The contribution of the Catalan ICT sector has doubled in the last decade

The sector's turnover in Catalonia amounts to €27 billion, with more than 16,000 companies and 168,000 jobs, but the talent gap remains a key challenge.

The technology sector in Catalonia has doubled its gross added value (GAV) in the last decade, reaching almost 10 billion euros , according to the Barometer of the Technology Sector in Catalonia 2025 .

Furthermore, the study also shows that the Catalan ICT sector closed 2024 with a turnover of €27.031 billion , equivalent to 8.5% of Catalonia's GDP.

In terms of business growth, Catalonia now has 16,020 technology companies , an increase of 3.76% compared to the previous year. Since 2008, the number of companies in the sector has increased by 72%.

The upward trend is also reflected in business volume, where 74% of the ICT companies surveyed report having increased their turnover between 2023 and 2024. For the 2025 financial year, 77.8% of companies expect continued growth, while only 6.1% expect a decrease.

Employment in the sector continues to grow positively. In the first quarter of 2025, the number of ICT workers reached 168,300 . This represents 3.7% of the employed population in Catalonia, exceeding the European average of 3.5%. Furthermore, the average annual growth in ICT employment between 2008 and 2024 was 3.6%, compared to 0.1% for the economy as a whole.

However, the sector continues to face a structural challenge: a talent shortage. In the last quarter of 2024 , 1,814 vacancies remained unfilled . The Baròmetre reveals that 80.1% of companies recognize the lack of talent as an obstacle, especially in specialized profiles such as artificial intelligence (52.7%), cybersecurity (39.7%), and cloud computing (27.3%).

This imbalance is also reflected in the educational field. In 2024, Catalan universities offered 3,173 places in ICT degrees compared to 3,564 applications , demonstrating demand exceeding supply and difficulty filling all job vacancies. Currently, only one in three students in ICT degrees are women, although a progressive increase has been observed.

Various institutional plans have been implemented to address this gap. The Generalitat (Catalan Government) is promoting the National Pact for Digital Talent with the goal of doubling training opportunities and creating a better fit between supply and demand. Barcelona City Council, through Barcelona Activa, promotes both formal and informal training through bootcamps . There are currently 40,000 people enrolled in ICT degrees in the Catalan capital.

Furthermore, 82% of contracts in the sector are permanent , almost double the average for other sectors, and salaries are 84% above average.

During the presentation of the Cercle Tecnològic study, it was highlighted that the dynamism of the ICT sector in Catalonia is sustained and structural, and that its development will be key not only because of its direct economic weight, but also because of its capacity to drive the digital transformation of the entire economy . Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data analysis not only generate new business opportunities but are also redefining the production processes of traditional sectors, such as industry, services, and public administration. This transversality makes the ICT sector a driver of innovation and increased competitiveness for the entire Catalan production fabric.