42 Barcelona, a digital haven with a big soul
Discover 42 Barcelona, one of our campuses in Spain, dedicated to nurturing digital talent and fostering innovation.
The reputation of 42 Barcelona extends far and wide. It is well-known for its beautiful Mediterranean style, deeply rooted in a rich history and strong cultural identity. What truly sets the city apart is its unique blend of tradition and modernity. It seamlessly combines historical and artistic places with innovation centers, tech hubs, and business parks. This special mix attracts people from all over the world, not just as tourists but also as residents who are charmed by the way of life and the numerous work opportunities Barcelona has to offer.
The strong IT ecosystem of Barcelona, encompassing both big companies and startups, made it an obvious choice for 42 to establish a campus in the city. There is a plethora of opportunities, especially for training that equips students with the necessary skills for the digital labor market. Barcelona, along with Catalonia as a whole, is home to a vast network of over 18,000 digital and ICT industry companies. These companies, whether belonging to the industry 4.0 or having a strong digital component, require a substantial number of digital professionals, particularly programmers.
“Barcelona is, in fact, one of the biggest digital hubs in Europe with more than 100.000 digital jobs. From day one, we had a lot of companies knocking at our doors because of the lack of digital talent, and they were attracted to the innovative methodology of 42.”
Humbert Ruiz, Director of 42 Barcelona
42 Barcelona collaborates with numerous companies, from prominent industry players to medium enterprises. These companies value the opportunity to connect with emerging talent. The campus serves as a gateway for these companies to access a pool of skilled individuals whom they might not reach otherwise. Through engaging presentations, interactive workshops, and exclusive events, 42 Barcelona actively fosters the development of a thriving digital talent community. Building this community is a source of immense pride for the staff at 42 Barcelona.
42 Barcelona is funded by Fundación Telefónica and supported by Barcelona’s town hall and the Generalitat, the government of Catalonia. Following the success of 42 Madrid, Fundación Telefónica took the initiative to establish additional campuses, aiming to make a significant impact in Spain. The four campuses across the country collaborate harmoniously to benefit the students. Furthermore, they unite as a community within the larger network of 42 campuses worldwide. Currently, 42 Barcelona is meticulously refining a new offering to be shared with the other 42 campuses — an immersive one-week Discovery Piscine focused on cybersecurity, designed specifically for prospective students.
“Our first group of students who successfully completed the Piscine expressed a keen interest in cybersecurity. They took the initiative to conduct workshops on the subject, and that sparked the idea of creating a week-long program to introduce cybersecurity from scratch. We anticipate being able to offer this program to everyone in the coming months. We take immense pride in the fact that this content was developed by our very own students!”
Humbert Ruiz, Director of 42 Barcelona
“At 42 Barcelona, we have a strong sense of community. Yes, they study together, but they also go out together and want to wear our tee-shirt to show off that they are from 42! This is really unique… and speaking of uniqueness, you won’t find our one-of-a-kind mascot, Octorok, anywhere else in the network!”
Humbert Ruiz, Director of 42 Barcelona
