to the mobile sector, contributing to the strengthening of the mobile ecosystem by attracting businesses and talent to the city, making Barcelona a city of reference in the sector. At the same time, mStartupBarcelona represents a step forward in the evolution of the municipal incubator model, turning Barcelona into a leading European city in the field of business mentoring and support. This space was opened in November and already boasts three acceleration programmes: Startupbootcamp, Impact and Gamebcn. By December, 8 start-ups had already been set up. ESA BIC Barcelona ESA BIC Barcelona is Spain's first incubator for new companies that use space technologies to develop their products or services. It is the first Business Incubation Centre (BIC) opened by the European Space Agency in Spain, and it joins the network of 10 space technology incubators in Europe. The companies in the incubator benefit from expert advice in the provision of support for the creation and consolidation of companies provided by Barcelona Activa. This is in addition to the technical and scientific knowledge of the European Agency and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC). This incubator, which encompasses the metropolitan area and is located in the UPC's RDIT building in Castelldefels' Mediterranean Technology Park, is a project carried out jointly by Barcelona Activa, UPC, Barcelona Metropolitan Area, Barcelona Provincial Council, Baix Llobregat Regional Council and Caixa Capital Risc. ESA BIC Barcelona has turned Barcelona and its metropolitan area into a European leader in the development of space technologies and their applications to other economic sectors. It opened in November 2014 with its first 5 companies and is expected to receive around 40 start-ups by 2018. Glòries business incubator A space devoted to the incubation of highly innovative new companies. In addition to being a facility equipped to meet the needs of the companies operating there, it also has quality logistics and administrative services and specialised advisory services for incubated companies. In addition, businesspeople can also use the services and programmes provided by the Entrepreneurship and Enterprise services such as those related to networking, mentoring and financing. At the end of the year it hosted 52 companies. Almogàvers Business Factory An incubator that bases its management on cooperation with public or private entities that pool together innovation in order to incubate new companies in their environment. This is a new concept of business incubation that focuses on supporting entrepreneurs who are seeking mutual understandings beyond the strict framework of facilities. At the end of 2014, Almogàvers Business Factory had 32 companies Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   27 and 10 business projects linked to 6 collaborating organisations: UPF (Pompeu Fabra University), e- Commerce Global Incubator, Incubio, Fundació Inlea, Bihoop and Dinamon, which provide technical support to companies that decide to incubate, benefiting from all the infrastructure and logistics advantages the facilities offer, with the ability for incubated companies to enjoy the various programmes relating to strategy, management, international growth and business financing carried out at Barcelona Activa. In addition to the incubator's own modules, Almogàvers Business Factory also has a co-working space fitted with everything necessary to accommodate freelancers and micro-businesses up to 3 years old which, due to the nature of their business, can carry out their activities in an independent but shared workspace that facilitates relationships with other companies or professionals. In total, in 2014 the co- working space welcomed 11 companies that have occupied all of the 17 work areas. These companies have also had at their disposal the full range of services and programmes offered by Barcelona Activa as well as a number of infrastructure and value added services that have increased their growth potential. Business ecosystem promotion activities Entrepreneurship is part of Barcelona's culture and identity. In recent years, an ecosystem composed of leading business schools, first-class universities, business associations, public institutions and organisations that promote enterprise and economic growth, financial institutions and networks of private investors has gradually emerged in the city. With the aim of promoting and raising awareness of Barcelona's entrepreneurial ecosystem, Barcelona Activa has carried out a significant number of dissemination actions for all the enterprise-related activities taking place in the city, and has in some cases been involved in the organisation of the main events carried out in the city by the said ecosystem. These range from major events such as BizBarcelona in June, with over 12,000 visitors and in which Barcelona Activa, as sponsoring partner, participated with a stand; the organisation of the Get Advice space, the finance market and conferences and workshops; to helping with the first edition of 4YFN, a conference for entrepreneurs and start-ups in the mobile sector in the framework of the Mobile World Congress, to present the new mStartupBarcelona initiative. At the same time, initiatives coming out of the ecosystem's entrepreneurs and agents themselves have also been supported. Such initiatives aim to activate the city's entrepreneurial community, with examples such as the second edition of FEST-Up or the monthly BCNStartupsNetwork meeting, an event organised by Barcelona Activa, IESE and Wayra which seeks to bring together start-ups, entrepreneurs and investors in Barcelona. In addition, the city has hosted entrepreneurial events from around the world that seek to put Barcelona on the map of the most entrepreneurial cities. These events include: Startup Grind, The Next Bank and Le Web, among others. Another example of the promotion of the ecosystem is the collaboration for the launch of new entrepreneur support services such as Espai Emprèn UPC, a space aimed at UPC students with a business idea who want to assess its feasibility, or the agreement concluded with Barcelona University (UB) to support any entrepreneurial projects emerging from the university. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   28 04.1.3 PROFESSIONAL SKILLS ACQUISITION AND EMPLOYMENT In 2014, through its professional training and employment programmes and services, Barcelona Activa attended to 22,905 people, 19% more than in 2013. The employment support model promoted since 2012 has gradually become stronger and more consolidated, making it possible to guarantee with municipal funds permanent, universal, high-quality services supplemented by programmes aimed at specific groups, such as people at risk of exclusion or young people who are neither studying nor in employment, funded by its own resources and those of other government bodies, including the Employment Service of Catalonia (SOC) and the European Union, among others. This model, which is based on an active and additional range of services and programmes, aims to turn unemployed people into attractive candidates for companies, making them more employable and supporting them in their quest for a high-quality job. Close collaboration with the business community is a necessary condition for the success of this model and to ensure that employment policies match actual demand. This model has changed from a group-focused model to the reinforcement of personalised care, so that local employment services have a good knowledge of candidates (profiling) as a key element to find a job for them. Personalised advice, coaching or a personal space on the Barcelona Jobs (Barcelona Treball) website are examples of this personalised assistance aimed at providing a service that is increasingly tailored to the needs of users. In addition, the new Barcelona Activa model has made it possible to increase the assistance and service provided to vulnerable people and those at risk of exclusion, such as young people, people at risk of exclusion and the long-term unemployed. In this way, powerful actions have been carried out under the Fight Against Youth Unemployment project while encouraging the permanent recruitment of young people through the company grant programme Barcelona Creates Jobs (close to 600 young people hired). Regarding assistance for people at risk of exclusion, 782 people have been attended to through the Labour and Social Reinsertion Programme (PISL), 1,245 through the Personalised Job Search Programme (PROPER), and 2,534 through the various actions and mechanisms of the Work in the Neighbourhoods programme. In addition, 2 Employment Plan places were created using municipal resources to facilitate the employment of people at risk of exclusion in 2015 and 2014. Similarly, November saw the start of an ambitious new programme (Barcelona Commits) of grants for permanent recruitment that will facilitate the recruitment, between 2014 and 2017, of 1,340 long-term unemployed workers of over 40 years of age and/or people at risk of exclusion. A whole host of strong, consistent, comprehensive and effective employment support actions were thus consolidated in 2014, matching goals with resources to help job seekers find work. The municipal job search and guidance services thus have an employment rate of 52% of participants 6 months after completing their participation, while programmes for vulnerable people and people at risk of exclusion have reached insertion levels of around 30-35%. Summary of activities of the Prof. Skills Acquisition and Employment Directorate 2014 People attended to 22,905 Personalised Advice to Participants 10,296 People in Guidance and Job Search and Dev. Professional 17,161 Students offered academic and careers guidance 16,788 People attended to in Programmes for groups at risk of exclusion 2,011 People served by other programmes (SOC, EU) 4,268 Contracts under the Barcelona Creates Jobs programme 750 Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   29 Profile of people attended to %/total Sex Men 50.0% Women 50.0% Age <25 15.4% 25-40 38.1% >40 46.4% Origin Foreigners 18.6% European Union 22.7% Outside EU 77.3% Spain 81.4% Unemployed 80.2% Educational level Primary 17.7% Secondary 42.0% University 40.3% — SERVICES Personalised advice Tailored help is a key part of Barcelona Activa's employment support service that was gradually strengthened during 2014. This personalised advice service provides accurate profiling to ensure that the most appropriate response can be provided for each person in order to help them, as candidates, to find the job they are looking for. Barcelona Activa has therefore offered a personalised daily walk-in advice and support service with long opening hours that has made it possible to help 10,296 participants. Guidance, job search and professional development Wide range of short training activities to provide job seekers and/or people who want to improve professionally with training in key guidance and job search techniques and complete and updated information about resources available in the city to improve employability and enable them to learn about job opportunities and labour market trends and develop their job skills. With the aim of providing personalised help in accordance with actual demand, in 2014 this service added a new type of activity, coaching for people of over 45 years of age, with the aim of empowering them in the job search process, providing the necessary tools and resources to enable them to enhance their professional value and skills. The main focus of these sessions was fostering self-confidence, improving skills, learning to show experience as an added value and finding the most appropriate job search channels for this group. Through small groups, 324 people have been able to take part in coaching plans of between 4 and 5 sessions. This new coaching service will be gradually consolidated and expanded during 2015. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   30 In addition, some of the most noteworthy activities comprised in the service include: boosting talent marketplaces; and sector-specific networking and recruitment events to encourage direct contact between companies seeking talent and professionals seeking work. In 2014, eleven marketplaces specialising in a variety of sectors such as ICT, services for businesses, commerce, banking and finance, logistics and the smart cities sector, were organised, with the participation of 557 candidates and 35 companies. In addition to this general offering and within the framework of Barcelona City Council's Fight Against Youth Unemployment Plan, a distinct job search and guidance service tailored to the specific needs of young people was promoted together with the Barcelona Youth Employment Programme. 2,777 young people have taken part through Barcelona Activa's network of Youth Information Points, Youth Clubs and facilities from which the service has been offered. In total the careers guidance, job search and professional development service has attended to 17,161 people who are looking for work and/or professional improvement. In 2014 Barcelona Activa's job search and guidance services had an employment rate of 52% of participants 6 months after receiving the services.  Guidance for schools In order to try to prevent academic failure, contribute to the academic success of young people and help them start a successful career, Barcelona Activa promotes guidance in schools, in collaboration with the Education Consortium of Barcelona, the vocational training foundation BCN Formació Professional, FemCat and Barcelona Metropolitan Area. The service encourages reflection on each young person's professional future, analysing their interests and motivations as well as their prospects in the job market; and brings them closer to the business world while spreading a culture of entrepreneurship and work values. The project provides single-topic sessions on looking for work, career options, work values and entrepreneurship; 'School and Business' talks in which an employer explains the importance of business in society; 'Entrepreurship with Values' conferences, which highlight the application of work values and an entrepreneurial attitude as the key to the success of a variety of professionals; and visits to companies to experience first-hand a working environment and the professionals behind it. This year, exceptionally and in conjunction with the Escola Emprenedors foundation, the programme also included a programme of introduction to entrepreneurship and the promotion of an entrepreneurial nature 'Be an Entrepreneur'. The project has also become a tool to support schools' guidance plans, offering advice to teachers so that they can hold and/or adapt sessions independently at school and take advantage of the resources available on the Barcelona Jobs website. 12,979 students in secondary school and further education have received academic and career guidance through school guidance actions. Careers guidance activities for 1,709 university students have also been run. “Barcelona Treball” website Barcelona Jobs is Barcelona City Council’s key website for everyone looking for work, to change jobs or keep up to speed about the latest trends in the jobs market. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   31 This powerful tool, which in 2014 has received over 1,110,000 visits, offers multiple interactive contents that are essential to independently work on a professional project. It is also a permanent jobs market monitoring centre providing ongoing guidance and updating of services to meet actual demand through cooperation with a broad network of key partners and organisations in labour, business and education such as universities, professional associations of architects, engineers, environmentalists, builders, nurses, the Barcelona Education Consortium, Pimec, foundations and companies specialising in labour intermediation such as Infoempleo, Infofeina, Infojobs and Manpower, among others. The main contents of the Barcelona Jobs website include a catalogue of nearly 1,000 jobs described in detail and related to the main economic sectors of Barcelona, job reports to learn about the pulse of the jobs market in different sectors, and interactive multimedia applications to identify career interests and practise job interviews. Employment Commitment Plan Under the Barcelona Employment Commitment Plan, in late 2014 the City Council launched the programme Barcelona Commits, an important and innovative initiative in the field of job creation that gives grants to companies based in Barcelona and its metropolitan area which are committed to creating and maintaining jobs and training for their employees. With this measure, the City Council will encourage the recruitment of 1,340 people living in the city who are unemployed and have difficulty entering the job market (long-term unemployed over-40s and/or people at risk of exclusion) through the provision of a total of € 22 million until 2016. It is aimed at small and medium-sized companies based in Barcelona and its metropolitan area, which will receive a fixed amount of financial aid for the first 6 months of employment as well as an additional incentive if they maintain the new job. The programme Barcelona Commits also has 200 Employment Plan places aimed at hiring unemployed people with particular job insertion difficulties for 6 months, with a training support programme. At the end of 6 months of training and skills acquisition, these people may be eligible for contracts provided with the grants envisaged in the Barcelona Commits programme. Barcelona Creates Jobs In 2013 the City Council launched the first innovative initiative to support small and medium-size enterprises to encourage the permanent recruitment of young people of under 30 years of age and the long-term unemployed through a non-repayable grant of € 3,000. It did so through the recruitment aid programme Barcelona Creates Jobs, through which, since its launch and until December 2014, 750 new contracts have been entered into with unemployed young people and long-term unemployed people by over 400 companies. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   32 — PROGRAMMES Social and Labour Market Insertion Programme (PISL) This programme, carried out in partnership with the Quality of Life Area, is aimed at people who are out of work and at risk of social exclusion referred by municipal social services and who require a labour market insertion plan tailored to their specific needs with high levels of personalised support. In addition to intensive guidance and support throughout their customised itinerary, the programme also includes measures to improve job skills tailored to the user. In 2014 it has assisted 782 people through the five service points spread across the city to bring the service closer to the people most in need. Of these, it is estimated that, over a period of 6 months, 30% have found work. Personalised Job Search Programme (PROPER) Also run in partnership with the Quality of Life Area, this programme aims to offer job search guidance to people with little self-sufficiency and improve their employability and personal independence. Using group training activities combined with highly personalised follow-up of participants, it has attended to 1,245 people at the five service points shared with the Social and Labour Market Insertion Programme. The employment rate 6 months after the end of their participation is 35% of participants. Work in the Neighbourhoods This is a programme coming under the Neighbourhoods Act which identifies 12 neighbourhoods in Barcelona in need of special attention: Santa Caterina i Sant Pere, Roquetes, Poble-Sec, Torre-Baró- Ciutat Meridiana, Trinitat Vella, La Bordeta, El Coll, Besòs-Maresme, Barceloneta, Bon Pastor-Baró de Viver, Raval Sud, La Vinya, Can Clos and Plus Ultra. Throughout 2013 a series of employment programmes for careers guidance, training and work have been carried out in these neighbourhoods along with economic and business stimulus programmes with the aim of boosting the economic and social development of these areas. In 2014, 2,534 people were attended to through the various employment activities carried out in the 12 neighbourhood groups. These include guidance and social and labour insertion mechanisms (including a new Employment Advice Point in the Marina del Prat Vermell neighbourhood, one of the neighbourhoods with the highest level of unemployment), which has made it possible to help 2,363 people, of whom 154 have completed professional training; two Job Centres have trained 61 young people for environment and show business jobs; and work experience programmes for the maintenance of urban areas and community and commercial revitalisation were carried out with 136 beneficiaries receiving training before and during the programme. The actions included in the programme have resulted in an employment rate of 38% of participants 6 months after completion of the programme. Young People for Employment A comprehensive training and insertion programme co-financed by the Employment Service of Catalonia addressed to unemployed young people aged 16 to 25 with a low level of qualifications. The programme includes one-to-one tutoring, activities for the acquisition of transferable skills, professional training and support in studying for a high school diploma, and it looks at grants for companies for the recruitment of young people for a minimum of 6 months. The programme’s purpose is to improve the employability of young people and provide them with the tools they need to find work while encouraging them to return to the education system. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   33 The first quarter of 2014 saw the end of an edition of this programme, in which 64 young people were hired, and a new edition was carried out during 2014, giving guidance to 80 unemployed young people, of which 70 have received training for jobs such as bicycle maintenance and repair assistant, bar and restaurant assistant, kitchen assistant, shop assistant and warehouse workers. 61 young people have been hired under the programme. We Create Youth Employment This innovative programme has been co-funded by the Employment Service of Catalonia with the aim of meeting companies' personnel needs while encouraging the employment of young people of between 18 and 30 years of age, mainly with work experience and a high school diploma or mid-level vocational training who want to change career path. After identifying the companies' personnel needs, candidates who had received job-related training combined with work, as well as recruitment grants for the companies involved, were sought. This innovative programme, which starts by identifying companies with vacancies, has trained and provided jobs to 100 young people. The Business Service contacted companies to find vacancies, which then became jobs for the employment of these young people. Get Mobile An initiative co-funded by the European Union under the PROGRESS programme which aims to promote employment or the return to education of young people of 18 to 24 years of age with a high school diploma or similar in the mobile device arena, taking advantage of the opportunities created by Barcelona's position as the mobile world capital to create jobs with a future through professional training while experimenting with innovative methods moving away from traditional formats. Get Mobile is based on the MOB LAB concept, incorporating innovative and practical training spaces to learn to program and design mobile applications or to set up and market mobile devices (MOB ACADEMY), social activities and Mobile culture dissemination activities (MOB COMMUNITY), ongoing information on new trends and opportunities for professionals of the Mobile sector in Barcelona (MOB JOB SEARCH AND MOB JOB MARKET), and the figure of mentor of a mobile device company, among other activities. The Get Mobile programme started in April 2014 and will end in July 2015. 346 young people took part in the programme during 2014. Barcelona in motion An innovative project co-funded by the Employment Service of Catalonia to drive employment in the emerging mobility technology sector, taking advantage of the synergies arising from Barcelona's status as Mobile World Capital. As part of this dissemination, guidance, training and job search support initiative for jobs in the mobile sector, 1,006 people have received guidance and 215 have been trained in 13 training courses focusing on specific areas of the industry such as the marketing of devices, developing applications, improving and checking applications and mobile marketing and usability. The programme also included a series of talks entitled "Mobile Stars" to present the professionals of the mobile industry and explain how they prepared to work in this sector, with the development of a specific app to help people identify their professional profile within the mobile sector and with the organisation Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   34 of a marketplace linking companies searching professionals of this sector with candidates who are qualified for the jobs on offer. From Unemployment to Action This is a comprehensive programme for guidance, training and acquiring work experience aimed at people who have been unemployed for more than a year and are no longer entitled to unemployment benefit and which includes recruitment grants to companies. This initiative has been co-financed by the Employment Service of Catalonia and has offered tutoring and support for integration, training in cross-cutting skills, professional training (in trade and marketing, socio-cultural and community services, and business administration and management) and hiring by companies for a period equal to or greater than 6 months. The programme, which started in 2013 and ended in March 2014, served a total of 122 people, of whom it trained 65 and 41 of whom have signed an employment contract. Upgrade your Skills This programme is aimed at people wishing to update their professional skills to change their career paths towards sectors with greater job opportunities or to increase their current knowledge in a particular sector. This programme has resulted in the training of 299 people in 32 courses of 25 to 40 hours each in the areas of design, ICT, international commerce and marketing and, for the first time and as a pioneering initiative, in the field of electric mobility/electric vehicles. Employment Plans During 2014 a total of 766 people who had been unemployed for 6 months were contracted to carry out a variety of tasks in works and services for the public interest in the hope that this work experience would provide them with the necessary professional skills and expertise to enable them to obtain a better position in the job market. Barcelona City Council has made a firm commitment to promoting the employment of unemployed people by supporting this kind of employment policy with its own resources. Thus, in 2014, for the first time with municipal resources and thanks to a framework agreement concluded with the Employment Service of Catalonia for the joint design of active employment policies in the city, a total of 25 unemployed people were recruited under the Municipal Employment Plans programme. These people worked, among other things, on modernising the facilities of Ciutat Meridiana Manufacturing Centre and improving community spaces. At the same time, several Employment Plan projects co-funded by the Employment Service of Catalonia and aimed at people on minimum income support to promote social inclusion (RMI), unemployed people not in receipt of unemployment benefit, and unemployed people in neighbourhoods which are receiving special attention under the Work in the Neighbourhoods programme, were also conducted. In 2014, 766 people were recruited under these programmes. They worked in areas relating to the environment and urban sustainability, maintenance of public spaces and facilities, the promotion of economic activities, tourism and commerce, community services and ICT in collaboration with public bodies and municipal areas of the city. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   35 Actions to promote and interact with the employment ecosystem The year 2014 is particularly noteworthy for the framework agreement signed with the Employment Service of Catalonia which enables Barcelona Activa to design and implement its own Active Employment Policies (such as the above mentioned Employment Plans funded with municipal resources), the creation of a fixed quarterly meeting space with social and economic players in order to monitor the activities of Barcelona Activa especially on employment matters and, finally, the Enterprise- Employment Platform that allows municipal employment policies to be adjusted to match actual demand. At the same time, Barcelona Activa’s relationship with the stakeholders in the employment ecosystem has mainly focused on three main areas of influence: local businesses as creators of jobs, stakeholders driving the city’s economic sectors, and organisations sponsoring innovative employment initiatives. This has involved providing in-person meeting venues for companies and professionals to facilitate real contact between the demands of companies and candidates. In this context, recruitment and networking events such as the Logistics marketplace – held under the Labour Insertion Service (SIL) – the Smart Cities marketplace – held in the context of the Smart City Expo World Congress – and other sector-specific marketplaces, were held at Barcelona Activa, with the participation of large companies such as Decathlon, Desigual, Marmedsa and Hewlett Packard – as well as SMEs and businesses from Barcelona's start-up world. In addition, private initiatives such as JOBarcelona, the 1st International Conference on Employment and Professional Guidance for university students, have been boosted and received contributions. In order to promote opportunities for employment in the city's economic sectors, new avenues for collaboration with representatives of the various sectors – both public and private – have become available through a variety of projects and conferences around sectors such as commerce, working together with organisations such as the Barcelona Comerç Foundation and companies such as Leroy Merlin and Groupalia, and transport, where the following are particularly worth noting: the collaboration with Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), which has made it possible to train almost 60 people who have become part of the organisation's workforce, and Mobile, where we collaborated with the Mobile World Capital Foundation, IDigital and organisations such as CTecno in the project Barcelona in motion. The link between employment policies and strategic sectors that create jobs must be as close as possible in order to ensure the best possible employment outcomes, both in quantitative and in qualitative terms. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   36 04.1.4 TRAINING The Training Directorate is a crossover area in Barcelona Activa which designs and manages training for the entrepreneurship, enterprise and employment support services and programmes. It also delivers its own comprehensive programme of technology training measures with the overall objective of enhancing the skills of the public, professionals and businesses to make Barcelona a more competitive city while increasing the efficiency and quality of Barcelona Activa’s training processes. Two broad training packages have thus been provided: on the one hand, permanent or ongoing training, funded with municipal resources and composing a permanent portfolio of supplementary activities to the services offered by Barcelona Activa (business management training, training in entrepreneurial skills and expertise, employment and job search training, and technology training (Cibernàrium)); and, on the other, training linked to programmes funded by third parties, usually the Employment Service of Catalonia or the European Union, among others, and focusing primarily on employment, both under training-only programmes and under comprehensive employment programmes that include vocational training. In total, Barcelona Activa's Training Department has managed 5,899 training activities that have made it possible to train a total of 23,453 people in the various areas mentioned above. Ongoing training in addition to the Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Employment programmes and services From the point of view of ongoing or permanent training, 2014 has been marked by a process of adjustment and reorientation of this training according, on the one hand, to actual demand in the job market and, on the other, to the needs of businesses and entrepreneurs. With this in mind, the Business Support Office opened at the end of this year. This has involved restructuring the company's existing enterprise services and incorporating some new ones, and adapting and updating the additional training for these services. In terms of training for entrepreneurs, 2014 has also seen a huge effort to adapt the specific training related to the creation and development of business plans. Furthermore, the range of web-based training options has been increased, which has resulted in wider distribution of the online content and has provided more people with the opportunity to access and benefit from it. In this context, the number of people who have signed up for technology training at Cibernàrium is particularly noteworthy. By the end of the year, it had more than 22 new videos to add to the existing content in the same format available at the Resource Centre. With regards to technology training, this year has seen the launch of the new Cibernàrium Satellites programme across the city to promote digital literacy. This programme has been based on training itineraries and has focused on how to use mobile devices. The training managed for enterprise, entrepreneurship and employment support services and programmes is listed below (the detailed results of each measure are in the section of the relevant chapter). Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   37 Training Directorate Activity Summary 2014 People who have received training 23,453 Number of training activities 5,899 People who have received regular additional training for services People in business management training 1,324 People in enterprise training 3,902 People in vocational and job search training 7,212 People in technology training at Cibernàrium 13,117 Professionals and SMEs in advanced technology training 10,457 People in basic technology training 2,887 People who have received specially organised training 1,508 Each of the regular training portfolios is detailed below: Business management training A series of short training programmes has been organised on a quarterly basis. These have focused on key areas of business and have been aimed at companies and professionals in the city to provide them with the tools, knowledge and skills required to increase success in business. The training seminars and workshops in 2014 have addressed various aspects of business management, including business incorporation, searching for employees, business innovation, growth management and strategy, finding financing, internationalisation and the associated procedures, marketing, sales promotion, company transfer and new technologies used in business. A total of 1,324 people have taken part. Training in entrepreneurial skills and knowledge Training activities which add to Barcelona Activa’s entrepreneurship support services and programmes in the form of short practical workshops to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for entrepreneur professionalization while providing the knowledge and tools needed to start up a business with the greatest prospects of success. The quarterly programme of training activities for people who want to create their own businesses, in which 3,902 people have participated, has explored key aspects of the entrepreneurial process, such as writing business plans, tools and resources for corporate marketing and creating customer loyalty, legal forms and procedures, taxation, finding financing, business management, business viability analysis tools and entrepreneurial skills. Vocational and job search training In this area, a wide range of group guidance, job search and professional development activities has been rolled out to train people over the course of their professional careers in line with the realities of the labour market and the demands for professional profiles from companies in the city, by allowing people to acquire and improve professional skills and help increase their employability and competitiveness in the labour market. 7,212 people have participated in these group activities. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   38 Technology skills training (Cibernàrium) A total of 13,117 people have enhanced their technological knowledge and skills in 2014 through the training programme for improving the technology skills of professionals, SMEs and the public in general. This has involved a total of 3,257 short training seminars and workshops, arranged in two blocks according to the level of skills and technological expertise to be developed. Profile of people doing technology training at Cibernàrium Sex Men 44.2% Women 55.8% Age <25 5.2% 25-40 41.5% >40 53.3% Origin Foreigners 9.3% European Union 45.9% Outside EU 54.1% Spain 90.7% Unemployed 37.9% Educational level Primary 7.3% Secondary 28.0% University 64.7% Firstly, the Cibernàrium Satellites programme to increase and promote digital literacy among city residents with poor knowledge of digital content and tools has enabled 2,887 people to receive training in computer-based activities, including Internet browsing, using smartphones, digital photography techniques, creating websites and blogs, e-government, social media and e-commerce. A total of 1,770 activities have been carried out through 11 satellites in the city’s public libraries to make them more accessible to all residents. Secondly, the Cibernàrium, which is located in the Barcelona Growth Centre (formerly the Media-TIC building), has hosted a range of advanced technology training programmes for job seekers, professionals and SMEs wishing to increase their competitiveness and business turnover, and professionals in the city, by improving and enhancing their digital skills. Advanced technology training activities are divided into thematic areas (internet and business, marketing and communication, technology solutions, website creation, digital imaging and multimedia tools) and professional sectors (mobility, education, computers and programming, design, security, commerce and tourism and restauration). In 2014, there have been 1,487 seminars, workshops, courses, lectures and master classes in technology training for 10,457 people. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   39 Specially organised training programmes At the same time, the Training Directorate has organised vocational and/or professional training courses as part of various programmes aimed at promoting employment, such as “From Unemployment to Action”, “Young People for Employment”, “Get Mobile”, “Barcelona in motion”, “Work in the Neighbourhoods” (details of these are provided in the section Professional Skills Acquisition and Employment), “Supply Training in Priority Areas” (FOAP) and “Upgrade your Skills”. In terms of the FOAP vocational training programme, which is designed for unemployed people and co- financed by the Employment Service of Catalonia (SOC), the 2014 courses have been attended by 163 people, who have received training in sectors with employment opportunities in social healthcare services, logistics and marketing and international commerce. The Upgrade your Skills programme, which was launched in 2013 with the aim of helping people adapt their professional profiles to the sectors where workers are most in demand, has been further consolidated. Within the new range of training options for 2014, the Electric Vehicles training programme, an innovation in the city’s training scene, has been particularly successful in terms of attendance and ratings. Actions to promote the city’s training ecosystem The Training Directorate is a facilitator for the training sector in the city through hiring training activities or cooperation agreements with private players in the sector. It has worked with over 350 different suppliers to arrange the training options Barcelona Activa offers its users each year. This offering is often an influencer for the training market by opening up knowledge to people who subsequently wish to extend their skills. This area also enters into agreements and partnerships with other organisations in local economic development, employment, ICT, etc. to participate in programmes that improve the public’s skills so they can be more competitive in the jobs and professional market. Examples of promoting the ecosystem and partnership include boosting training in the mobile sector through the mTalent programme run by the Mobile World Capital Foundation, the Government of Catalonia’s General Directorate of Telecommunications and Barcelona Activa’s Cibernàrium, and the Open to the Future training programme for the trade sector in the city, run in conjunction with traders’ associations and Barcelona City Council’s Department of Commerce. The Training Directorate has also worked with other local councils to improve the skills of municipal employees.  Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   40 04.2 PROMOTION   Barcelona Activa works to facilitate and create the conditions for attracting, retaining and generating economic activity in Barcelona and its sphere of influence. It also seeks to promote Barcelona and its brand as a byword for success and prestige, linked to values such as innovation, creativity, knowledge and progress. The commitment to making Barcelona a world benchmark for new strategic industries related to innovation, technology and knowledge has been maintained in 2014, focusing on the development and growth of enterprises in these sectors with high added value. Barcelona also aims to maintain its leadership in traditional consolidated sectors such as commerce and tourism, which are key sectors for the city due to their economic impact, and also ensure they generate opportunities in every neighbourhood by promoting the economic revitalisation of the city’s districts. 04.2.1 CITY PROMOTION   In the field of city promotion, the City Council works to promote Barcelona's economic flows, exchanges and relations with the outside world by fostering the Barcelona brand as a key factor in boosting the economy and business leadership. In this respect, work has been carried out in 2014 both in foreign markets and in the city itself, including the following projects and activities: Promoting the city and its brand abroad In 2014, Barcelona Activa has taken part in a total of 33 actions abroad, which has enabled it to present Barcelona, its economic brand and its investment opportunities to more than 9,200 international businesspeople and investors through 92 promotional activities. These activities have included trips to the United States and Latin American (Miami, Medellín, Bogotà and Rio de Janeiro) and Beijing for Beijing Design Week. Efforts to promote the Barcelona-Catalonia brand at international level have continued in the real estate sector, in partnership with Incasòl at Europe’s key trade fairs, including Mipim and Expo Real, and in the technology sector, in collaboration with ACCIÓ at the China Hi-Tech Fair in Shenzhen and the Shared Services fairs in Dublin and Amsterdam. In addition to the abovementioned events in Shenzhen and Beijing, activity in Asia has been promoted in 2014 as part of the China Plan. Barcelona Activa has also participated in the design sector event Innovation Design & Technology Expo, which allowed it to lay the groundwork for Barcelona’s involvement as guest city at the Hong Kong Business of Design Week 2015. Also worth mentioning was its involvement in the ESADE China Europe Club meeting in Barcelona, which was attended by more 20 Chinese delegations. Furthermore, the work of the Air Route Development Committee (CDRA) has led to the launch of seven new intercontinental routes from Barcelona Airport (Montreal, Charlotte, Dakar, Yerevan, Beijing, Seoul and Almaty) in 2014. As part of the Eurocities network of major European cities, Barcelona Activa’s City Promotion has participated in three Working Groups of the Economic Development Forum, namely Entrepreneurship and SMEs, City Marketing & Attractiveness and International Economic Relations outside the European Union. Three meetings have been held where best practice has been shared with our European partners: the Ecoemprenedor XXI and CREAmedia programmes, the communication campaign Barcelona Inspires and the expat community meeting in Barcelona, I'm Barcelonian. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   41 In-city Promotion The goal of In-City Promotion is the economic promotion of Barcelona within the city itself by tapping into Barcelona’s potential as home to an exciting international economic community and its capacity to attract numerous economic delegations and host a wide range of conferences, trade fairs and congresses. In order to stimulate Barcelona’s international economic community, activities have been undertaken in various areas. In terms of foreign economic institutions, 9 Barcelona Updates have been held in 2014 with foreign consulates, chambers of commerce and associations of foreign businesspeople. 11 networking or dynamisation events aimed at foreign executives working for foreign companies have been organised or supported, with the participation of 1,062 professionals. Work has also been carried out with Barcelona’s international schools and two welcome sessions for families have been organised and attended by 1,450 people. 2014 has seen the launch of the I'm Barcelonian/Expat Day, an event aimed at Barcelona’s foreign economic community in order to generate loyalty and retain them, since they represent a valuable asset for the local economy. The event was organised through a public-private partnership and featured 24 activities (conferences, workshops, information capsules, animations, etc.) and a trade fair with 53 exhibitors. A total of 2,600 people from 70 countries took part. Regarding international delegations visiting the city for economic research, study or identification of commercial and business opportunities, 280 foreign delegations have visited in 2014, with a total of 3,386 delegates. 41% have come from Europe, with Asia in second place, representing 26% of the total number of delegations that have visited. Lastly, given the fact that the city hosts numerous trade fairs, congresses and conferences that are attended by participants with the potential to promote and attract investments and projects, Barcelona Activa has taken part and supported 19 of these events, including the e-Show, the Mobile World Congress and the Smart Cities Expo World Congress. It has also supported other interesting conferences and conventions on a smaller scale. A total of 2,300 delegates have been impacted. Attracting investment projects One of City Promotion’s main goals is to attract and capture foreign investment projects for Barcelona, including businesses, professionals and entrepreneurs. To achieve this strategic aim they are provided with guidance about the city strategy, advice and support in partnership with the Business Landing Service in Barcelona Activa’s Enterprise Directorate or contact the most suitable partners for each case. A total of 65 projects have been supported and mentored in 2014. New projects have included the Canadian design school LaSalle, the southern Europe operations base for Norwegian Air Shuttle and the multinational e-commerce company eBay and, in terms of events, the world launch of the Porsche Macan and the Chinese Lantern Festival at the Parc del Fòrum. 23 projects have been rejected and a total of 33 are live and being monitored.   Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   42 04.2.2 STRATEGIC SECTORS   In order to promote the various strategic economic sectors, activity has intensified with the implementation of new initiatives to promote companies’ competitive development through the coordination of clusters and public-private platforms in areas such as mobile technology and ICT (information and communication technologies), sustainable mobility, energy, logistics, food and biotechnology. 2014 has also seen the successful launch of new innovation and promotion programmes aimed at innovative public procurement. Highlights from 2014 include the following initiatives by strategic sector: Mobile and ICT sector Barcelona was named Mobile World Capital for the 2013-2018 period. This status serves as a catalyst for the sector and a driving force for many other vertical sectors, and provides a unique opportunity to increase business competitiveness, create skilled jobs, position Barcelona at global level and attract investment. The Mobile World Congress 2014 was attended by more than 85,000 visitors, with an economic impact estimated at over € 356 million in Barcelona and its surroundings. The Area of Economy, Enterprise and Employment has participated in virtually all areas of activity at the two events, with the aim of maximising the involvement of local businesses in the Mobile World Congress and enhancing their legacy in the city. Meanwhile, work has been undertaken to boost economic activity related to the mobile/ICT sector. Thus, support for newly created clusters such as Edutech and the association Ecommerce&Tech Barcelona has intensified in 2014. This association already has 170 members representing more than 250 companies in the technology sector and public-private partnership agreements with 17 members. Activities have been proactively monitored and coordination with related initiatives (in other clusters or sectors, for example, audiovisual) has been enhanced. Furthermore, measures to foster economic activity related to the sector using an intersector approach have been conducted or supported. Activities and conferences have also been run about ICT and tourism, retail, energy, logistics, education and the third sector which have analysed business opportunities and the role that ICT can play in each of them. These conferences and events organised to promote the incorporation of technology into other strategic sectors have been attended by more than 750 people. Sustainable mobility, logistics and energy sector 2014 has been characterised by the final consolidation of the public-private LIVE platform for the promotion of sustainable electric mobility, of which Barcelona City Council is a director member and Barcelona Activa acts as the managing and executing body. The LIVE platform has been very active in 2014. It has provided services and developed key actions for the sector in Barcelona and Catalonia through the creation of multi-format activities aimed at boosting, supporting and promoting the sector at both economic/business and public level. The LIVE platform has a new commitment to openness in terms of the number and type of members, and this has also resulted in a wider territorial scope and propulsion technologies. In 2013 and 2014, LIVE has supplemented its existing director members (Barcelona City Council, BSM, the Government of Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   43 Catalonia through the Catalan Energy Institute (ICAEN), Seat and Endesa) with the following new members: Barcelona Metropolitan Area, the Government of Catalonia (through ACCIÓ and the Directorate General of Environmental Quality) and companies, including Gas Natural Fenosa, Renault, Nissan, Audi-VW and ACS. In 2014, the LIVE platform reaffirmed its position and importance in the mobility sector by joining the platforms of collaborating entities such as: RACC, Urbaser, Circutor, Cimalsa, TMB and Creafutur. Throughout 2014, the LIVE platform has developed a range of actions with a significant impact on the sector and on the promotion of demand, such as technical and economic feasibility studies for the development of recharging infrastructure and the restructuring of fleets, and the organisation of conferences aimed at fleets and professional sectors that are potential users of these new technologies. The platform has assisted and advised more than 60 companies and project proposals and has carried out a series of tasks to support and mentor public plans related to the sector such as the new Environmental Quality Plan, the Sustainable Mobility Promotion Programme and the new Metropolitan Urban Mobility Plan. Finally, LIVE has also played a key role at European and international level by becoming part of the HyER association (a platform for the promotion of electric and hydrogen vehicles) in 2014 and promoting the publication of projects related to Barcelona and the sector in international journals, such as the recent publication of “50 Big Ideas Shaping the Future of Electric Mobility” in which the strategy used by Barcelona and LIVE was singled out as one of the top global ideas. Moreover, Barcelona Activa has promoted and participated in various events that have helped position and strengthen the sector and boost the demand for sustainable mobility, such as the Smart Moto Challenge, the Expoelèctric Fòrmula-e (with over 15,000 visitors and more than 1,500 test drives) and the Smart City World Congress. Lastly, there has been a significant joint effort with the Barcelona Activa Training Directorate to start electric mobility training activities as part of the Upgrade your Skills programme, and these have enjoyed outstanding success, with a high demand and full attendance. With regards to the logistics sector, Barcelona Activa is an active member of the Barcelona Logistics Centre (BCL). 2014 has mainly been marked by two key conferences: The International Logistics and Material Handling Exhibition (SIL) and the European Supply Chain and Logistics Summit, which were held in Barcelona for the first time, and benefited from the involvement of Barcelona City Council, which participated by organising activities designed to promote entrepreneurship and employment. The energy sector has been given fresh impetus due to its high added value and its huge importance for the development of local strategies and actions carried out as part of the municipal Smart City policy and the city’s aspirations for energy self-sufficiency. In this regard, a series of conferences has been organised in partnership with the Barcelona Energy Agency and ICAEN to promote the implementation of energy efficiency measures with the aim of encouraging consumers to apply these measures and helping local companies that specialise in providing this service to reach end customers and potential consumers. This year, the conference has aimed to promote these energy efficiency measures among hotels and property management companies, and preparations got under way for the conference to be held in February 2015, aimed at commerce. Finally, a strategic workshop to identify areas and topics within the field of energy that may act as drivers of innovation, with a high potential for generating highly skilled jobs in Barcelona, has been started.   Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   44 Other sectors Monitoring and support have also been provided for initiatives in other sectors, including the bio sector, with the collaboration of Biocat, and the food industry, in partnership with Mercabarna. Furthermore, all sectors have been encouraged to get involved in the RIS3CAT innovation communities, which are promoted by the Government of Catalonia. Measures to promote innovation have intensified in 2014 through active participation in Barcelona City Council’s Innovation Report and the management of projects such as the BNC Open Challenge, which has resulted in a public procurement process based on the six challenges proposed in the competition and has received a total of 119 proposals to be contracted for a value of 1 million euros. Through the BCN Open Challenge project, Barcelona has positioned itself as a pioneer and leader in public innovation. For the first time, an innovation process has resulted in the actual contracting of municipal services, and Barcelona has become a point of reference and a focal point for internationally recognised institutions such as Nesta and Bloomberg, and local authorities such as Moscow and Santiago de Chile, among others. 04.2.3 TOURISM AND EVENTS The objective of the Tourism and Events Directorate is to manage tourism with the aim of enhancing its place in the city and improving residents’ quality of life. It also aims to attract events to maintain Barcelona’s excellent global reputation in this area. Its lines of action for 2014 have been: to consolidate Barcelona as a responsible and sustainable tourist destination; to promote the management of the effects of tourism and its regulation and planning; to promote the development of economic activity related to tourism; to encourage the decentralisation of tourism towards the neighbourhoods and districts surrounding Barcelona city centre and, lastly, to attract and organise events with added value for the city’s economy. Tourism promotion Barcelona City Council’s commitment to promoting sustainable tourism has been rewarded with a prize in the Destinations category of the Biosphere Awards for Responsible Tourism, presented by the Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR) within the framework of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR). Along the same lines, Barcelona has kept its Biosphere World Class Destination certification (after three years of holding it) and will thus maintain its reputation as a destination for sustainable and responsible tourism until 2017. In 2014, Barcelona has hosted the GSTC Destinations Community, an international meeting of representatives from cities that have opted for sustainable tourism policies and have been certified or are in the process of receiving certification through a standard approved by the GSTC, Biosphere Responsible Tourism, the Early Adopter Programme or the Destination Partner Programme. This new global network of sustainable tourism destinations aims to share practices, policies and discussions on the actions carried out by the member destinations.   Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   45 The Responsible Tourism Observatory run by the Sant Ignasi School of Tourism and Hospitality Management has conducted a study to assess the importance hotels in the city of Barcelona attach to corporate social responsibility and/or sustainability issues, and to identify best practices in these areas. The study was commissioned by Barcelona City Council and carried out with the participation of the Council itself, Barcelona Tourism and the Hotel Association. Barcelona’s commitment to the development of sustainable tourism in 2014 will be strengthened in 2015 through a process of reflection on the management and promotion of responsible tourism, promoted by Barcelona City Council. The aim is to identify the main tourism trends in Barcelona and establish, with the broadest possible consensus, the foundations for its future development. In order to handle the effects of tourism and its management in the region, Barcelona City Council is using some of the proceeds from the tax on stays in tourist establishments to finance a series of projects that aim to promote regional balance and decentralisation, such as the creation of a new tourism product, tourist signs for pedestrians and the use of new technologies to improve the tourist experience. The emergence of new types of tourist accommodation means there is a need for their regulation. To achieve this, the government has implemented a measure to regulate and manage the city’s supply of holiday rentals (HUT) to anticipate the potential problems associated with coexistence. The actions implemented include the new Telephone Response Centre (CRT), which is designed to deal with complaints from residents affected by disturbances in holiday rentals, and the Tourist Establishment Inspection Plan, which aims to ensure that these types of accommodation comply with the law. Regarding promotion of the development of economic activities linked to tourism, a database has been created, initially in Catalan, Spanish, English and French, containing detailed information on more than 500 tourist spots in the city’s neighbourhoods and districts, within the framework of the Smart Destination project (part of the Smart City municipal programme). Secondly, the local information project Barcelona Contactless has been launched and implemented in 19 tourist information offices in Barcelona and in hotels with the collaboration of Barcelona Hotel Association. A partnership with ACATUR and APARTUR has also been initiated to expand the services for youth hostels and holiday rental homes, respectively. Thirdly, the new Barcelona Inspires website has been launched to provide information worldwide, including routes, information on accommodation, tourist attractions, etc. The fourth initiative concerns the installation of touch screens at information points and in bus shelters (“Smartquesines”). Lastly, several city and district apps have also been launched. The FuTurisme project has also been designed in 2014 within the framework of economic activity development. This is a comprehensive programme to promote and support entrepreneurship in the tourism sector and will be launched in 2015 in collaboration with the Barcelona Hotel Association. FuTurisme will be carried out primarily through training activities and will include a prize for the best entrepreneurial initiative, as well as measures to support the launch of these new companies. The creation of District Tourism Plans, which aim to decentralise tourism to the city’s 10 districts and have been coordinated through the Board of District Tourism Experts, has led to the installation of tourist signs at 703 points in five of the 10 districts and the creation of tourist maps (of the city and its districts). In this same area, the communication campaign “Barcelona. Live one city, enjoy 10” has been rolled out over the course of the year. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   46 The district tourism plans have also involved joint actions involving tourist attractions and tourist areas. Examples include the Castell de Torre Baró, the improvement and accessibility works that have been undertaken at the Turó de la Rovira and the remodelling of the Plaça de les Glòries, which now features a new Barcelona tourist information office. As a result of this, the Catalonia International Tourism Show (SITC) has helped raise the profile of the tourist attractions in Barcelona’s various neighbourhoods that were initially identified through the district tourism plans. In a broader regional perspective, the implementation of the "Barcelona is much more" agreement with Barcelona Provincial Council and the Barcelona Tourism Consortium has enabled progress in joint strategic thinking about the "Destination Barcelona” concept. Extensive efforts have been made in 2014 in the field of tourism intelligence. A study on the economic impact of tourism in Barcelona in 2012-2013 has been conducted by INSETUR research centre at the University of Girona. Work has also continued on the Perception of Tourism survey, which aims to reveal residents’ perception of tourism and the tourism habits of Barcelona residents. This year, Barcelona City Council has conducted the Tourist Survey for the first time. A report: The Tourism Sector in Barcelona, has also been published and distributed in Catalan, Spanish and English. Supporting, attracting and securing events Among the key events that have taken place in 2014, the following are worth mentioning for the high number of people who took part: the Mobile World Congress (more than 85,000 delegates), the European Society of Cardiology (30,000), EIBTM (15,500 professionals) and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (5,000). Barcelona has also hosted some major international events related to urban tourism, including the third Global Summit on City Tourism, which was held under the title “New Paradigms in Urban Tourism” and organised by UNWTO and the Secretary of State for Tourism, with support from the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona Provincial Council, Barcelona City Council and Barcelona Tourism. Some of the events that have been held in 2014 as a result of successful bids are: the Seatrade Med Cruise Convention, which was attended by 3,000 participants; the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) conference, which involved the participation of 10,000 delegates; the World Sustainable Building Conference (SB14) and the World Congress on Computational Mechanics, which was attended by 4,000 participants. In February, the Doctors’ Dinner was held in the DHUB building with more than 300 practitioners from various medical fields, senior doctors, to thank them and strengthen their contribution to attracting conferences. Nearly 100 projects have received support in 2014, with different levels of involvement and different profiles, such as the 76th International Session of the European Youth Parliament and the Denim by Premiere Vision fair (both held for the first time in Barcelona); Barcelona Harley Days and the second International Congress of Dominican Professionals and Technicians in Spain; the organisation of mass auditions for the TV programme MasterChef for the first time in Barcelona and the launch of new car models from world-class manufacturers, such as the Porsche Macan and the new Audi electric car. In addition, the second edition of the New Year celebration was organised in partnership with Barcelona Tourism as the promoter, La Vanguardia, El Periódico, Clear Channel, Damm and La Caixa as sponsors, and with the collaboration of Fira de Barcelona. The event was attended by 70,000 people. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   47 04.2.4 TERRITORY AND COMMERCE PROMOTION   In 2014 Barcelona City Council has worked to continue promoting economic development in all the city's districts by making available and adapting the services offered by the Area of Economy, Enterprise and Employment to their needs and supporting economic development projects and initiatives in the districts. Territory and Economic promotion Activities have been diversified into various lines of work to support economic development strategies for the districts. Firstly, venues and protocols have been established for systematic ongoing dialogue with the districts through participation in the territorial joint responsibility boards. Secondly, work has been undertaken to introduce and disseminate the resources of Barcelona Activa related to employment, entrepreneurship and services for companies in the city’s districts by establishing internal circuits to keep the districts well informed. Thirdly, specific demands from the districts have been met by directing them to the appropriate Barcelona Activa services. This has made it possible to design specific training for young and unemployed people and provide professional support for cultural associations, social organisations, the Zona 11 project, etc. The activities of the five districts involved in the Barcelona Activa Work in the Neighbourhoods employment and economic stimulus package have also been coordinated. Work plans for economic facilitators in the districts have been drawn up under this programme, which have focussed on promoting the area economically and especially on supporting the commercial sector. Finally, Barcelona Activa has participated in city economic development projects such as Sarrià-Sant Gervasi (Knowledge District), Building Paral·lel and the Manufacturing Centre of Les Corts. Commerce In 2014, the second edition of the Open to the Future training programme has been implemented in Barcelona’s 10 districts in, focused on improving professional and digital skills for commerce and local services. In this second edition, the training programme has consisted of 24 capsules in areas such as innovation in small businesses, customer loyalty, service improvement techniques and boosting trade through social media. The capsules have been implemented in partnership with all of the districts and 60 trade associations, which are key players in the circulation and referral of users. They have been delivered in 27 facilities distributed throughout the territory. 1,091 traders have benefited from the 263 capsules given in 2014. As a new feature, this edition has included the ad hoc adaptation and delivery of part of the programme to market traders in the districts of Ciutat Vella, Eixample, Gràcia, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi and Horta-Guinardó. In addition, Barcelona Activa has taken part in the drafting of district trading schemes and the conceptualisation of their monitoring. Moreover, at the request of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Barcelona Activa has led the working group on Digitisation of Trade, included in the Commerce and Consumer Affairs Report, which has resulted in the first municipal support activity for the city’s online commercial presence, the project known as Online Commerce.   Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   48 For yet another year, Barcelona Activa has coordinated activities as part of the Christmas campaign, one of the key events for commerce in the city. A brand new ideas competition was held for the Christmas lights in two of the city’s streets (Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and Carrer d'Aragó), in which some of Barcelona’s professionals and young designers took part. It has also directly managed the Christmas Trees Project, which is sponsored by the company Tous, and has been involved in the installation of the “Bargelona” ice rink in Plaça Catalunya, promoted by the Barcelona Commerce Foundation. Fashion In addition to these two areas there is the promotion of the fashion industry which is a significant player in the Catalan economy due to the number of people it employees and the importance of its exports, and which undoubtedly further adds to the Barcelona brand. In this area, Barcelona Activa has supported several events to promote fashion, and in doing so has enhanced their impact on the city and linked them to commerce and the territory. These have included promotional and dynamisation actions undertaken as part of the two editions of 080 Barcelona Fashion, the first with the Born trade association and the second with Gaudí Comerç. It has also been involved in Barcelona Bridal Week, the largest international bridal fashion event, as well as other new initiatives that have been promoted this year, such as the two editions of the trade fair Denim by Premiere Vision (on denim clothing), the first Ethical Fashion Festival in Barcelona, the Vintage Fair and African Fashion Week Barcelona, and many others. Barcelona Social Economy Network (XESB) Led by Barcelona Activa, the XESB this year has successfully integrated 100 social enterprises and non- profit entities (cooperatives, work placement companies, special employment centres, employee-owned limited liability companies and the federations that bring them together) that also undertake economic activity. The XESB has sought to highlight the potential and value of the social economy in our city in order to increase the recognition of this sector of the economy and expand its business opportunities with companies. At the same time, it has provided tools to strengthen and enhance its members’ capabilities, as well as the entities’ productivity and competitiveness. With this goal in mind, in 2014 it has participated in conferences and fairs such as the fourth Disability and Employment in Catalonia Fair, the second Technology for All conference, the knowledge transfer conference with the University of Barcelona, the fifth Social Responsibility Week and the plenary conference with the XESB member organisations. It has also taken part in several actions aimed at transferring methodologies and knowledge and exchanging best practices. The XESB has also carried out 93 activities and projects, which have involved training, round-table discussions, working committees on various topics, visits to institutions, etc., and have attracted more than 3,000 participants. In 2014, it has also continued to implement Barcelona City Council’s decree, which includes social clauses in its procurement processes and a commitment by companies awarded contracts to hire 5% of people at risk of social exclusion. In this area, the XESB has provided a referral service for such people to companies that require it in order to comply with the law. In 2014, 100% of the offers received from companies were fulfilled. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   49 At the same time, it has also supported various events to promote social economy in the city’s districts and participated in the organisation of the Social Economic Charity Christmas Fair, in which 35 social economy enterprises in the XESB participated. Finally, two projects to be continued in 2015 were started at the end of the year: the construction of a social economy website to showcase the products and services sold by XESB companies, and the creation of a set of indicators to measure the impact of employment services for people with disabilities and/or mental illnesses. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   50 05 Financial management In 2014, Barcelona Activa has executed a budget of almost 37 million euros (36,972,767 million euros, to be exact). The majority of the budget, 87% of the total, has been allocated to support services and programmes for professional skills acquisition and employment, businesses and entrepreneurship; the remaining 13% has covered actions to promote the city and its key economic sectors. Thus, the financial management reflects the priority of Barcelona Activa and Barcelona City Council in 2014: the promotion of economic growth and job creation. The key features of 2014 have been:  Job creation measures, through consolidation of the model based on universal and permanent services for job seekers that was initiated in 2012, have represented over 50% of Barcelona Activa’s total budget, which represents an increase of seven percentage points over the previous year (when the budget of the Professional Skills Acquisition and Employment and Training Directorates is taken into account).  The level of support for enterprise and entrepreneurship, as the driving force for employment and economic activity that generates wealth and innovation, is reflected in the fact that 32% of the agency’s total budget has been used for such actions.  In line with the trend that started in 2012, municipal financing has continued to grow and has become the main source of funding in terms of relative weight, representing 70% of revenue. This has made it possible to guarantee the range of high-quality universal services for businesses, people and the territory, scaled and distributed in a local network in order to respond to different needs in an appropriate manner. These services funded from the municipal budget have been supplemented by programmes and other specific actions financed or co-financed by other authorities, such as the Government of Catalonia, which has contributed 14% of the budget, and European funds, which account for 6% of the total. Management revenue and finance from other institutions (in total, 10% of total revenue) have also made it possible to strengthen all of the services and actions carried out. Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   51 Professional Skills Acquisition and Employment 40% Training 14% Entrepre- neurship 16% Enterprise 16% Tourism and Events 2% City economic promotion 3% Creation of economic growth 8% Spending breakdown 2014 Barcelona City Council 70% Government of Catalonia 14%Other revenue 6% Management revenue 3% Other institutions 1% European funds 6% Revenue breakdown 2014 Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   52 06 Board of Directors President Ms. Sònia Recasens i Alsina Second Deputy Mayor for the Area of Economy, Enterprise and Employment Vice-President Mr. Jordi Joly i Lena CEO of the Area of Economy, Enterprise and Employment Board members: Mr. Jaume Ciurana i Llevadot Mr. Xavier Mulleras Vinzia Fifth Deputy Mayor Councillor for the PPC Municipal Group Mr. Gerard Ardanuy i Mata Ms. Míriam Casanova Doménech Councillor for Education and Universities Councillor for the PPC Municipal Group Mr. Jordi Marti i Galbis Ms. Janet Sanz Cid Councillor for the Convergència i Unió Group Councillor for the ICV Municipal Group Mr. Raimond Blasi i Navarro Mr. Josep Lluís de Villasante Councillor for Commerce Representative of Unitat per Barc Mr. Joan Trullén Thomas Councillor for the PSC Municipal Group Barcelona Activa Activity report 2014   53 Second Deputy Mayor for Economy, Enterprise and Employment and President of Barcelona Activa Sònia Recasens i Alsina CEO Economy, Enterprise and Employment and Vice-President of Barcelona Activa Jordi Joly i Lena 07 Organisation chart   Enterprise and Employment Services Executive Directorate Susana Tintoré Rebholz Enterprise Operations Directorate Jaume Baró Professional Skills Acquisition and Employment Operations Directorate Lorenzo Di Pietro Entrepreneurship Operations Directorate Montse Basora Farré Training Operations Directorate Jordi Roca Carles Promotion Executive Directorate Josep Marquès Ferre City Promotion Operations Directorate Mario Rubert Català Tourism and Events Operations Directorate Joan Torrella Reñé Strategic Sectors Promotion Operations Directorate Anna Majó Crespo Territory and Commerce Promotion Operations Directorate Lourdes Sugrañes Tena Corporate Financial Resources Directorate Montse Charle Torre Corporate Human Resources Directorate Núria Massip Vidal Corporate IT Systems and Organisation Directorate Marc Puente Vila-Masana Corporate Marketing and Communication Directorate Jordi Sacristán Adrià Corporate Legal Services Directorate Àngel Pascual Oliva