The commitment to digitalization, sustainability, innovation, and focusing on a purpose is and will be key for companies if they want to be competitive. In this context, the Bizbarcelona fair once again appeals to freelancers, SMEs, and businesses, to whom it will offer tools to accelerate their businesses, through 120 activities that will include conferences, workshops, and networking at Fira de Barcelona's Montjuïc venue.
To facilitate business momentum and growth, the event will bring together 150 experts and 70 companies, entities, and institutions with resources linked to economic promotion. Bizbarcelona's proposal will be complemented by that of the Saló de l'Ocupació, focused on boosting employability and job opportunities. Together, the two fairs attracted 12,000 people last year, a figure they expect to exceed this year, reaching 15,000, with more than 7,000 visitors at each of the two events. Both are directed by Laura Pararols, who also directs the Saló de l'Ensenyament and Futura, focused on training that complements the labor and business scope of Bizbarcelona and the Saló de l'Ocupació.
— What key factors must an SME or a freelancer in Barcelona face to maintain their competitiveness?
— Digitalization is fundamental, and Bizbarcelona proposes solutions for small businesses that until now view it as a complicated process. At the fair, they will be able to find ideas and resources to advance in this area, and also in sustainability, innovation, and purpose.
— Purpose is emerging as a relevant piece for every business.
— More and more, companies must have a much better defined purpose, which in turn helps all their collaborators get involved in projects. This greatly facilitates business growth. The relationship established with clients also impacts here: before it was more commercial, and now this purpose comes into play, with more personal and valuable relationships.
— And the fair provides tools to move in this direction.
— What we intend with Bizbarcelona is to improve the competitiveness of the business fabric, focusing on SMEs, micro-enterprises, and freelancers. We want to contribute to boosting their businesses from the fair.
— Barcelona has positioned itself as a city in which to boost businesses, especially startups. Has Bizbarcelona contributed in this sense?
— Bizbarcelona is a driver, yes, an exhibition that wants to help find opportunities to develop new business ideas.
— How will it do so in this edition?
— We will do it with more than 120 activities, such as conferences, workshops and networking meetings, as well as advisory spaces where companies that are starting up can find answers to questions from all areas that affect this process, such as marketing, ecommerce, logistics and distribution, as well as the legal field, financing, internationalization and sustainability.
— So, can someone who comes to Bizbarcelona with a business idea leave with a well-formed project?
— We offer advice from 50 experts, workshops focused on developing skills, networking and a village with 70 companies with consulting services, training, digital marketing, automation, communication, public relations or sales, just to name a few. In addition, we will have conferences on best practices from people who have promoted companies, on their trajectory and the impediments they have overcome, also on the paths towards digitalization, sustainability, innovation and purpose.
— What will happen to companies that do not follow this path?
— They will have to rethink it, as companies have to evolve. Nothing is static; nothing will be the same in five years, and companies must update themselves to maintain a good competitive level.
— How will Bizbarcelona continue to support them?
— The exhibition is now in a consolidation phase, after it renewed its focus and centered it on small businesses, shops, freelancers and micro-enterprises. There are no other events of this type in Europe, and we are pioneers in providing tools to freelancers. Our goal now is to consolidate ourselves locally and help the city's economy from Bizbarcelona.
—All of this will be complemented by the Saló de l'Ocupació, which will be held in the same Palau 8 of Montjuïc.
— That's right, the event focuses on people who want to look for a job for the first time or who want to reorient their professional career. We offer them tools and resources to learn about the city's occupational ecosystem, market possibilities and future trends, as well as to design training processes and face selection processes. We will also have a space that will connect people looking for work with companies looking for talent.
— Artificial Intelligence will also play a role in the fair.
— AI has entered companies with great force; it is a very powerful tool both for the person who is looking for employment, with applications to practice an interview, write a cover letter or a resume, and also for companies, which can use them to help choose the right candidate for a job. The fair reflects this incorporation of AI, just as it reflects new trends and the future of the labor field.
— And how is this future outlined?
— There are sectors that are growing in the city, such as the health branch, which will require many resources. We know that the field of trades is closely linked to Vocational Training, which is gaining more and more prominence as a path to the labor field, and we will continue in this direction for the future.