The UPC at the Smart City Expo World Congress and the Barcelona Deep Tech Summit
Once again, the UPC participated in the Smart City Expo World Congress, which took place in Barcelona from 5 to 7 November. In addition to showcasing the latest advancements in urban innovation, the University and its entrepreneurial ecosystem had a strong presence at the Barcelona Deep Tech Summit, with 15 start-ups and spin-offs presenting disruptive technology.
Nov 08, 2024
Featured projects included a car equipped with AI and optical sensors to improve autonomous driving, buoys designed to enhance sea observation and monitoring, and a project to create a new generation of high-performance European buses, both urban and peri-urban, that are fully electric. These are just a few of the innovative projects that the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), through the Innovation and Technology Centre (CIT UPC), exhibited at the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC24).
At stand number 33 − located in Hall P3, level 0, street B, at Fira de Barcelona-Gran Via − the University also showcased additional initiatives and technological capabilities related to enabling technologies, energy and environment, mobility, governance and economy, life and inclusion, infrastructure and construction, and blue economy.
Among the standout innovations was a low-emission car fitted with an AI system and optical sensors capable of gathering thousands of data points to improve autonomous driving, developed by the Centre for Sensors, Instruments and Systems Development (CD6).
The new model of low-cost, low-power buoys is designed to improve observation and monitoring systems in both coastal and oceanic areas. These buoys can be deployed in all aquatic environments, from the deep sea to inland waters, including coastal areas, river plumes and wave-breaking zones. This project was developed by the Technological Development Centre for Remote Acquisition and Data Processing Systems (SARTI).
The eBRT2030 project (European Bus Rapid Transit of 2030: Electrified, Automated, Connected) aims to develop a new generation of high-performance buses to make urban transport more sustainable and environmentally friendly while reducing the cost per kilometre and per passenger, TCO, greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion. The project is being developed by the BIT (Barcelona Innovative Transportation) research group and the inLab FIB, the innovation and research laboratory at the Barcelona School of Informatics (FIB).
The UPC organised sessions such as the industrial doctorate matchmaking, presenting the industrial doctorate programme as a vehicle for technology transfer between the university and industry. Several UPC research groups presented their research directions and potential industrial applications. Key industrially applicable research areas included computational simulations and models, electronics and energy, virtual and augmented reality, cybersecurity and privacy, and optical and photonic engineering, to name a few.
Additionally, a breakout session on smart grids and hydrogen technologies was held, along with a pitch session on autonomous vehicles.
The UPC’s entrepreneurial ecosystem
Fifteen UPC start-ups and spin-offs also attended the Barcelona Deep Tech Summit, the leading conference for advanced tech start-ups, now part of the Expo. It is a prominent platform showcasing innovations from universities and research centres, presenting solutions to four major global challenges: the energy transition and sustainability, industry 4.0 and mobility, digital health, and space.
At the UPC stand, spin-offs such as Process Talks, TeknoCEA, Virmedex and Power DIW were present, while other start-ups linked to the UPC ecosystem also participated at other stands. See all information.
The opening ceremony began at 3:45 p.m. and was attended by Enterprise and Labour minister Miquel Sàmper, Barcelona’s 4th deputy mayor Jordi Valls and the rectors of Catalan universities.
Participation of the Fractus-UPC Deep Tech Hub
As in previous editions, the programme included activities to facilitate networking between start-ups, corporations and investors. Fractus, one of the first spin-offs from the University and a pioneer in antenna technology, participated in the corporate-startup matching sessions at the Conectio Event on the morning of 5 November. Some time ago, Fractus and the UPC launched the Fractus-UPC Deep Tech Hub, an ecosystem dedicated to fostering innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship in the deep tech sector.
Other start-ups and spin-offs from the UPC’s entrepreneurial ecosystem also took part in several scheduled activities, such as the pitch corner, roundtables and talks: https://barcelonadeeptechsummit.com/agenda.
Deep tech in a new ‘Algorrritmes’ episode
The UPC has released a new episode of the Algorrritmes UPC podcast delving into deep tech: disruptive solutions to global challenges with immense transformative potential. It features Carles Puente, a professor at the Barcelona School of Telecommunications Engineering (ETSETB) and the co-founder of Fractus, and Eneko Ibarlucea, a recent graduate from the UPC’s master’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering, who now works at Fractus. The episode highlights how these technologies, based on disruptive scientific discoveries, not only make life easier but also promote sustainability and contribute towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set for 2030.
The episode also focuses on the Fractus-UPC Deep Tech Hub project.